How to Get Better Sleep

So in my last post, I discussed the importance of sleep. Now you might be thinking: "Great, I get it, sleep is crucial but how do I get even better sleep than what I'm getting now?" After reading some findings from the researchers and all those other really smart people, I'll try to share what I've learned.

A word about insomnia:
Insomnia or having difficulty either initiating sleep or staying asleep is a really, really common sleep disorder. It can be caused by lots of factors, but 75% of insomnia involves a major stressor. One thing that I've learned that can help relieve big stressors in my life, is by keeping a "worry journal" by my bed. When a worry comes into my mind, I write it down and that way, I can acknowledge my concern(s), but also let it go.

Get a bedtime routine:
Remember how when you were a little kid, you had a parent tuck you in. Maybe you would first take a warm bath, then brush your teeth, put on your cute little pajamas and then read a bedtime story every night? Those types of routines are SO important not just for little ones, but also for grown ups. When you stick by a nightly ritual, it signals your brain to wind down and get ready for a good night's rest. Reduce screen time at least one hour before your bedtime. This means no TVs, no computers, no phones, no tablets/iPads, etc. The light that comes from these devices can trick your mind into thinking it's still daytime. When it's dim, your mind starts to relax. Try not to keep your office in your bedroom. Your bedroom and bed especially, should be a sanctuary, not a continued work space. As much as it's important to try to go to bed around the same time every night, it is even more important to wake up at the same time every morning. This helps your body retain a routine and reduce sleepiness.

Some ideas for bedtime routines:
-About an hour before bedtime, sipping on a warm/hot drink can help. Try to avoid eating as it can cause indigestion and stick to drinks that do no have caffeine or sugar. Water, herbal teas, and milk are great ideas.
-Sometimes reading a book or journaling can help your mind unwind and relax.
-Stretching is a wonderful way to release tension in tight muscles. (Nothing too intense, the point is to relax, not get your body all excited)
-Make a list of everything you're thankful for. This can help with stress management because when you're busy being content and grateful, there's no time for extra worries.

Also, if you're lying in bed for more than 25-30 minutes and cannot fall asleep, get out of bed, and do something like reading or journaling. (NO screen time). Your bed should only be used for sleeping so lingering in bed (as comfy as it is) is not helpful. You should get your brain used to sleeping in your bed that way, it's easier to slip into bed and then fall asleep quickly.

Hope these tips help and sweet dreams!

The Importance of Sleep

We all know that sleep is quite important for day-to-day living BUT most of us can admit, we aren't getting enough sleep each night. There's pressure from corporate America to reduce our shut-eye time so we can get even more work done. But that's the type of mindset that can really get us into trouble when it comes to our health and well-being.

Sleep allows our body to repair and restore itself. Our muscles can relax and while we're sleeping, our immune system is also getting stronger. (that's why getting more sleep when feeling under the weather is so crucial) Sleep also helps us retain our memory and our learning. As much as college students like me can all admit to cramming for that big exam at some point, not much memorization and retaining is going on there. It can also improve problem-solving. Not sleeping can make us dumb. It's just true. Sorry. Research also shows that sleep can cleanse our bodies from toxins. If you think about all the toxins our bodies have to fight off every single day, it's incredible and your body needs sleep in order to keep fighting yucky things. Sleep can also improve our creativity which is cool because as Americans, we love the idea of being innovative and original. No sleep=boring people.   =(

Okay, so a word (or quite a few words) about napping…
Napping can be a wonderful and beautiful thing. (believe me, I'm a college student) However, if you nap for more than an hour, you may experience something called "sleep inertia". This is when you wake up feeling groggy and even more exhausted than before the nap. Yeah, that's not exactly ideal. Power naps can be really helpful as long as the nap is somewhere between 20-30 minutes. One way to reduce "sleep inertia" while napping is by laying down on the floor and putting your legs straight up against a wall. Okay, this sounds really weird, but because a part of your body is still working/awake, the chances of waking up groggy decreases.

So let's all try to get either more sleep and/or better quality sleep. We all need it regardless of how much we persuade ourselves and others that work comes first. Yes, work is good and needed but we also need to take really good care of our bodies because we only get one body. Be nice to yourself, and hopefully you'll experience some positive results.

"PRIDE" Poem

Hope you enjoy this poem I wrote about the nature of pride and arrogance.

                                                                        PRIDE
I live to destroy relationships.
I may act like I can make you feel better about yourself, but eventually I'll tear you down just like my other victims,
If you hold on to me long enough, you'll learn how to effectively hurt others.
The more you try to quiet me, the louder I'll become.
I become stronger and deadlier day by day, as more and more people adopt me.
I don't care about anyone or anything, other than myself. I am the center of my own universe.
I cause tears, heart-breaks, and ruthless behavior.
No mortal is immune to me and my destructive powers.
I can thrive on all levels of society if you let me.
I am a very false friend.
If you are somewhat wise, you'd stay as far away as possible from me.
I am obnoxious and cunning.
I ruin beauty and I can ruin you too.


                                                         

Benefits of "Belly Breathing"

We all know that every living things needs oxygen in order to survive. Oxygen is essential for us, especially when we are feeling stressed and overwhelmed. However, a lot of times, when we're feeling stressed, we move our shoulders and chests while breathing, which can lead to more aches and pains. Instead, try breathing by only letting your stomach move. Your chest and shoulders should stay relatively still. It may help to place one hand on your abdomen and one hand on your chest while taking slow, deep breaths. It takes some practice getting used to it, but it seriously helps me. Here's my little testimonial: The other day, I was experiencing a crazy, pounding headache. You know, the kind that makes you stop whatever you are doing and just want to cry. It's seemed quite debilitating. I took Advil but wasn't feeling much results. Then I decided to lie down on my bed, and close my eyes, while taking long, slow breaths from my stomach. Otherwise known as diaphragmatic breathing. After about 32 breaths, I noticed my headache was almost gone. I kept doing some more "belly breaths"and soon after my headache was completely gone. Research shows that when we take time to focus on our breathing, it decreases the "fight or flight"reaction and lowers levels of hormones called glucocorticoids. Glucocorticoids are the hormones that signal the body to prepare for a battle against whatever is stressing us out and to become tense and otherwise uneasy. Basically, we want to avoid making the levels of glucocorticoids shoot up if and when possible because it can cause chronic stress. So next time your body starts to feel tense, sore or just painful, try taking several cleansing "belly breaths" and see how your body responds. It may not work for every single person, but it may help. It's worth a try, right?

Stress Management 101

We all know what it feels like to be trapped in a world of chaos and stress. It gives us anxiety, sleepless nights, and debilitating migraines and pain. It may seem almost impossible to relax and find zen and peace in the midst of work, school and our social life, but if we take several minutes out of our day to take care of ourselves, tranquility is waiting for us.
1.) Try to find a quiet place that has no distractions. Ideally, it should have dim lighting and can be secluded from traffic
2.) Make your bedroom into your sanctuary. Don't keep your television in your room and don't let work or office life creep into it. Get rid of any trash or junk. Invest in some table lamps to keep things dim and cozy. Fill your room with positivity.
3.) Lie down or sit down in your quiet spot. Dim your lights and gently close your eyes. Place one hand on your heart and one hand on your stomach. Then slowly take a deep breath in through your nose. Try to not move your chest, but instead feel your stomach move in and out. Then exhale slowly through your mouth. Repeat for as long as you'd like.
4.) Weather permitting, you can take a brief walk outside. Nature has some very soothing effects if you listen carefully to what is going on around you. What does it smell like? Are birds singing? Does the breeze make the leaves rustle? Is there any other people? If so what are they doing? Try to make some mental notes but don't judge it or yourself. Just observe and enjoy each second.
5.) Listening to classical music can also help ease built up tension. i like to enjoy a cup of hot tea while listening to my classical music playlist.

Your brain and heart coordinate stress reactions through your autonomic nervous system (ANS). It consists of two branches. There is your sympathetic branch which controls the fight or flight response. This tells you that there is a stressor and your body needs to find relief. Then you also have another branch called the parasympathetic branch. It controls the relaxation and restoration response. This allows your body to release tension and restore homeostasis. (Homeostasis is when your body is at an optimal point of well-being. Thus your body is always trying to achieve homeostasis.)