Sometimes, as a mother of two small kids, I feel like sleep is more of a luxury than a necessity, but then I remember back to my couple counselling days…
I was seeing a couple that had a love-hate relationship. I would work my hardest in our one hour sessions to get them connected to the love they had for one another. They would feel it, commit to making changes and being kinder, only to show up one week later with a huge list of offences that had taken place since our last session.
I was ready to pull my hair out because I had tried everything. And then a question came to mind…
“How much sleep are you getting at night?”
They shrugged and did some quick math in their heads, “Between four and six hours.”
What!?
When it came down to it, it was a matter of some bad habits and late night movie watching that was depriving this couple of sleep. They went away from that session with one homework assignment: no less than seven to eight hours of sleep a night!
I had to laugh when they came in a week later beaming. No amount of counselling could compete with good old fashioned sleep.
Listen up, folks: Sleep is a necessity!
You can live longer without food than you can without sleep. It has also been reported that if you go without sleep for extended periods of time, your mental health will be significantly compromised, and you may experience episodes of manic behaviour or deep depression.
Not worth it.
For most of us, it won’t be as dramatic as going a week without sleep. It will be a more subtle and pervasive sleep deprivation that can take place because of bad habits, medical conditions, small children or shift work, and it can have a dramatic impact on our health, not to mention our quality of life.
Adequate sleep, which is six to eight hours for the average person, is required for your body to regenerate and handle day to day demands.
Quality of sleep is important, as well. If you are getting eight hours of sleep, but having it interrupted a number of times throughout the night, you may experience the same physical and emotional fatigue as someone who is not getting the quantity of sleep that they need.
Sleep Is A Pillar Of Holistic Health
Quality sleep will help with the aging process, speed metabolism, increase immune function, increase mental and emotional health, increase willpower and mental clarity, just to name a few things.
So what can you do to increase your level of quality sleep?
- Bed time routine: we are creatures of habit, and our body responds accordingly. If we have the same routine before going to bed every night, our bodies adapt and will start releasing the hormones that promote sleep as soon as we begin the routine. This can be something as simple as having a cup of hot tea, and then brushing your teeth and washing your face. Or, it could be something a little more involved, like a warm bath followed by reading from your favourite book.
- Turn off electronic devices: it may feel like you are unwinding when you watch TV, but don’t mistake numbing or being distracted with relaxing. It often feels good to zone out in front of the TV or computer, but your mind is going a mile a minute as it follows visual stimulation.
- De-stress throughout the day: having a ten minute relaxation routine before bed doesn’t always cut it when you have been going full steam ahead all day. It is like going a hundred miles per hour all day and then putting your foot on the brake. You will not stop instantly. It is important to do relaxation exercises, like the ones listed below, throughout the day and not just at bed time.
- Supplements: before you hit the prescription solution, try something natural like melatonin, valerian root or an herbal sleep blend. Many times these natural solutions will help you wind down into a deep slumber.
- Meditation: I stumbled upon this one. I was doing a meditation mp3 before bed and fell into the most amazing sleep. I don’t know if I have ever finished this guided meditation c.d. because I have begun using it to help me, not only fall asleep, but have an amazing quality sleep.
- Limit caffeine: I had to laugh at my husband when he used to come home, absolutely wired, from Monday night football. He kept saying it must have been an exciting game because he was just racing. When I got to the bottom of it, they were getting free ice teas, and he was having three to four! Coffee is an obvious culprit, but be careful of other caffeinated bevies like green tea, black tea, iced tea, cola and hot chocolate. Everyone metabolizes caffeine differently, but it can take up to seven hours to be out of your system, and if you want to be in bed early, that may mean kicking your skinny latte habit on your last coffee break.
- Exercise: this releases the adrenaline and energy that gets built up from daily stresses. You don’t have to train for an hour. Even twenty minutes of exercise a day will help you to fall into a deeper sleep at night.
Note: exercising actually stimulates you and will interfere with sleep if you do it within two hours of going to sleep, so get your dance on during the day or in the morning. - Journal: one of the number one reasons people report not being able to sleep is not being able to turn off their thoughts. Journaling is a great way to get out what is going on in your mind and clear your thoughts. It doesn’t have to be poetic or look pretty. Just get it out there, so that your thoughts are no longer taking up sacred consciousness when you want to be asleep. If you believe in prayer, this is also a great time to release your thoughts and worries to a higher power. Once you surrender your worries and desires, it is often easier to surrender to sleep.
If you have been putting your sleep habits on the back burner, here is your wake up call. Quality sleep is one of the number one keys to optimal health and it is time to master this aspect of your health. If you have had ongoing sleep issues, please consider seeing a doctor or naturopath to look deeper into underlying issues. But, whatever you do, don’t put up with lousy sleep.
Sweet Dreams…
