Do you have a hard time falling asleep? Like most busy women (and men), you probably have a long list of things to do and not nearly enough time to do them. When bedtime finally rolls around for you, does your mind race even though you?re physically exhausted?
Isn?t that frustrating? And the longer you?re awake, the more aggravated you get ? which wakes you up even more.
Long-term sleep deprivation increases risk of cardiovascular disease, depression, diabetes, panic attacks, and even weight gain. It also throws are hormones out of balance. And we all know what it’s like when that happens!
When we?re rested, we?re way more confident, much happier, able to multi-task more efficiently, and feel more in control of our hectic schedules.
Here are my Top Five Tips for getting to sleep and staying asleep. I?ve been using them, and I can honestly say it?s a relief to have tools to help me get a great eight.
- Breathe ? Sounds way too simple, right? Try breathing in to the count of one and out to the count of two. It has a meditative quality that?s relaxing and helps stops the monkey-mind.
- Caffeine ? Drink caffeinated beverages in moderation. Notice I?m not saying don?t drink coffee or caffeinated teas. Try not to drink it all day or late in the day. There has to be a natural progression towards winding down.
- Dim the lights ? Light from a TV, lamp or Kindle sends a signal telling your body to wake up.
- Acupoints ? Acupressure points are used for calming your mind and relaxing your body. Try holding a point located three finger lengths down from the inside of your wrist (or try motion sickness bands). The other point is just below the center of your breastbone. Holding either of these points induces deep breathing, which relaxes your body and encourages rest.
- Avoid wine ? Having a glass of wine (or two) after work to help you unwind is nice, but it may be disturbing the second half of your sleep cycle (waking between 1:00 and 3:00 AM). Try drinking it before 6:00 PM, with food and if you can, keep it to one glass.
Some of these tips may sound familiar to you. If that?s true, then you?re halfway there to a better night?s rest. The hard part?is actually implementing?what you know. Take one or two of the suggestions that resonate with you and start there. You don’t have to do it all at once. As I’m fond of saying, Practice Makes Permanent!
Need help with achieving your health goals? Contact me for a complimentary 15 minute consultation. I’m happy to help!
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