Before writing on this prompt, I found myself pondering, what’s the opposite of not being mindful? To truly understand where I stand, I needed to compare the word and its opposite to see which one resonated with me more, perhaps I should call that, mindful writing, lol.
According to the Cambridge Dictionary mindfulness is,
"the practice of being aware of your body, mind, and feelings in the present moment, thought to create a feeling of calm."
While mindlessness, on the other hand is defined as,
"the quality of not needing much thought or mental effort."
To me, mindlessness may also mean restless, not being able to pay attention or simply functioning on autopilot. And after reflecting on this, I realized that my recent effort to prioritize quality sleep is what mindfulness is. But before now, I had been completely mindless about my sleep patterns.
I used to hear people joke about their “fried” sleep schedules, and I’d laugh along. It never occurred to me that, for some, it could be more than just a joke, until it happened to me. Back in my undergraduate days, sleep was the least important thing in our lives. There were way more pressing concerns, like keeping up with the endless chemical structures involved in cholesterol synthesis. Sleep was only allowed when our bodies were on the verge of shutting down.
That was my reality for years. I genuinely thought sleep was unnecessary, and since I struggled with falling asleep anyway, it was easy to dismiss it as an optional activity. I’d see people joke about winning a “sleeping competition,” and I couldn’t relate at all. I even once came across an actual sleep competition online, where people were judged on how quickly they fell asleep, the quality of their sleep, and how deep they slept. I just thought to myself, Yeah, I would lose terribly at this, lol.
But recently, it hit me: this is not a normal way to live. Maybe it’s because I’m no longer a student, or maybe it’s because I finally realized that I don’t sleep like a normal human being, lol.
Now that I’m out of school, I’ve been trying to sleep at a "normal" time, say, 10 PM to 6 AM, i even set a sleep schedule on my phone.
Screenshot from my iPhone 7
But my sleep cycle was completely fried. If I wake up after just two hours, that’s it, I’m done for the night. Going back to sleep becomes almost impossible. Another weird thing? Even when I am asleep, my brain is still very much awake. I wouldn’t call it dreaming; it feels more like my brain is taking a tour while my body is resting. I’d sleep for five hours, but it would feel like I only got five minutes.
So, after a hospital visit (just to rule out medical insomnia), some deep personal research, and a long conversation with a friend, I decided it was time to be mindful about my sleep. I truly needed it.
Now, before bed, I take a shower, wear light clothing, and make sure my bedsheets are fresh. I also like to apply a little fragrance because it helps calm my mind. I find a comfortable sleeping position and, most importantly, ensure that my head and neck are well-supported, because neck pain from bad positioning is one of the things that used to wake me up mid-sleep. Once I’m in bed, I close my eyes and either count from 100 to 1 or recite the colors of the rainbow (yes, I know, lol).
The reason? During my conversation with my friend, I kept insisting that I have peace of mind. But he pointed out that my brain never really rests because I carry my thoughts into my sleep. So, this little exercise is my way of clearing my mind completely before drifting off.
The first time I tried it, I almost cried when I woke up, because, for the first time in forever, I actually felt like I had slept.
The doctor also suggested a compulsory two-hour afternoon nap. Even if I don’t fall asleep, I’m supposed to at least lie down with my eyes closed and focus on deep breathing for 20 minutes. I didn’t think it would work, but surprisingly, it tricks my brain into shutting down. Before I even realize it, I’ve drifted off, and I wake up feeling refreshed.
I’ve been on this mindful sleep routine for a week now, and let me tell you, the difference is clear. No headaches, my skin feels smoother, my eyes aren’t tired all the time, and overall, my mind just feels... at peace.
Honestly, even the most basic human needs, like sleep, can feel unattainable at times. But being mindful helps us recognize when something is off and, more importantly, find a solution.
And with that, I can officially say, I am now a sleeping beauty, lol.
All images are mine.
Thanks for reading! :)
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Honestly, sleep is such an underrated and overlooked part of our routines! It's a very good thing to create a stable bedtime routine, especially if you have a hard time going to bed, as you did. I liked the way you connect mindlessness with restlessness, also, the inability to stay focused for more than 2 seconds seems quite common in our modern world.
Sleep does so much for our body, honestly! I found that an interesting discovery. Indeed, the ability to focus is getting harder by the second, and even in all the chaos, mindfulness will able be a way to find balance. Thank you for sharing your thought! Wishing you a wonderful day ahead.
This image belongs to millycf1976 and was manipulated using Canva.
Thank you!
Great post! I love how you linked mindfulness with sleep and recognized the impact of a proper rest routine. It’s inspiring how small changes, like clearing your mind before bed, made such a big difference. Wishing you many more restful nights!
Thank you so much. I never would have thought the solution could be in something as little as that, but indeed, small things can make big differences. Thank you for sharing your thought!