The holidays are certainly well behind us, as well as a few other holidays we generally love to celebrate, and many people start to refocus on their health needs. They have set goals to started exercising as well as eating healthy. Exercise and diet go hand in hand because you won’t get the results you’re looking for from exercise if you don’t also have a well-balanced diet.
But there’s a third component to healthy living that’s routinely forgotten and just as important: sleep. Sleep plays an important role in both your mental and physical health.
Those recommended seven to eight hours of sleep, boost your body’s ability to repair and grow muscles. In addition, growth hormone is produced when you sleep, and protein synthesis occurs in the muscles. A good, regular sleep routine also helps you maintain a healthy metabolism.
People spend 33 percent of their lives sleeping, but nobody really thinks about sleep until they are having a problem with it. Sleep deprivation side effects are numerous and far-reaching. Lack of sleep contributes to stress, anxiety, lack of concentration, depression and can weaken your immune system, causing more illnesses throughout the year.
The first thing to ask yourself when you are looking for sleep recommendations is, “what are your sleep habits?” Overstimulation – like being on your phone, computer or watching TV – is one of the major causes of people having trouble sleeping. You want your bedroom to be a relaxing environment free from all the things listed above.
For people who “can’t turn their mind off,” Make a simple to-do list so that you don’t have to stay awake trying to remember the tasks for the next day. Also, taking a bath or reading a book can help you relax before bed.
The supplement, melatonin, is an over the counter medicine that may benefit people with sleep issues. Melatonin is naturally produced in the body. It is a hormone produced by the pineal gland in the brain, and its release is controlled by our body clock. Melatonin production can be affected by light exposure. This is another reason to keep your electronic devices off and your bedroom dark.
The supplement creates the desired sleep affect, usually within 20-30 minutes, so it’s best to take melatonin right before bedtime. To get the maximum effect and avoid overstimulation, it’s best to turn off your phone and TV and settle in for a relaxing sleep.
There are prescription medications, but usually, mild sleep conditions can be remedied with healthy sleep habits.
To sum it up, here is a checklist of things to do for getting a restful night’s sleep:
- Get a massage…1 massage = 6 hours of sleep.
- Create a restful environment in your bedroom – a scene that induces sleep.
- Build a better sleep routine – do your best to go to bed and wake up at about the same time every day.
- Don’t eat heavy meals 3 hours prior to bed.
- Avoid caffeinated drinks, alcohol and tobacco too, since these can disrupt the sleep cycle.
- Therapeutic grade Essential Oils can be beneficial when applied topically or diffused into the air.
- Take a warm relaxing bath prior to bed.
- Read a good book before turning in.
- Journal – dump all of those random thoughts down on paper.
- Turn off your TV.
- Leave your cell phone in another room.
- Exercise can help some people sleep better, however, avoid anything vigorous several hours before you turn in for the night.
I hope this has been helpful, and I look forward to hearing about your success.