Red Eye

I’m taking a red eye flight tonight–San Diego to Washington Dulles. I’ll have a quick layover in the morning before the connecting flight to my next speaking engagement.

Like most people on a red eye, I’m worries most about sleep:

1) Will I be able to fall asleep?
and
2) Is there any chance the flight could be a little bit longer so that I could get more uninterrupted sleep?

Really, there isn’t too much I can do about this. Sure, I’m doing some things to help–dressing really comfortably, going to bed earlier & waking up earlier so I’m more likely to fall asleep, eliminating all caffeine from my diet–but really, I’m going to fall asleep or I’m not going to fall asleep.

And yet I worry.

I know many have experienced the same sleepless night even without a flight. It gets late, you know you have an early morning, so you start counting the hours of sleep. The longer you don’t fall asleep, the more you stress, and the fewer hours of sleep you end up getting.

It’s a bad cycle–and I absolutely hate those handful of nights I experience each year when this insomnia takes place.

Worrying about something doesn’t solve the problem.

Yeah, I just had to type that.

I’ve realized in the past few months that I’ve allowed myself to get preoccupied with the worrying, and not with the solutions. I’m placing most of my focus there. I’m not letting go.

Does this sound familiar at all?

If you’re like most people, it’s probably too familiar.

So tonight, I get on a plane. I’ll fall asleep or I won’t fall asleep. In any event, I will get sleep again, and I’ll manage like I’ve managed in the past if I’m short a few winks…

…so I’ll try to reduce my worry.

Enjoy your Thursday and try to do the same : )

…unless you’re watching March Madness–in which case, worry goes hand in hand with the last few minutes of a close game : )