There is nothing that you need to do in order to sleep.
This may sound obvious,
But in a state of anxiety or restlessness,
The basic assumption is that something must be done in order to change our circumstances.
If you're experiencing anxiety around the subject of sleep,
If you're experiencing restlessness and a desire to change your circumstances by means of falling asleep,
You're chasing your own tail because sleep does not come about as a result of doing.
It comes about as a result of not doing,
Of resting.
And while there's nothing that we can directly do or change or bring about that will result in sleep,
What we can do is rest.
We can choose to relax.
We can choose to be okay with whatever is occurring,
Including sensations of restlessness,
Including sensations of anxiety,
Including tossing and turning,
Including physical discomfort,
Including the lack of sleep,
Including worries about what happened today or what is yet to happen tomorrow.
If you really had a choice about any of these things,
You would stop them.
So given that you don't,
The only appropriate thing to do is to watch them like the weather,
Passing clouds,
The sound of rain hitting the window,
All of this transient,
Never the same for longer than a fleeting moment.
Observe this flux as a spectator.
Nothing to do about it.
No need to change any of it.
Indeed,
If you have a problem with the rain,
Well,
That's a problem that can't be solved.
It's gonna rain sometimes,
Just like you're gonna be awake when you'd rather be asleep sometimes.
Remember that rest has great value.
If you're gonna be awake all night,
You may as well chill out.
You may be experiencing anxiety around how you will perform in your various responsibilities tomorrow.
Well,
You're gonna perform better if you are rested than you are if you spent the whole night wishing that you were asleep,
Frustrated.
If frustration arises,
No big deal.
Another passing cloud.
Don't buy in and become anxious about your anxiety,
Frustrated about your frustration.
Break the cycle by deciding to be okay with whatever arises.
Rest.
Relax.
And maybe sleep will show up.
