What would you give for a good night’s rest? Wow, now that’s a loaded question. People are often using prescribed sleep aids because they face insomnia or other sleep depriving issues.
On the other hand many of us are tired, but we feel like we just have too much to do so we fight sleep and keep doing more stuff until we collapse in exhaustion. We medicate to sleep and we do the same to stay awake – not an especially healthy cycle.
A lack of sleep has been linked to stress. Stress has been linked to being overweight. Being overweight has been linked to heart disease, diabetes and other chronic illnesses.
There are a few things you can do to carve out time for those eight hours you need for sleep.
Get physical. Our often inactive lifestyles leave us tired, but not always sleepy. If we can factor in some time for physical activity we can sweat out body toxins, burn off excess blood glucose, use up any overstocks of energy and find ourselves in a place where sleep seems more inviting.
Learn to say no. It’s possible to become individuals with too much to do and not enough time to do it. We can feel guilty going to bed if we know that by doing so we will blow a deadline. We may be forced out of bed early in an effort to simply try to catch up. If we can practice the art of ‘life subtraction’ we may be able to find a better life balance that allows better rest.
If you’re tired – sleep. As a writer there are times when I lack the mental clarity to get the job done. I have found that when possible I will improve my frame of mind by simply taking a power nap. A 30-minute snooze provides a great way for me to get thinking again.
Sleep is important and your body recognizes what it is missing. Ignore it long enough and it will catch up to you.
Mattress check. It could be your mattress is causing you a poor night’s sleep. You may be so uncomfortable you spend more time tossing and turning instead of finding a place of productive sleep. Maybe it’s time to upgrade for a better night’s rest.
Schedules are not the enemy. If you can develop a regular bedtime as well as a regular time to get up you may find that your body will respond well to this scheduled event.
The value of caffeine. There is some small value to using caffeine in rejuvenating you after a night’s rest, but the caffeine also produces a crash at some point in your day. An apple might do more to inspire and refresh you in the morning – without the crash. Consuming caffeine within several hours of sleep may be counterproductive to good rest. The value of caffeine is never very helpful to sleep.
What are you eating? Your diet is important to sleep as well. If you take in food that creates an atmosphere for heartburn you won’t sleep very well. Find foods that will allow you to rest comfortably without the internal burn.
Find ways to reduce stress. This could be work related, but it could also be relational. Your stress might go away by simply forgiving someone who has wronged you or by working to make things right with someone you have hurt in some way. Our conscience can sometimes make it difficult to sleep. By keeping a clear conscience sleep will be much easier to find.
Resist worry. Think about whether the things you are worried about are worth the mental strain. Can you control what you worry about? If so make the needed changes. If not, there is nothing about worry that can help.
Sleep is a valuable commodity. By robbing yourself of sleep today you may be borrowing from your future health. When you sleep well you are more focused and have the ability to be more creative and productive. Positive sleep patterns can be achieved without drugs in many cases. Negative sleep patterns aren’t always fixed in the pharmacy. Find out why you can’t sleep and you might just find the key to making the change needed to get some rest.
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