Living in a New Space With Insomnia

Moving – even when it is a good move – is one of the most stressful things to do and go through. I am certainly a creature of habit and find change rather difficult.

The first night in a new place is always difficult for me as I get accustomed to the new sounds and feels of our new space. It takes me about 2 weeks to actually start settling down and my insomnia is normally on high alert during this time. 

Suddenly, as if by magic, none of my old sleep tricks work. My whole routine is in pieces and it feels as if I need to start all over again. From scratch.

This was my survival.

New start, new bedroom

This is a new start and one that I had worked very hard to create. Being someone who has always experienced insomnia, I decided to pay special attention to my room. Being a single mom, there is honestly always something that is more important. I reminded myself to give my best to my home and my daughter.

I needed to try to fill my own cup a bit. The lack of sleep and quality of sleep is the thing that drains my cup the most. So when I knew I was going to move, I made sure to plan and budget for my bedroom.

I bought a new bed – a good quality orthopedic bed that would hopefully assist with my psoriatic arthritis pain at night. I also bought really good quality linen, smooth and soft on the skin. And 2 fresh new pillows and one or two small accessories for my bedroom.

How I created my peaceful sleep space

Creating a peaceful and serene space is something that I have longed for for the longest time. Importantly, it was time to incorporate all the sleep assistance I could in my space so that I do not have to even leave the room on a bad night.

These are the things that I have added:

• A fan, for white noise
• A journal and 2 pens next to my bed to empty my head
• A wireless speaker for guided meditations to play from my phone without needing my phone on
• A charging station – which is not next to my bed – to stop the temptation to reach for my phone
• An aromatherapy diffuser away from the bed to run some lavender oil
• A nighttime tea cup. This cup is pretty and is only used for sleepy tea. I will go to all lengths to convince my mind that it is bedtime
• Block out blinds and curtains in the bedroom to create a dark void to sleep in

Patience is key

It is going to be a tough start, and this was something I had to make peace with. It took me 2 weeks to settle into my new bed and new space. I was impatient with myself and got annoyed quickly as I had made all this effort and gathered all these things so surely I should be sleeping better.

In contradiction, my insomnia was in high drive and sleep was worse than ever.

Finding peace in my new space

Two weeks on, I am feeling better and my room is now my sanctuary. Even when I can't sleep, it is peaceful. I can read, and I can journal or I can just open the window and watch the trees blow in the wind.

While my insomnia is still around, I am getting a bit more sleep. My new bed has made a huge difference, so I have a little less pain at night. This makes for an easier night all around.

Have you moved recently? How did you cope? Are you moving? Have you got any plans to make this easier?