When we sleep, I have read, the unconscious begins to process, resolve, and heal the buried emotions of the day. That little inadvertent thing which seemed so massively embarrassing, but which everyone else has forgotten. The awkwardness, the stresses, the misunderstandings, the little buffetings of the heart.
Anxieties, shame, fears, tensions, and triumphs–we relive them, and often resolve them in our dreams. Often, I reconcile with people I haven’t been able to reconcile with in real life, and wake with a sense of relief.
Sleep deprivation is a form of torture. Some psychiatrists say that depression and bipolar disorder are at root sleep disorders! Sleep is cathartic. God, or our unconscious, resolves many of the day’s niggles. “The night belongs to the Lord,” I have heard it said. And so “he gives to his beloved sleep,” and we awake with fresh energy and resolve for the new day.
* * *
You know what else gives me the same sense of resolving the unresolved by a subconscious process? Of resolving tensions, dissatisfactions, minor anger, and irritations?
Exercise, aerobic exercise, working at the outer limit of my comfort zone.
* * *
I was very ill last November, too exhausted to leave my bed for a couple of weeks, and if I had not had surgery for Stage III colon cancer, with nine lymph nodes affected, that fast growing “rabbit cancer,” would have metastasized, and I might have died.
In a Spirit-guided decision, I declined chemo and as part of my chemo-free recovery, I have been trying to walk as fast as I can. My one year check-up showed entirely normal results, for which I grateful
I have never been strong, so at present, it takes me 20 minutes to walk a mile, and I can do three or four miles. But, let me embarrass myself, because I was so unwell, because I’ve never been strong, walking a 20 minute mile takes focus. I break a sweat, oh yes; I gasp at times, I feel the strain in my lungs and heart. If I lose focus, I won’t break my speed goal (I am currently trying to break a 20 minute, 23 second mile)– so focus I do.
But while my body is working, and my conscious mind is focused on my walking speed, my unconscious is working too.
When I come back from my walk sometimes just a mile, sometimes over three, I feel purged, cleansed. It was cathartic. Many of the anxieties, irritations, question marks and worries have been resolved, who knows how? I am now ready to settle down to work, with calm of mind and clear focus. It’s as every cobweb has been vacuumed from my brain.
* * *
A book I reviewed earlier this year, Stress by Simon Vibert says that one way to deal with stress is to do something so demanding that you can’t consciously think of anything else while you do it. At present, trying to walk a mile faster than 20 minutes and 23 seconds does that for me.
If you are stressed at this season, perhaps do that? Find your baseline, your comfortable pace, and try to walk faster than that for… a mile? Or the 10,000 steps which are the minimal requirement for good health, according to Britain’s NHS (about 3.5 to 5 miles depending on your stride). Dr. Andrew Weil, my favourite medic who works with alternative medicine says walking 4 miles a day at 15 minutes a mile will revolutionize your health, a goal I am shooting for.
I will probably get there, but meanwhile, I am enjoying the journey. Those little bursts of 20 minutes 23 seconds make me significantly happier every day, and that is never to be underrated, that little thing, happiness. Through so easy a means, walking shoes, and a mile, or three. Perhaps four
Read my new memoir: Rosaries, Reading, Secrets: A Catholic Childhood in India (US) or UK.
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Ian says
test comment
Anita Mathias says
It worked!
Katrina says
Thank you for this great and encouraging post Anita. I will start walking again tomorrow, come rain or shine, and I’m sure I will sleep better as a result.
Anita Mathias says
You will, you will.
And I will walk too, and I will sleep well too.
Welcome to my blog, Facebook friend 🙂
Andy says
Anita, your explanation of the benefits of sleep is so helpful. I have recently been struggling with wakefulness at night and tiredness during the day. Caffeine later in the day has an effect, as do mental tasks such as preparing to lead worship at church.
I also suspect that what I watch on TV in the evening is causing a problem. I have been following a drama series with considerable complexity and plot twists, and most significantly unresolved issues where the viewer is left baffled as the script writers keep us in the dark by hiding identities and adding sub plots. I am trying to resolve these in my sleep and failing.
I have decided to stop watching this programme and give myself a better sleep.
Bless you.
Andy
Anita Mathias says
Thanks Andy. I know what you mean. Roy and I watched 50 episodes of “The Game of Thrones,” over 50 evenings when I was recovering from illness earlier this year, and it really affected my sleep. I almost I hadn’t started…though I liked the setting, the costumes, the acting, and some characters!
Leah Slawson says
Anita,
I am a walker and what you say is so true ! I’m also a dreamer – so I loved this post. Thank the Lord for how he designed our bodies to work. I used to try to push myself to do without 8 hours sleep a night because I wanted to be more efficient, get more done. ( Occupation was an idol in my life.) I have now accepted sleep as God’s gift to me and a way to trust Him that each day is sufficient. The walk, too, is a way to trust him. Taking time from home and work to take care of the body is trusting HIm that all will get done and the rewards are worth it. I’m so proud of you for working hard and pushing. I, too, am trying to 4 miles a day – though not making that many every day yet.
Thank you for sharing this. You inspired me today.
Anita Mathias says
Thanks much, Leah for this meaty, thought-provoking comment!