Sleep is such a delicious act/state of being/experience. 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. 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, 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

Last month, I listed tools to release negative thoughts. This month, I’m going to share an easy way to invoke happiness.

Dr. Joe Dispenza, well-known chiropractor and metaphysical teacher, explains that, while we are wired for self-preservation, we are also wired to be kind. Being kind helps to create community, without which humans would not have survived. He states that when we display kindness or compassion towards another, we are genetically wired to feel happy due to the release of the hormone oxytocin.

Oxytocin is produced in our bodies to bond mother to child after birth and also couples during the early stages of intimate and loving relationships. Oxytocin produces emotions that flood our hearts with love and joy.

Research shows that, when oxytocin levels are elevated, most people generally feel love, forgiveness, joy, and empathy. In a study where subjects had oxytocin sprayed into their noses, they also showed greatly reduced fear, anxiety, stress and aggression.

So how can we capitalize on these feelings of happiness? It’s really so simple! Express kindness and compassion to others. It could be a sincere compliment. Even looking for the good in people to find a kind word is helpful. It could be to pick up items that someone has dropped.  It could be making extra soup when you are cooking dinner and taking some of it to an elderly, sick or overwhelmed person.

Last summer, I noticed a homeless man sitting in the heat, sweating, blistering, and miserable. When I went into the nearby convenience store, I bought him a large, ice-filled Dr. Pepper and handed it to him at the red light. He lit up like a Christmas tree. I can tell you that the gratitude and pleasure on his face made me happy all day.

Do at least one kind thing a day for 3 weeks and see if your level of happiness rises. If you miss a day, do two the next day. It can be useful to make a kindness journal. Track your acts, and also rate your happiness level from 1-10.

I hope you will share your success stories with me.

We all get stuck in them from time to time – negative thoughts. Perhaps someone has cheated us or otherwise done us wrong. Perhaps the chaos in the world makes us feel severely threatened. Perhaps we get caught up in self-recrimination.

It all has a similar effect:  Negativity robs us of energy and steals our peace of mind. It gobbles up a lot of brainpower that could be used more effectively elsewhere. We wind up radiating unhappiness, which, in turn, pushes people away.

Worse than that, neurobiologists tell us that negative thinking has a toxic effect on the body.  These thoughts can lead to illness such as cancer, diabetes, asthma, skin problems, and allergies. They also create poor sleep, memory issues, and decreased immune system.

Here are some simple methods to change negative thoughts: 

1. Use EFT (Emotional Freedom Technique) to tap away those negative, recurring thoughts i.e.
   • Even though I am having these thoughts, I completely love and accept myself.
   • Even though these thoughts are bothering me, I forgive and honor myself.
   • Even though this negativity is taking me down, I will move on from this.
   • If you are new to my practice and my newsletter, you can find my five articles on EFT here.
2. Replace that thought. In other words, become the observer of your mind. When a negative thought comes up, immediately follow with a positive thought. i.e.
   • “What if I fail that exam?”
   • Replace with: “What if I do great on that exam? And if so, what kind of reward shall I give myself?”
3. Throw it away. Write those thoughts down on a piece of paper. Crumple the paper and throw it into the trash. Or set it on fire. In an article in the journal “Psychological Science”, experiments conducted at Ohio State University and Universidad de Madrid were detailed showing that things written down and then tossed were most likely to be forgotten.
4. Talk to someone.  Sometimes just talking to a close friend, family member or even a counselor about your upset can alleviate your negative feelings. Coming from an objective perspective, other people can often offer valuable advice.
5. Employ distraction. When I was going through a divorce, I decided to write a novel. When I began to focus on how angry I was toward my soon-to-be ex, I would catch myself and say, “Wait! What am I going to do about that plot in chapter 7?” OR “How should I have my heroine react to the bad news?” I would take my mind, like a naughty child, and distract it to think about something else. Be creative in the way you choose to distract yourself.

One or two of these methods will work on most of your issues. I am particularly impressed with the power of EFT, and I use it with clients on a regular basis. I also use it for myself. But the other four methods can be powerful, too. Try them and let me know what you think.

Dr.Robin@CompassionateClearing.com