Four ways I'm recovering from extreme exhaustion

I. Four ways I'm recovering from extreme exhaustion

You might have noticed that I did not publish a newsletter last week. I haven't missed an issue in forever and I was unhappy about that.  To be honest, I was feeling drained.

I'd had multiple weeks of not sleeping well.  Since November last year, my sleep and health had seemed to be on a decline.   It finally reached a fever pitch when I couldn't get to sleep a few days in a row.

Each day I was becoming more exhausted.  And after the kids were put to bed, I no longer had energy to work on my business. This couldn't last.    So here's what I did.

First, Diagnose the problems

My first step was to answer what on earth was keeping me from sleeping? I found two issues. One post nasal drip was disturbing me when I tried to sleep. Two, my throat was closing up a few minutes after I fell asleep which caused me to wake up. I'd fall asleep again, then wake up again from lack of air. Repeating this cycle meant I got almost no sleep.

Second, Generate solutions

Solution 1: Observe my post-nasal drip and try different solutions to address it

Since I can tell when post-nasal drip is happening, I was able to try different medications during the day to see which ones put a stop to it.  For the interested, it was a combination of [blank] and [blank] which are two nasal inhalers and [blank].

Before bedtime, I take all of these and the drip stops.  But that doesn't address the throat closing up as I sleep.

Solution 2: Brief exercise before bed

I discovered during this time that exercising before bed would keep my throat open while I slept.  So I began doing 100-160 jumping jacks just before bed.  This worked. I was able to get to sleep and stay asleep.

Solution 3: Exercise consistently during the day

But I really don't like doing that kind of exercise before bed. I know to really improve my health, energy and sleep I need to exercise consistently for longer than just a few minutes at night.  So I decided to start running regularly again.  But there's one problem. In recent years, I keep starting and stopping. When I'm running regularly, I sleep well. But after I stop for a while the problems come back. How can I stay consistent? Time to bring out an old tactic.

Solution 4: Schedule a race

Before my first daughter was born, I knew I needed to exercise to have energy to raise her. I started and stopped running a few times but knew I needed consistency. I decided to try scheduling 5k races every few months as a motivation.  It worked. I kept in shape for two years that way even after she was born.  So why not try this strategy again? Just a few weeks ago I planned to enter another 5k.  Since then I've followed a running plan and haven't missed a workout.

Third, celebrate (and share) results

My results: I've gotten to bed earlier and earlier each night. I wake up earlier and more refreshed. I'm back to working each day on my business. But since I'm sleeping better, I'm getting the work done in the early morning before the wife and kids are up. (I’m writing this at 5am)  I feel I'm on a sustainable path.

And as far as sharing, I let my wife know about my progress and my friend Steve. Now I'm sharing it with all of you as well.

P.S. My throat closing at night, sounds like sleep apnea, right? Correct. However, whenever I see a doctor, they ask me to do a sleep study.  And by the time I have it, the problem is gone, so they won’t give me a sleep apnea machine.  The same thing has happened this time. I've solved the problem before meeting with the doctor. 🤷🏽‍♂️

---

II. Two ways I can help you

The Atomic Course Blueprint - Want to create a course without the usual overwhelm? Try creating a tiny course. Find out more here.

iPARA: How to organize your digital life for action- Is digital disorganization keeping you from reaching your goals? What if just four folders could let you not just stay organized but actually get things done. See for yourself here.

That’s it for this week. I’ll see you next week with another issue.