Health & Wellness: Your Guide to Healthy Sleep

Do you believe that healthy sleep is an essential aspect of health & wellness?  Yes we firmly believe this fact in our advocacy for holistic wellness.   In the olden times, people had no trouble sleeping at all.  When the sun went down, everyone went to bed.  But when the light bulb was invented, we suddenly had all the freedom to deprive ourselves of sleep.  We found out that there were so many things we could do at night.  Thus, our sleeping pattern was broken and many millions of people began to ignore this basic need.

Henceforth from this day forward let us refrain ourselves from thinking that we have more important things to do at night.  Of course, the list of important things to do will never end.  Let us also stop ourselves from believing that we are supermen and women that we can go on without sleep for days on end.  And the shocking thought of all, if we sleep, we are being plain lazy!

Get this straight.  If you want to be healthy and productive, you need healthy sleep.  You need to engage in healthy sleeping habits.  You need to sleep better and well.  Sufficient restful sleep is non-negotiable esp. since this is a basic physiological need.

SLEEP TIPS TO REMEMBER

• KEEP IT ROUTINE – maintain a regular sleep schedule.  Go to bed at a certain time and wake up at a certain time too.  I noticed that if I would sleep at ten pm and I would wake up at 4 am, I would find myself waking up at 4 am for the next several days.  So to break the pattern, I would not stand up but just keep closing my eyes until I fall back to sleep.  Then the pattern would go back to normal.  Remember to keep your sleeping routine even during the weekends.
• DON’T SLEEP WITH A FULL BELLY – Make sure you have ample time (around two to three hours) of rest after dinner before sleeping.  Whether you sleep with a full belly or go hungry, it does not make sleep much easier.
• EAT WALNUTS TO HELP YOU SLEEP – Eat food that are known to produce sleep-encouraging melatonin like bananas, nuts, sweet corn, rice, ginger, tomatoes, plums, cherries, oats and barley.  A rich source is walnuts.  Avoid food that you find difficult to digest in the evening.  Avoid spicy foods if you get heartburn or if you often have gastric reflux.  I confess this is a good advice because I love nuts.  Hahahaha
• HAVE A CUP OF TEA – A cup of decaffeinated green tea, chamomile tea or valerian tea an hour or two before bedtime helps you to have healthy sleep.  Valerain is the herb commonly used for treatment of insomnia and helps you cope with stress, anxiety, depression, cramps, nervous tension and get this, even rheumatic pains as well.
• REDUCE NOISE & DISTRACTIONS - You need to create a “sleepy environment” so reduce those noise and avoid distractions such as turning on the television or radio with loud sounds.   Aside from the environment, you need to reduce the noise in your head as well.  Soft music, doing gentle yoga or meditation can help you.   It helps a lot if your bedroom is used for sleeping only and not for working.
• INDULGE IN A WARM BATH -  A warm bath relaxes the muscles and can soothe body aches and pains. I find this to be very effective.  Drop some essential oil like lavender in the water to help you relax completely.
• USE THE BEST PILLOWS AND MATTRESS -Make sure that your pillow and mattress are comfortable.  Keep the room cool and dark.

Living a healthy lifestyle helps in having healthy sleep and a restful night.  Oh yes!  A healthy lifestyle includes regular exercise, maintaining a healthy weight.  Did you know that obesity is a cause for sleeping problems?  Lessen your caffeine intake, alcohol, soft drinks.  You may also need to check your physical health like waking up frequently at night is caused by a urinary tract infection.  So have those treated.  In menopausal women, hot flushes because of hormonal surges is also a reason for those restless nights.

Most of all, stress is the number one factor for insomnia and poor sleep.  Being able to stay positive and being able to cope with the challenges of life does help you a lot and can help you sleep better.  Meditation and deep breathing is very important in de-stressing yourself.  Learn to do this.  Make it a habit and you will reap the benefits. A wonderful healthy sleep can help you have a quality life- full of love and abundance that you desire to have.  Sleep tight.

By:  Michelle Simtoco

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