Sleep is such a delicious state of being. We all need it, and yet it can elude us when we need it most, leaving us tired and cranky.
I am distressed when I hear people bragging about how little sleep they have gotten, as if that makes them a super worker. Studies show that people who operate with a small amount of sleep are actually less effective in their work. And why don’t they know that their work suffers? Well, does a drunk know when he is too impaired to drive home?
People need between 7-9 hours of sleep daily. That amount varies with the individual. Research shows that receiving less than that compromises one’s ability to heal properly. It can make one gain weight, have high blood pressure and heart disease, and be more inclined to diabetes. I could go on and on about the detriment of not getting enough sleep.
Instead, let’s look at how to solve the problem. First of all, it’s important to get into bed at a reasonable hour. Sounds funny, I know, but for people like me who tend to want to finish just one more task, making ourselves put it down and get into bed can be challenging. It means planning our evenings so that we can find a reasonable stopping place for our chores, reading and projects.
Second, we need to consider what we have consumed prior to bedtime. Imbibed in the evening, caffeine, including coffee, tea, sodas and chocolate, can be stimulating for hours. Be a detective and determine your body’s cut off time for these things. Mine is 5 pm. Alcohol may put you to sleep but can wake you in the night. Sugar can, too.
Third, it’s helpful to be cognizant of light and how it affects your body. Our body begins to produce melatonin at night to help us sleep. It can’t do that in the face of a lot of light. Here are some tips:
a. Watch television in a room other than the bedroom. Don’t watch late night television. Many of the programs are stimulating.
b. Make certain your bedroom is dark. That means employing heavy curtains to block light from the room.
c. Avoid reading from backlit devices at night.
d. Don’t turn lights on if you must get up during the night as it can stimulate your waking cycle, and make it hard to get back to sleep. Use a flashlight instead.
Finally, I find EFT tapping to be very effective for those whom sleep eludes. If if’s not part of your routine, you can read about it and find the tapping points here. Plus, I have written a protocol for you to use for sleep issues which you can find here. If you are having regular trouble sleeping, do tapping before bed. If you wake up in the night and can’t go back to sleep, do it then. And if this doesn’t work, make an appointment with me to get the problem fixed. 512-444-9777