Hi. Welcome to Bloom Anywhere. I'm Gwen Moran, a writer, editor, author, and problem-solver. My goal is to share information, ideas, and resources to help you overcome obstacles, reach your goals, and get more joy out of life, even when things are messy. Thanks for joining me. (If you got this from a friend, subscribe here: Bloom Anywhere.) I'd love your feedback and suggestions for future topics. Please send me an email: connect@bloomanywhere.com.
First and foremost, it's Veterans Day. I am deeply grateful for the service and sacrifices that our veterans have given to protect our country and our freedom. Thank you to all who have served. May we always be worthy of all you have given.
Now, back to your regularly scheduled newsletter.
I’ve never been great at rest. From the time I was a teenager, I have dealt with periodic bouts of insomnia. I’m an odd combination of early riser and night owl, which doesn’t leave much time for sleep when I allow these tendencies to rule my schedule.
There are other issues: My commitment to big goals, my high level of extroversion and its connection cravings, caregiving responsibilities, and people-pleasing tendencies typically have my time filled with various activities and pursuits, some of my preference, others not. When I’m sitting still, I typically feel guilty about it. There is so much to do! Getting enough sleep is something I need to work at.
A Long, Not-Quite-Winter's Nap
This weekend, the relentlessness of the past few months in my work and personal life caught up with me. The house was empty and, as I pondered whether I should clear out some items that had accumulated in the living room, catch up on work, visit my father, or pull out those clothes I’ve meant to donate, I realized there was just one thing I wanted to do—overwhelmingly. Sleep.
A quick nap would probably do me some good, I reasoned. I’d get more done afterward if I were rested. So, I climbed into bed and passed out for the next four hours. When I woke, my family was still out, and the house was quiet. I moved to a chair and turned on the end of the Syracuse basketball game (ordinarily must-see TV for me), and promptly fell asleep again, in the middle of a text exchange with a friend. In fact, during the first 36 hours of the weekend, I was asleep more hours than I was awake by a ratio of more than 2:1.
If you’re still with me after several paragraphs about my sleep and napping patterns, I appreciate you. There is a point. Rest matters. Even—especially—when you feel like you "don’t have time" for it.
Sleep Is Strength
When I woke up from my long nap, I felt guilty. “You’re sleeping the day away,” I scolded myself. Worse, I was still tired. My nap hadn’t even solved the problem.
I do know better. I have talked to experts and written about the importance of sleep. The National Sleep Foundation (NSF) says healthy adults typically need between seven and nine hours of sleep per night. However, that may change based on health issues, stress levels, and “sleep debt”—the price we pay for not properly resting our bodies.
Of course, everyone is different—and it’s not always possible to get the prescribed amount of sleep every night. During the pandemic, I developed a “sleep procrastination” habit. I would stay up later than my body would have preferred to read, watch movies, and have time to myself. Lately, I’ve been logging roughly enough sleep hours, by NSF standards, but dealing with a few stressful situations. I needed more sleep, even though I didn’t feel like I had time for it.
Inadequate sleep and rest present in different ways. For some people, the symptoms can mimic depression. Some may feel less creative or like they’re not thinking clearly. Clumsiness, irritability, difficulty focusing or making decisions, or more frequent colds or infections can also be signs if sleep debt or deprivation. I was getting irritable and feeling chronically sad. These are signs that I need more rest (and, probably, a vacation).
Rest and Recover—Yes, You
I am surrounded by hard-charging, successful people in my life—people who work in enviable, demanding roles and need to put in long hours. That’s all the more reason sleep should be a priority. We’re not at our best when we’re not getting enough shut-eye.
Beyond rest, sleep is a biological reset that keeps nearly every bodily system working properly. Deep sleep lets your brain clear out toxins, process memories, and restore focus and emotional balance. It provides your body with the downtime it needs to repair tissues, regulate hormones, and strengthen the immune system. Over time, chronic sleep deprivation is linked to serious health issues such as heart disease, diabetes, and depression.
At the risk of sounding like a pharmaceutical ad, talk to your doctor about any sleep issues you’re having. A change in sleep hygiene and habits can help you get the rest you need more easily. In other cases, medications (one of the GLP-1 meds has recently been approved for sleep apnea) or devices like BiPAP or C-PAP can address sleep issues caused by obstructive sleep apnea. (Again, I’m not a doctor and this isn’t medical advice. Just listing out some options you might discuss with an actual medical professional.)
On the list of things you need to get done each day, sleep should be a priority. Plus, sometimes you get to dream about swimming with orcas. In a lake. At the cabin in Maine where your family vacationed when you were a child. And there’s a leopard there, too. Okay, that’s probably too much information.
Please share your thoughts or suggestions for improving your sleep (or your weird dreams). I’d love to hear from you: connect@bloomanywhere.com.
Bloom Drops
Things I want to share with you.
Sleeping: If you’re having trouble sleeping, there are a few information hubs that you might find helpful. The National Sleep Foundation offers a wealth of research and valuable content on improving sleep. Project Sleep offers a national sleep helpline that provides personalized support and recommendations to help with sleep issues. And, while it’s not currently being maintained and has a unhelpful partisan banner across the top of it during the government shutdown, the Centers for Disease Control also have a useful sleep education center.
De-stressing: Stress can both interrupt your sleep and leave you needing more sleep. It’s a very hard time now for so many people. No app or list of tips is going to help you “de-stress” when you’ve lost your job and need to support your family, or you’re struggling to get food. If you need mental health services and cannot afford them, reach out to your Certified Community Behavioral Health Services (CCBHS) clinic to find out what resources might be available to you. The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) has a (somewhat outdated) national directory of mental health treatment facilities. If you are in crisis and need someone to talk to, text HOME to 741741 for the Crisis Text Line, which provides urgent, confidential mental health support, or visit here.
