How many moments of stillness do you have in a day?
We’re not thinking about sitting still when you’re working, watching tv or talking. We’re thinking about stillness in body and mind, sitting or lying still without occupying our mind with a task or visual data.
We’re willing to bet you don’t have many, if any, moments of stillness in the day that fit this description. In our busy lives and our busy worlds, being still takes some effort.
As you’d expect, some people find it hard to be still in busy places where the constant noise, movement and commotion around them means they can’t switch off. For others the opposite may be true – the emptiness of a quiet room makes them too self aware whereas they find the rhythm of a busy place easier to disengage from.
However stillness, and the absence of stillness, in our lives can be significant when it comes to managing our stress levels. Stress is the enemy of sleep and, in turn, insomnia feeds stress. If you find yourself caught on this stress-fuelled treadmill, it’s time to start finding more moments of stillness in your day to give yourself the chance to process some of what’s occupying your mind rather than keeping busy and making your first genuine moment of stillness in the day your last moment at night as you try and lay down for sleep.