Something to learn – the value of sleep

Seems strange that I would need to go to Italy to learn it, but one of my most important lesions has been the value of sleep. Not necessarily just at night, but simply the act of relaxing mid-day and then enjoying a well deserved good sleep at night. For those that have known me for long, they know me as an insomniac – never enough hours in the day to get everything done; to see everything; to still my ready churning mind filled with must-do’s and to-do lists. As a kid, I was the last one to sleep at the slumber party – never wanting to miss out on anything I was sure to come. In more recent year, this has manifested itself as hours spent tossing and turning; staring at the clock; counting the diminishing hours before the alarm rings and the day begins again. This has been a struggle of mine for as long as I recall; leaving sleep behind to the days of my youth. I have tried all the advice – turning the computer and TV hours before I plan to sleep, ready with a low-output night light, meditation, yoga and at times knocking back a Tylenol PM or a glass of wine. A not to be named friend of mine (she’ll know who she is), used to joke that she looked forward to being sick in order to take TheraFlu – I think she likes the taste. I loved it because I would finally have a good night of sleep. At times, my relaxation methods worked and I got a good night sleep, but then I would fall back into my same old pattern of fitful bursts of sleep.

Now that I have settled into Italian life, it is no longer an issue. What is not done today, can most certainly wait for tomorrow. Meals are lengthy, with time for relaxation, wine and good conversations – starting the digestive process long before rising from the table. Work is at a relaxed pace with a liassez faire attitude – what will be will be. At home, I would have avoided a mid-days nap, even when I was exhausted as I knew that sleep might evade me at night. Here, I greedily climb into bed for an hour or two after lunch – sometimes to read, but more often to close my eyes and slumber away. At night, it’s no different – sleep is welcomed – not because I am exhausted, but because I am relaxed and my body is looking to make up for lost time – regenerative and refreshing – healing the mind, body & soul. Were I to return home with only one lesson – my hope is that this is it. If I am granted some extra ones for good behavior, I am sure that I can find a few more things to keep the Genie busy for quite a while.