Every since I moved to Vancouver and started teaching like a mad woman – 25 yoga classes a week, I’ve been going to bed early and sleeping at least 9 hours a night. I found it was the only way I was able to recharge my body and mind to keep up with teaching that many classes.

Note: I was teaching that much because I had incurred a bit of debt moving from NYC to Vancouver. I had driven across the country with all my stuff in a van and took 5 weeks to get here. I had found an apartment quite quickly but couldn’t get a teaching gig to save my life. I ended up going back to serving for the first few months to make rent. That changed a few months in and then began my 2 year stint of 25 yoga classes a week and assisting the manager at YogaPod on the north shore to pay off my credit card debt and get ahead. 

Ok – back to my love letter to sleep. 

I love teaching yoga and that’s why after 21 years, I still love teaching. That being said, there are a few things I do in order to not burn out….anymore and sleep is the most important one. I’m bringing this up because I’ve just been reunited with my bestie in the last year and reflecting on how much I love it. 

With Karmen being born, sleep left me. In it’s wake, anxiety, sickness and an in ablitity to think super straight or fast joined my party. I’ve been sick the last two winters at least twice each season. I realized that prior to Karmen, I only got sick once every few years, and the reason is I SLEPT A LOT. 

I hadn’t accounted for this correlation until the bro-sphere started talking about all the research that’s been done about sleep and why it’s essential.  Now that we’re all sleeping through the night, most of the time, I’m feeling clearer, more grounded and REFRESHED (I never thought I’d feel that again – when you’re in it – it’s hard to see the end). I also haven’t been taken down sick this winter. This Monday, I could feel it coming on. I took all my tinctures and went to bed early every night and I’m as good as new today, yip yip!

I have also learned that sleep hygiene (what you do to prepare for sleep) is as important as the sleep itself. I hadn’t really thought about this either until having Karmen. Bedtime routine is an essential part of the day for kids…and adults.

For Karmen that’s a bath, with a bit of play, jammies, teeth, 4 books, lights out and our little bedside routine – Count backwards from 20 (sometimes in Spanish), going over what we’re going to do tomorrow, 4 songs, kiss and good night. 
For Clara – put phone in kitchen to charge, shower, jammies, read for 20 minutes on my kobo with low lighting, then lights out by 10/10:30. 

Q’s For You

• What’s your relationship to sleep?
• How many hours is your sweet spot?
• What’s your bedtime routine?