Yesterday we all lost an hour of our day. Did you know the area that is most impacted by that lost hour is your sleep!
Just one hour less, and the next day there is a scary spike in heart attacks and traffic accidents.
You see, there isn’t a single system in your body that isn’t affected by sleep.
I highly recommend you use that to your advantage.
As an adult, you need 8 hours of sleep. Anything less than that, and not just if it’s long term lack of sleep, the following takes place:
- Weakened immune system
- Poor memory
- Greater tendency towards snacking, especially sugar and carbs
- (your cravings may simply be from a lack of sleep)
- Weight gain
- Fertility issues
- Decreased ability to read emotional cues
- Difficulty healing emotional wounds
- Decreased performance, lower alertness, reduced energy levels
- Increased blood glucose levels
- Increased risk of Alzheimer’s Disease
- Increased risk of cancer
- Increased aggression, bullying, and behavioral problems
- Increased relapse rate with addictive substance abuse
- Increased blood pressure
I could go on with this list. But you get the gist. Sleep is important. Paramount, even.
What makes it worse, when people are sleep deprived, they often don’t know they are sleep deprived. The worse the deprivation, the less they are aware of it.
And yes, I often hear of Ronald Reagan and Margaret Thatcher having slept only 4-5 hours per night. They both developed Alzheimer’s disease.
Looking back at the list of things that go badly with a lack of sleep, I hope you feel at least a little motivated to get your 8 hours of sleep!
And teenagers actually need more than 8 hours, young children even more. Teenagers need longer sleep because their brain is still developing (that’s not finished until their mid 20s).
Some simple steps to take for better sleep include:
- Keep your bedroom at a cooler temperature (around 65 degrees Fahrenheit)
- Avoid alcohol
- Have a calming bedtime routine
- Use lavender oil – either on your wrists or neck or in a diffuser
- Take MIN from Systemic Formulas
- Take a hot bath before bedtime
- Avoid blue light (iPad, iPhone, etc) starting 2 hours before bed or at least use blue light filters
- Don’t nap after 3pm
- During the day, get outside and into the sunshine
- Avoid eating close to bedtime
- Exercise, but not 2-3 hours before bedtime
- Do heart brain harmony before sleeping
For many, it’s simply a matter of prioritizing sleep and getting on a regular sleep schedule.
For others, if you need some extra help with sleep, DREM from Systemic Formulas is gentle and effective. But don’t just reach for melatonin! Read here why http://unlimitedhealthy.com/portfolio/why-melatonin-can-be-a-bad-idea/
