Hard To Sleep At Night As An HSP?

Welcome to this blog series about highly sensitive people who find it hard to sleep at night. Today, we ask the question ‘Do you find it incredibly difficult to function without proper sleep?‘ If your answer to this question is yes, you may well be highly sensitive.

Highly sensitive people find in incredibly difficult to function without the proper amount of sleep. The amount of sleep needed can vary, depending on the individual. Highly sensitive people tend to need more sleep than other human beings. Why? Because processing all of these thoughts, feelings and emotions so deeply, is very tiring.

I remember when I was in my teens and I would go to parties. I didn’t go to many, but when I did, I used to remember all the conversations I had, and how awkward I would feel when I had no one to talk to. When I did find people to talk to, it made me come alive because I felt that the people I was talking to at the time, were starting to really resonate with me.

It was quite often the drinking or the soft drug intake that was fooling me into this feeling. I would remember every interaction and then treat the people I had met at the party as a friend when I met them weeks later. This made people feel uncomfortable about speaking with me, because I was so friendly with them. This started making me become more isolated as time went on.

I Used To Sleep For Hours After Parties

A while ago, I suffered with sleep problems. I used to sleep for hours after going to a party. This is because I was processing all the information so deeply, and can still remember some of the instances that happened way back when I was 16 or 17. I would get in quite late and then go to bed. My future sister-in-law used to visit the house with my brother on occasions and she used to joke about me.

She said all I used to see of me was getting out of bed to get to the Sunday dinner table, make a few comments on the conversation, like I was Confucius, and then go back to bed after eating. She thought that was hilarious. I needed so much sleep to process all the information I had picked up the night before. It seemed to make my memory amazing.

"Making Comments Like Confucius Came Naturally To Me From An Early Age"

Calling In Sick Because Of My Need For Sleep And Sleep Problems

This carried on into my work life also. I used to excel with sales when I first started working for a sales company. There came periods of time when I became exhausted and just needed to sleep. I would call days in sick and just sleep virtually all day to recover.

Then after a few days, I could get back on the tread mill and do the whole cycle all over again. I was like this with a few of the companies I worked for. When I was there, I was outstanding with the work that I did. But I needed more time off than the other staff members because of the toll it took on my mind and body.

Sleep Problems And Sleeping Long Hours When I Was A Musician

My sleep problems persisted. When I started my career in music, this changed. I still slept in late, but I was so absorbed by music, I could work for days and not really eat very much, because I received so much energy back from the work I was doing. In fact, I became happier, because I could have conversations about music with the musicians I was hanging around with, and they all seemed highly sensitive also.

There were times when I felt so happy as a musician, and times when I felt so empty. But it was fulfilling my passion that made the work so much easier than the sales world. I feel it is so important for highly sensitive people to love what they do, otherwise it can be a real nightmare.

"Life Can Feel Like A Nightmare If You Don’t Love what You Are Doing"

Varied Hours Of Work Helped Me Sleep More

Being a musician, there is always a lot of dead time when you are touring. People think this is constantly filled with endless parties, and yes, they are there when you want to partake in them. I also found much time to keep up good periods of sleep to help me process everything that I was experiencing. I could find a balance with music, especially live.

Performing live was amazing for me. Parts of the music that I used to perform was improvised and this was like a meditation for me where the moment unfolded piece by piece. We were quite literally making up the music moment by moment. This took intense focus and concentration, while having a great time with the audience. It ticked so many boxes for me.

I Can Slow Down Now When I Need More Sleep

Coming into the present, I still find days when I feel completely washed out. I can take my foot of the accelerator pedal and just cruise on those days. I love my work, which is mainly speaking with, and helping highly sensitive people, and the outcomes are amazing.

This inspires me to do more work because of the results I get. Through my training I have learnt to conserve my energy and use it when I need to. I do not waste my energy anymore, and even when I am feeling a little tired, I can still give 100% to the people I am serving. I am so grateful for my training.

"Learn To Conserve Your Energy And Use It Well When You Need To"

Becoming More Efficient At Your Work So You Need Less Sleep

I have become very efficient at producing work like this blog series. I have left my perfectionist brain on the shelf when it comes to projects like this, and produced this series from the heart. That is because I want highly sensitive people to realise that they are not the only ones who are going through what they are going through. There are quite a few of us out here.

How Can I Function Better When I Am Lacking In Sleep Time? Sleep Problems Resolved

Learn to meditate

Meditation is very relaxing. When we are highly sensitive, we can feel like we are in the fight or flight nervous system state constantly. Learning to meditate addresses this, and helps the body and brain to relax even when we are not sleeping.

Take up Qi Gong

Qi Gong is a fantastic way of learning to move in a relaxed manner. People who attend my Qi Gong classes are amazed at how relaxed they feel after a class. Every element of their body is relaxed and calm, as it should be.

Learn to slow down

We live life in such a frantic rush these days. And when we are getting ready for bed, we are still living in the fast lane. Do something at the end of the day that slows you down and gets you ready for bed. Qi Gong or meditation will do it. Or even reading a book, from paper pages, will help also.

Do You Need Help With Your Busy Mind To Help You Sleep Better And Ease Sleep problems?

If you want help in coping with your highly sensitive nature, I run a course called the Dream Method. You can click the link below and see the five steps I took to help me with my issues. I am sure these steps can help you too. If you want to take this further with me, it is obvious what to do at the end of the webinar. Click the link below and it will take you to the webinar.

The Dream Method For The HSP's

I look forward to connecting with you very soon.

Until then, be well and keep shining.

Peter. :)