All my life I’ve read in bed until lights out, so I know this will sound like heresy to those who love to read themselves to sleep. But once I started to explore other levels of awareness, I found that reading just before sleep was a major distraction.
When I thought about it, I realized that often I was simply too sleepy to adequately absorb what I was reading, and frequently I’d have to go back the next day and spend time reading the same material over again. Or I’d fall asleep in the middle of reading about someone else’s life drama, and would end up tossing and turning with wild and fantastical dreams that didn’t contribute to my sleep or my life.
My friend Margaret mentioned to me recently that she’d been having nightmares. Since I’d just begun to explore my own dreams, I asked her if she had changed her bedtime routine. She assured me she hadn’t; she was reading until she fell asleep, as she had always done.
It turned out that her favorite aunt had recently sent her a huge box of detective stories that she was clearing out and thought Margaret would enjoy. The problem was that Margaret did enjoy them, which is why it took her some time to figure out that reading them just before sleep was having a negative impact on her dreams.
For a while, I made a practice of keeping only uplifting or spiritually oriented reading material on my nightstand. But after experimenting, I’ve found it’s better to fall asleep consciously than under the influence of someone else’s psyche, no matter how elevated it might be. This is especially important if you’re exploring your sleep consciousness (#97).
I’ve gotten into the habit of having a few moments of quiet reflection or possibly even a brief meditation just before going to sleep. This has contributed significantly to my inner simplicity.
For the next few weeks, try going to sleep without reading in bed. You’ll notice a big difference in your moods, in your intuitiveness, and in your level of awareness. You’re also much more likely to get a good night’s sleep.