Make Time to Sleep

In the fast paced world we live in, in this Technology Age, we are stimulated, over-stimulated, accessible and encouraged to be available and responsive to incoming callers, facebook posts, coworkers' emails, non-stop advertising...in short, information overload.  There is a tv at some gas stations and check out lanes in grocery stores.  This is more than my brain wants to handle.  Because there is so much stimulation and multi-tasking in daily life, it keeps our brain active and in a state of processing.  This can produce stress.

The body and mind need a break.  Taking some time out during the day can do the trick.  A short walk, an exercise class, reading a book, talking with friends can fill the bill.  At night, we need to set ourselves up for quieter time and restful, restorative sleep.  Creating a ritual or routine to quiet the body and mind starts a few hours before bedtime.  Turning down the lights, noise, stimulation and screens (that emit a blue stimulating light) is critical.  We are not robots.  We don't have ON/OFF switches.  We have to dial down the active part of the day and set ourselves up for a calmer evening and eventual slumber.  The bedroom is supposed to be cooler and free of "work" and clutter that is distracting and possibly stress inducing.

This all makes sense, but how often do we stay "UP" online or with netflix?  More often than we'd like.  A poor night of sleep results in fatigue the next day.  Hormones that help with weight loss--that regulate appetite and satiety don't function correctly with poor, interrupted sleep.  We end up eating more junky food and not feeling satisfied with healthy food.  This adds to frustration and more stress.

The morale of the story is that we have to make good "sleep hygiene" a priority.  Making time for quality sleep is part of taking good care of our health and wellness.  We owe it to ourselves to get the rest we need and want.  Both body and mind benefit.  When we are rested and restored, we can face the challenges of the day with confidence and positivity.   That is worth getting up for.