How do you feel when you wake up in the morning? Do you jump out of bed full of energy and ready to take on the day? Or are you cursing your alarm as you drag yourself to a cup of coffee?
Most reports today show that Americans aren't getting enough sleep or suffer from a restless sleep. The suffering comes from more than simply being fatigued throughout the day. Sleep is also when we turn short term memory into long term memory, allow the subconscious brain time to process our day, give the body time to rest and heal, and more.
So here are 3 simple ways to get more restful, peaceful sleep that will leave you feeling rejuvenated and energetic!
1. Turn off the Lights! Darkness increases the release of the hormone melatonin, our sleep hormone. The more melatonin released the deeper the sleep. We improve our melatonin levels by creating as much darkness as possible. Turn out nightlights, use black out curtains, and make the room as close to pitch black as you can.
2. Kick out Electronics - TVs, cell phones, ipads, and all electronic devices stimulate the brain with their bright lights and interactive nature. Flashing pictures and more keep the brain awake and make it hard to rest. Give yourself a 30 minute buffer zone before bed where you don't use any electronics. Take the TV out of the bedroom, keep phones and other gadgets away from the bed, and disconnect with social media for awhile to create a calm mind ready for rest.
3. Listen - to your body that is. If you're tired, go to bed. We tend to use TVs (see above) as a means of keeping us going when our bodies are telling us it's time to rest. Tune into the messages from your cells when they say "Get some sleep." The time isn't important. Night owl or early bird doesn't matter. But when you feel it, lay down. Listening and granting your body what it's asking for will automatically allow for a deeper rest and more energy the next day.
Most reports today show that Americans aren't getting enough sleep or suffer from a restless sleep. The suffering comes from more than simply being fatigued throughout the day. Sleep is also when we turn short term memory into long term memory, allow the subconscious brain time to process our day, give the body time to rest and heal, and more.
So here are 3 simple ways to get more restful, peaceful sleep that will leave you feeling rejuvenated and energetic!
1. Turn off the Lights! Darkness increases the release of the hormone melatonin, our sleep hormone. The more melatonin released the deeper the sleep. We improve our melatonin levels by creating as much darkness as possible. Turn out nightlights, use black out curtains, and make the room as close to pitch black as you can.
2. Kick out Electronics - TVs, cell phones, ipads, and all electronic devices stimulate the brain with their bright lights and interactive nature. Flashing pictures and more keep the brain awake and make it hard to rest. Give yourself a 30 minute buffer zone before bed where you don't use any electronics. Take the TV out of the bedroom, keep phones and other gadgets away from the bed, and disconnect with social media for awhile to create a calm mind ready for rest.
3. Listen - to your body that is. If you're tired, go to bed. We tend to use TVs (see above) as a means of keeping us going when our bodies are telling us it's time to rest. Tune into the messages from your cells when they say "Get some sleep." The time isn't important. Night owl or early bird doesn't matter. But when you feel it, lay down. Listening and granting your body what it's asking for will automatically allow for a deeper rest and more energy the next day.
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