We require 7-9 hours of sleep EVERY night which represents approximately 1/3 of our lives. So let’s make it count!
You may think you can function on 6 hours sleep, but in fact, it is not enough to be able to operate at your full potential.
If you get caught up by trying to deal with your stresses, your job, family, and friends; or, if you’re running on low energy, making poor nutrition choices, or fighting to keep your brain focused, etc., it might be due to lack of sleep.
So, if you’re not paying attention to this extremely important part of your life, it’s time to make it a priority.
Sleep is one of the best things you can do for yourself!
It will restore, rejuvenate and energize your body and brain.
Which means you will have better control of your life!
This 1/3 of your life has a direct impact on the other two thirds of your life. It will affect your:
- moods
- Memory
- Body weights
- nutritional choices
- reaction time
- Safety
- Creativity
- emotional balance
- Immune System
- Your overall health!
Where else can you get so many benefits so easily?
When you go to sleep, your body relaxes and your brain does a check to make sure that all of your bodily functions are working properly, and then it will do whatever type of maintenance it needs to do.
If the maintenance is not done, your body and your brain will not function at their optimum level. A great analogy for this is doing maintenance on your car. If you don’t do the maintenance, the car will break down!
And that is what happens to us if we don’t get enough sleep…we will break down!
Therefore, it is important to take care of and make time for good quality sleep if you want to see improvements in your energy, mood, creativity, efficiency, etc.
Even missing 1-2 hours a night will have a negative affect on your daily life.
Maybe you are asking, “How do I even know if I am sleep deprived?” If you are sleeping less than 7-9 hours a night, you are most likely sleep deprived. You may be so used to it and don’t even realize it!
Here are some signs that you may be sleep deprived:
- You rely on an alarm clock to wake you up.
- You keep hitting the snooze button over and over.
- You just don’t want to get out of bed.
- Your energy starts to diminish throughout the day.
- You want to fall asleep in meetings, when socializing, or when driving.
- You are finding it hard to control your mood.
- You are forgetful.
- You are hungrier than usual and have a hard time making the right food choices.
- You are zoning out.
- You have read and reread and maybe even reread this line again!
When you sleep, you need to be able to get into a good, deep sleep in order for your body to repair itself and build up energy for the next day. You also need to get into REM sleep which helps boost your mind and mood.
So, how do you get a good QUALITY night’s sleep on a consistent basis?
- Try to keep to a schedule. Go to bed and get up at the same time every night. Trying to regulate your schedule may take one to two weeks.
- Avoid technology and bright screens (iPad, computer, TV) at least 1-2 hours before going to bed. These bright screens will play havoc in your brain keeping it up when it needs to rest. If you do watch TV, watch shows that are not action packed and keep the volume down
- Keep your room dark…as dark as can be.
- Keep your room cool. Around 18 degrees celsius (65F) is the magic temperature.
- Cut down on caffeine.
- Don’t eat a large meal before going to bed.
- Avoid alcohol or drinking too many liquids.
- Have a warm bath or shower.
- Do a short meditation or deep breathing so that you can relax your mind and body.
- Exercising for a minimum of 30 minutes a day (walking, jogging, swimming, something you like to do) will help with your quality of sleep. Just don’t do it too close to bedtime.
- There are also some very good natural supplements that you can take that will help you sleep. If you are interested in knowing more, feel free to send me an email and I will be more than happy to help you out.
My favorite way to help with sleep is to have a routine…my routine is to turn off all technology at least 1 hour before going to bed, sleep in a dark, cool room, and read for about 15-20 minutes right before going to bed.
Sleep tight!
Anita Duwell
Certified Holistic Nutrition Coach
Certified Master Workplace Wellness Consultant
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PS I invite you to join me Aging with Vitality FaceBook Group. It is a place to share information and strategies for living a life of quality and vitality. Be the first to have access to freebies, challenges, etc. Also a place to share some funnies!