as a life long insomniac, i’ve come to covet the hours i spend in my bed.

my past life contained thousands of long nights when my thoughts raced. wakeful and anxious, i would lie for hours and pray for the sleep that simply would not come. invariably i gave up, went back out to the television and raided the refrigerator. i would comfort myself with whatever i could, often up-ending a bottle of whiskey that would drown me into oblivion. i would awaken groggy and unfocused. the day meant accomplishing nothing. i was cranky, depressed and self-loathing. then i began to look for more constructive natural way to bring on sleep. as time passed it became about the ritual. the rituals i created to prepare myself for the rest to come. baths, teas, tonics, herbs, candles… i even conceived of duross & langel while soaking in a hot, salted tub on a cold night to soothe my racing mind. as i climbed into bed, my skin toasty warm between the cool sheets, the wind howled like a lullaby outside my window, coaxing me to slumber. it was this kind of simple ritual that taught me how to get ready for bed.

once upon a time… i had to learn how to sleep. to want to wind down and embrace the slumber. it all began with the realization that i would not be missing a thing by sleeping, and that the return of this investment was an endless amount of energy, creativity, productivity and a healthier body. the best me i could be.

i also enjoy lazy mornings. waking, stretching, smiling in the morning light and then falling asleep again. a lazy starfish taking up a position in the middle of the bed, stealing a few more winks. though I know many of you will condemn me for welcoming dogs into my bed, becoming wakeful as two terriers snog me to life is a joyful thing. 4:30am is an obnoxious hour, but after a quick walk i get to climb back in and sleep some more. oh blessed sleep. where have you been all my life?

my days are long and full. some people call it stress. i call it life. some of us run on a different energy. i average almost five miles a day on the stairs in our building. just one speed. fast. my life runs full steam ahead because i indulge myself in slumber. one third of my life will have been spent in bed so you might imagine i don’t cheap on the linens. or the pillows, the mattress or duvet. i may be spoiled but i don’t wake up sore.