Sleep. Lack of it effects everything, yet it’s the rare person who says “yes, I wake up feeling refreshed every day!” Can you say that? I know I can’t. Not on a regular basis, anyway.
First, it’s the pillow, I just can’t find the right pillow. Then, I get hot. That’s a combination of me being over 40 and having a furnace in the form of a dog snuggled against my legs. And that’s on a good night. A bad night, I might have trouble falling asleep or I wake up at 2am and can’t get back to sleep because my mind is racing. When I don’t sleep well, my brain is foggy, my runs are terrible, my energy is lacking and my body is sore. I know I’m not alone, so what can we do to change this? To get a better night sleep, one that helps us feel ready to tackle the day, what is it that we really need to do?
You’ve heard the advice —don’t exercise in the evenings (but make sure you exercise daily!), lower the temperature in your house at night, turn screens/devices off two hours before bed, avoid the afternoon cup of coffee, avoid alcohol, make your bedroom a relaxing place to be, etc. Probably, some article or study states, don’t sleep with your dog who puts off an inordinate amount of heat.
So, what if you have tried all of these things and you still aren’t feeling on top of the world when you wake up? Just like a good exercise plan, a good sleep plan has to be tailored to you and your lifestyle. In my case, lowering the temperature in the house helps as well as investing in “cooling” bed linens. Since I wake up early, I go to bed early even though the rest of my house is awake. I tried keeping a journal near my bed, for those nights when I’d wake up with my mind racing. Not wanting to disturb my sleeping husband by turning on a light, I never used the journal. Instead, I’ve been finishing my daily to-do list before going to bed. Class plans are done for the next day, emails are sent, important phone calls made. This way, I can sleep a little longer in the mornings and I wake up less at night, thinking about things. I still follow the general advice, just tailored to me. It’s starting to work, I do sleep better most nights.
Getting enough sleep can help you maintain or lose weight, have energy without the need of stimulants, aid in muscle recovery and digestion. It can decrease brain fog, increase productivity and enhance memory. It can help the body heal. There is no doubt that a really restful night’s sleep is one of the most important things you can do for your health. It’s not something we often put a lot of effort into — we just say “gosh, I wish I could get more sleep”. So, here’s a challenge: For the next 14 days, focus on your sleep. Try the expert advice and try some things that you know work for you. Get the combination right and before you know it, you will have formed some really awesome sleep habits and you will conquer your day!