How about resetting for the new year by getting some better sleep? During these challenging times, I’m sure a lot of people had a few long nights wide awake. Last year was a year of adapting to new routines and becoming experts in improvisation. It’s incredible to see how we adapt and find supernatural powers to adjust to a new realm of life in uncertain times. But there’s one thing that I found myself losing endless battles with – sleeping.
We all know how important sleep is, but it’s not until your body starts shutting down and your health starts going downhill that you begin having slight wake up calls and an urge to change. While some people struggle to meet work deadlines, others may be suffering from anxiety leading to insomnia, poor quality of sleep, body pains, etc. And let’s not forget the heroes of the year, the health care workers who have constantly been under tremendous pressure.
After noticing how sleep deficiency was beginning to affect my health (and still does), I cannot stress enough how simple tactics can have a significant impact on your life. Here’s a quick snapshot of what may happen to you when you are sleep deprived: Your hormone levels go wild; your thyroid might not perform at its best, leading to pain, acid reflux, or sleep apnea; you start producing high levels of stress leading to a poor diet and an ‘unexplainable’ desire to binge eat and, as a consequence, your blood sugar and bad digestion rates rises; endless coffee consumption, adding more stress to your nervous system, by being in constant ‘alert’ mode and potentially lowering your bone density; alcohol consumption may kick in, becoming a dangerous ‘distress’ habit; and the list goes on…
If you don’t sleep enough and appropriately, your body won’t produce enough Human Growth Hormone (HGH). This is responsible for growth, body composition, cell repair, and muscle growth, that aids you in injury recovery, metabolism efficiency, and having a strong immune system. The same applies to all ages. Indeed, studies have shown that teenagers’ and kids’ academic performance and mood swings can be highly affected by sleep deprivation as well. In recent times, this is most commonly due to the use of their electronic devices.
So what can you do? First, understand that this is a process. It will take time for your body to adjust, for your brain to accept, and for you to ‘let go’. The following is not sleep deprivation treatment, but I believe it has the power to help you:
• Set your priorities. Re-evaluate what your essential tasks are and stick to them – “I don’t have a choice,”…“You don’t understand…” – I have been there, and I still find myself in that loop. But we must take ownership and seek help when necessary. It’s not a sign of weakness, but a sign that we are human beings.
• Eat your last meal by 7:30 pm. Make it the lightest meal of your day, and try to eat only 12 to 14 hours later. Fasting will allow your cells to regenerate, improve your basal metabolic rate (the amount of energy your body burns while resting), and lower your heart rate and blood pressure.
• Ditch caffeine. One coffee a day should be your limit. I had to go from 4 cups to 0!
• Change your sleeping schedule. If you take a long time to fall asleep, shut down all screens and go for a very hot bath/shower one hour prior.
• Use natural herbs or supplements such as Valerian root tea, melatonin supplements, and Magnesium to increase gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA), a brain messenger with calming effects.
• Invest in a very good pillow and mattress.
• Keep your room dark with an average room temperature of 18°C. Your body temperature will shift during the night. If the room is too cold or too hot, it may disrupt your sleep due to the body’s internal temperature drop.
• If body pain is the issue, don’t delay and consult a professional.
• The benefits of essential oils are also powerful. Diffuse some in your room 30 minutes before going to bed and massage your feet with a clockwise rotation (try my mix: lavender and roman chamomile).
• Sleep earlier and wake up first to exercise. Use your power to exercise during the day time. After work, let your body relax instead of getting even more pumped.
• Journal, pray, and meditate in the morning and if it’s not asking too much, add some breathing exercises. The moment you are fresh and mindful, you’ll have the ability to control your decisions, achieve your goals better, and feel accomplished.
• Remind yourself that life is not perfect, and with faith in your Creator, things will work out as they should.
We are all different, requiring different solutions, but make sure you decide to change. Don’t allow life to steal your day with stress and endless worrying at night. There is always a way. Have faith and start small.
