SWEET DREAMS: TIPS FOR GETTING A GOOD NIGHT’S SLEEP

What do great sex, a healthy body, an uplifted mood, intelligent decision-making, and a focused creative mind have in common?

Well, for one, these are things that most of us would consider highly desirable: we value them, and enjoy having them as a regular part of our lives. But another common denominator — one that you may not have guessed — is that all of them can be greatly enhanced by a good night’s sleep; and can be diminished by a decrease in the quantity or quality of our sleep.

WHY SLEEP IS IMPORTANT

The bottom line is that sleep is really important to our overall health and well-being! Just a few of the scientifically verified effects of a good night’s sleep include:

* Impacts mood in a positive way.

People with healthy sleep cycles tend to have fewer problems with anxiety and depression; and instead, enjoy increased feelings of happiness and contentment.

* Makes it easier to build muscle mass.

The hormonal balancing that happens within our “rest and repair” sleep cycle translates into an increase in the efficiency of exercise.

* Sets the stage for better sex!

Adequate amounts of sleep — and the hormonal balancing that happens there — contribute to a healthy libido.

* Enhances overall physical health.

During the “rest and repair” sleep cycle, our body heals any damage done to cells and tissues during waking hours. The result is less time and money spent at the doctor’s office – yeah!

* Increases mental focus and learning capacity.

A good night’s sleep translates into greater mental clarity and creativity, which makes it easier to retain information and learn new things.

* Keeps you safe.

When you’ve had a good night’s sleep, you’re less likely to make dangerous mistakes — while driving your car, planning your financial future, or just walking down the sidewalk.

TIPS FOR GETTING A GOOD NIGHT’S SLEEP

Once you’re convinced of the importance of sleep to your physical, mental, and emotional health, you might wonder how best to improve the quality of your dream time. Here are some tips, to get you started:

                         

1. EAT AN EARLY DINNER
This is a pretty simple one if you can swing it — and is based on a physiological fact, which is that it takes a good four to five hours for our body to digest a large meal. It’s challenging to relax deeply and then fall asleep when our body is still expending lots of energy digesting food. So experiment with having dinner at 5 pm or 6 pm — rather than 8 pm or 9 pm. It’s likely to make a big difference in the quality of your sleep.

2. ENJOY A SOOTHING DRINK

An hour or so before bedtime, have a cup of chamomile tea; or a cup of warm milk with a dash of nutmeg — both of which are known for their calming, soothing qualities.

3. INSTALL F.LUX ON ALL YOUR COMPUTERS

There’s pretty compelling evidence that the blue light emanating from the screens of our computers, tablets, and smartphones can wreak havoc on our circadian rhythms: the biological clock that coordinates our sleeping/waking cycles. The good news is that the easy-to-install and totally free f.lux app removes the blue light when the sun sets so that your circadian rhythms are not disrupted by using your computer into the evening hours. This ingenious app coordinates the color of your computer’s display with the time of day: warm at night and like sunlight during the day. And this greatly decreases the chances of late-night computer use disrupting your sleep.

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4. INVEST IN EMF PROTECTION

The health of our human nervous system depends vitally on its interface with the Earth’s electromagnetic field. The “smog” of man-made EMFs — which circulate invisibly in our environment as a result of our various WiFi devices — disrupts this connection, creating imbalances in our nervous, immune, and endocrine systems. Man-made EMFs sap our energy and disrupt our sleep. The good news is that EMF protection devices — such as Earthcalm’s Home Protection System — counteract these negative effects. You can find EMF protection pendants that you wear like a necklace; lightweight attachments for your phone or computer; devices made specifically for your car; and others that plug directly into your home’s AC/DC circuitry. What they all have in common is the capacity to transform a toxic electromagnetic environment into one that is healing — and that will support you in being more comfortable during the day, as well as getting higher quality sleep.

5. REST WITH YOUR LEGS ELEVATED

Make it a habit of doing the yoga pose Viparita Karani (legs-up-wall pose) for five or ten minutes, sometime during the day. This position has deeply therapeutic effects, one of which is to call the nervous system and help you to sleep better.

6. SIMPLE BREATH MEDITATION

Right before bed, spend five minutes (sitting upright or lying down in bed) simply following your breath: observing the cycles of inhalation and exhalation. If you’d like, you can coordinate each inhalation-exhalation cycle with the inspiring words of a practice-poem. Mentally recite the first word of each pair with your inhalation, and say to yourself the second work of each pair with your exhalation. When you’ve finished the final line, you can return to the first line again, to repeat the poem — or conclude the practice, and close your eyes to drift off to sleep.

In ~ Out
Deep ~ Slow
Calm ~ Ease
Smile ~ Release
Present Moment ~ Wonderful Moment

7. THINK OF SOMETHING YOU’RE GRATEFUL FOR

Sometimes as we’re trying to fall asleep, our mind is “chewing on” the events of the day, or worrying about tomorrow. A much better “job” for the mind is to think of all the things (large or small) that you’re grateful for: Grateful for this warm, comfortable bed. Grateful for my friends. Grateful for adequate food and water. Grateful for the beauty of flowers, the sparkling eyes of my son or daughter. You get the idea …. it can be anything, really, that brings a gentle smile to your face, a feeling of warmth in your heart. Let these be the sorts of thoughts that carry you into sleep … and your sleep will almost certainly be more nourishing.

Sweet Dreams!

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