Preparation for peace
We need time to wind down to a state of peace and rest.

Too often we expect this to be instantaneous as soon as our head touches the pillow, and then wonder why it's taking us so long to relax into a deep sleep. We need time to wind down and chill out before bedtime, rather than be wound up by internet cruising or TV action movies. A hot bath to relax our muscles, with peaceful music and candles puts us into a far deeper sleep than watching Scream 3! It is ultimately down to where our priorities lie - to entertain our mind or relax our body.
Facing our thoughts
We need time to notice our buried thoughts and feelings. Usually we only notice what we are thinking and feeling deep down, when we are no longer distracted by work, friends, TV, music etc. - in other words bedtime. Suddenly our head is a turmoil of fears, anxiety, and 'to do' lists. This is the wrong time to pause and consider what is really on our minds.
We need to create time earlier in the day to pause and take stock of how we're feeling deep down, rather than keeping our mind busy on other things. We can explore what is lurking in the back of our minds by writing our thoughts and feelings down in a journal, or talking to a trusted friend or counsellor. It is important to do this before dinner so we have time to digest what has come up, and calm down again before bedtime. Late night self reflection and soul searching is a sure recipe for a sleepless night.
Taking control
Living with HIV adds a whole new layer of uncertainty to our lives. We can take back control again by creating as many certainties as possible in our day-to-day life. We need to organise ourselves, making lists of what we need to complete today, or this week.
Shopping and pampering ourselves works wonders when we're feeling low - but mounting bills create another level of uncertainty we can do without!! Taking control of our finances and budgeting our monthly bills can avoid this additional burden. The more we can control by organising ourselves, the

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