Sweet Dreams and Sleep Hygiene: 4 Tips for Better Sleep

Posted on April 22, 2021 by Jennifer Norman

Sleep is essential for your physical and mental health, but despite its importance, many people find themselves with a sleep schedule that causes daily fatigue and irritability. In a study administered by The Sleep Foundation, it was revealed that 40% of adults say that feeling sleepy has caused interference with their daily activities, while nearly 25% report this happening sometimes or often. However, 55% of Americans say that their fatigue is due to their quality of sleep, as opposed to the 44% who blame the lack of time.¹

Healthy sleep habits, also known as sleep hygiene, are obtainable but don’t feel overwhelmed by trying to alter your nightly routine all at once. Instead, take one step at a time, and as with most things, knowledge is a wonderful place to start.

Sleep Deprivation

For young adults, the recommended sleeping duration is 7 to 9 hours, but for older adults, 8 to 9 hours is suggested.² Children and teens, though, require more sleep at night. When it comes to sleep deprivation, it’s important to note that quality is just as important as quantity. If you get low-quality sleep at night, then you’ll feel tired the next day regardless of the amount of time you slept.

While feeling drowsy the next day is an obvious sign of sleep deprivation, there are more factors at play. Your health, and even your skin, feel the ill effects of sleep deprivation.

Your Health Suffers

Sleep deprivation has a multitude of effects on health. Missing out on the recommended amount of shut-eye can cause more than just grogginess.

Sleep deprivation affects your:

Hormone levels: An insufficient quantity of quality sleep can affect hormones, while also releasing stress hormones that are known as norepinephrine and cortisol. This could result in infertility.
Brain: Sleep deprivation can make it difficult for a person to make new memories. It also affects the prefrontal cortex, which controls reasoning, and the amygdala, which is responsible for emotion.
Immune System: Sleep deprivation could cause a person to be more susceptible to infections and respiratory diseases.
Weight: The feelings of hunger and fullness can be negatively impacted by sleep deprivation. It can also cause a release of insulin, resulting in a higher risk of type 2 diabetes.
Cardiovascular System: Sleep helps the heart vessels heal and rebuild. Additionally, it affects the processes that maintain blood pressure, sugar levels, and inflammation control. Sleep deprivation could increase the risk of cardiovascular diseases.

Beauty Sleep is Real

Getting high-quality sleep recharges your skin and helps to heal, restore, and eliminate toxins. If your sleep is compromised, your body can’t carry out the essential skin functions.

Here are a few ways your skin suffers from sleep deprivation:

Dull Skin. Missing sleep increases your cortisol levels, which triggers inflammation.
Collagen Production. Collagen is important for the structure and elasticity of the skin, so when collagen is broken down, it shows more signs of aging.
Dry Skin. Your PH levels drop when you don’t sleep, causing your skin to not produce the moisture it needs.

4 Tips to Revitalize Your Sleep Hygiene

Sleep hygiene refers to healthy habits that improve your ability to fall asleep and stay asleep. Maintaining good sleep hygiene is vital for your health and quality of life. If you have trouble sleeping well, here are a few steps you can take to build good sleep hygiene:

1. Take Control of Your Sleep Schedule

Try getting in sync with your body’s natural sleep cycle, known as your circadian rhythm. It’s one of the most important strategies for getting better sleep at night. By keeping a regular sleep-wake schedule, you’ll feel more refreshed and energized than if you had slept the same number of hours on a skewed schedule.

Napping is a wonderful way to make up for lost sleep. However, try limiting naps to around 15 to 20 minutes to maintain your circadian rhythm. If you get drowsy before bedtime, attempt a mildly stimulating activity. This could include calling your friend to chat about your day or washing the dishes.

2. Create a Pre-Bedtime Routine

Keeping a consistent bedtime routine allows your body to unwind and recognize that it’s time for bed. A consistent routine, which should begin 30 to 60 minutes before bed, will decrease the time it takes you to fall asleep.

You can craft your routine around anything that makes you feel relaxed. Warm baths are a wonderful addition to your routine due to the drop in your body temperature while you’re cooling down afterward. Focusing on your breathing while listening to soothing music is also a good option.

Before bed, try to avoid screens that emit blue light. Late-night television, for example, suppresses your melatonin, which is a naturally occurring hormone controlled by light exposure that aids in regulating your sleep schedule. If you work a night job that requires the use of bright screens, you can grab blue-blocking glasses to protect yourself.

3. Optimize Your Bedroom for Comfort and Relaxation

Many believe that your bedroom’s environment is a key factor in getting a good night’s sleep. By optimizing your bedroom to meet your comfort and relaxation needs, you’re much more likely to feel rested the next day.

The temperature in your room should stay on the cooler side because it results in your body feeling more tired. Try setting your thermostat between 60 °F and 67°F.

According to a study on the sleep environment of women, 50% of participants experienced better sleep at night when noise and light diminished. If your bedroom is impacted by these distractions, try purchasing blackout curtains and earplugs.

4. Be Mindful of Your Habits During the Day

Ensuring high-quality sleep is an all-day affair. By fostering pro-sleep habits during the day, you’ll have fewer factors working against you at bedtime.

Our internal clocks are regulated by light exposure, so try to soak up the sun’s rays when you’re able. By getting a dose of daylight, you’ll also normalize your circadian rhythm. However, if you can’t make use of natural light, ask your doctor about a light therapy box.

Exercise directly correlates with quality sleep as it initiates a change in energy use and body temperature. However, experts do advise against a big workout before bed considering that you’ll be too energized to get adequate sleep. Exercising in the morning, though, promotes alertness and more overall energy throughout the day.³

What you eat and drink during the day matters. Try to avoid caffeinated beverages a few hours before bed, seeing as they provide you with an excess of energy. Also, if you are prone to eating late dinners, your body will have trouble falling asleep due to your body performing digestive processes. Additionally, while many believe alcohol causes drowsiness, the reality is that it lowers your quality of sleep by affecting your brain. Try skipping a nightcap and opt for herbal tea or water.

Still Can’t Sleep?

If you’re still having trouble sleeping, there are a few options that could further strengthen your sleep hygiene, such as:

A body scan meditation. By focusing your attention on different areas of your body, you can identify where you have pent-up stress or tension. One method consists of lying on your back, legs uncrossed, arms relaxed at your sides, and eyes closed. Focus on your breathing for 2 to 3 minutes, and you’ll begin to feel more relaxed. For more beginner body scan meditations, click here.
Keeping a sleep journal. A sleep journal is an important tool to understand and evaluate your sleep patterns. Every day, try opening up your journal to jot down your bedtimes/wake-up time, sleep distractions, how long it takes to fall asleep, and your perceived quality of sleep.
Getting out of bed. Tossing and turning usually result in stress, and when your mind is full of worry, sleep is off the table. Try getting out of bed to attempt a relaxation technique, such as deep breathing or yoga.
If your sleep hygiene is being severely compromised by various factors or if your sleep problems are worsening, try seeking the advice of a medical professional. It’s especially important to notify your doctor if your sleep issues are persisting over the long term, affecting your health and safety and if they occur alongside other symptoms. By talking with your doctor, you’ll be about to rule out a sleep disorder, such as sleep apnea and insomnia.

Sleep plays a key role in all aspects of your health and wellbeing. By getting an adequate amount of quality rest every night, you’ll be a more vibrant you. Bid adieu to next-day drowsiness, and wave hello to sleep hygiene and good dreams.

Sleep well, beautiful humans.

—

https://www.sleepfoundation.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/SIA-2020-Q1-Report.pdf [1]

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29073412/ [1]

https://www.healthline.com/health/exercise-fitness/working-out-in-the-morning#takeaway [3]

A Moment for Meditation

Posted on November 16, 2020December 18, 2023 by Jennifer Norman

Meditation Benefits

Magic happens when we meditate. Clearing the mind, calming the body, and focusing on the present moment while breathing intentionally has not only been proven to support physical health benefits, it also helps create space for you to receive important messages from the universe. Sitting in stillness opens up a portal to awareness so that you can learn more about yourself, uncover answers to challenging problems you’re facing, or shine light on ways forward that may have otherwise been blocked by the freneticism of the day. A moment of calm, absent of worry, cares or commitment, ignites a deeper sense of gratitude for the here and the now. Meditation assists in calming stress, balancing the emotions, uplifting health. It has been discovered to be an integral part of well being.

Going Inward for Life’s Answers

So many times we look externally for support. We disempower ourselves, seeking cues and guidance from others, forgetting that most of the answers can be found within us. Meditation allows us to access the core of our beings. It helps prevent us from getting tossed around by the opinions of those that may not have our best interest at heart and confusion of mixed messages. Going inward simultaneously allows us to take back control internally and release the need to control externally.

Beginner Meditation Tips

“I just can’t meditate,” “I don’t have time to meditate,” “I can’t sit still long enough to meditate,”… There are so many stories we tell ourselves about why we can’t take quiet moments for ourselves. We make the same excuses for exercising or eating healthfully. Truth is, you don’t have to meditate for long perods of time for meditation to have a positive impact on your life. One minute, five minutes, ten minutes…it really doesn’t matter, so long as you are able to consistently incorporate these moments of mindfulness into your life. There are no real mandates for meditating other than clearing your mind and focusing on your breath. Here are some tips to help you sink deeper faster into a meditative state:

Commit To It

Schedule a time and set an alarm for meditation. Make it short enough that you’ll be able to do it easily every day. For example, when you wake up, before you shower, as your coffee is brewing, or before bed. Do your best to honor the time you set.

Meditate Alone

Because you subconsciously pick up energy from others, it’s a good idea to meditate in solitude. If that’s impossible or uncomfortable for you, at least meditate with others that are willing to be quiet and still for the duration of your meditation.

Close Your Eyes

Avoid visual distraction by closing your eyes and turning them inward and upward, as if you are gazing at the point directly between your eyebrows. This is where your third eye resides, the portal to your consciousness.

Dim the Lights

Even with your eyes closed, light can enter through your eyelids and potentially distract you. It’s a good idea to keep the lights dim, but not completely off. You want to be aware and conscious, not asleep and unconscious.

Curate Sound

Some find it difficult to meditate in total silence. If that’s the case, consider trying some white noise or binaural beats to lull your brainwaves into alpha and theta. Ocean sounds, singing bowls, even an air conditioner or ceiling fan have been known to help.

Sit Comfortably

I don’t recommend laying down if you’re just starting to learn how to meditate. You don’t want to risk falling asleep. Take a comfortable seated position. Try keeping your feet planted on the floor and rest your hands comfortably in your lap. Keep your back straight. You can keep your head straight so the crown of your head is pointing directly upward toward the sky, or tilt your head slightly forward with your your chin tipped down slightly.

Breathe Intentionally

You can take long, sweeping breaths, you can hold your breath, you can count your breath. There’s no right or wrong way to use your breath, so long as you are intentional in your breathing.

Don’t Judge

If your mind wanders, just notice it, and then come back to focusing on your breath. Don’t beat yourself up if you can’t stay focused. It will come with practice.

Practice Makes Purpose

We’re all familiar with the phrase ‘practice makes perfect’, but that phrase doesn’t necessarily apply to meditation. Meditation is indeed a practice, and the more you engage in the practice, the better you may become at more quickly arriving into a meditative state and going deeper faster. However, meditation is not a goal. It’s not an art nor a science that demands perfection. Rather, it is an insightful, lifelong exploration. The consistent, mindful practice of meditation and tapping into consciousness can help lead you to greater awareness of your purpose. Becoming aware of who you are – recognizing the separation between yourself, your thoughts, and your body, is profound. You realize that you are not your body and you are not your thoughts. You are the awareness of your body and your thoughts. You have been gifted a mind that connects to your higher source and your surroundings and your significance in the universe. You absorb, reflect, assimilate and interpret the importance of your place in the world. When it comes to meditation, I believe practice makes purpose.

Create Your Own Meditation Ritual

When you start becoming more engaged in your meditation practice, you may opt to explore new methods and modalities or even create your own ritual. It’s completely up to you. Some like to meditate in silence. Others prefer chanting or incorporating mantras. Some try different body and hand positions (mudras). Others try guided visualizations or even walking meditations. There are endless possibilities. Make meditation your own sacred ritual. Strive to take time for yourself every day to gather yourself in a state of calm and peace.

Or Try This Meditation Today

Here’s a guided visualization meditation that was taught to me by Jerry Seargent that I very much enjoy. To enhance your meditative state, I recommend applying a few drops of Herban Wisdom™ Facial Oil to your skin. The essential oil notes from Frankincense, Blue Tansy, Vetiver and Petitegrain impart aromatherapeutic benefits of calm, balance, groundedness and serenity as you journey inward.

Sit comfortably with your feet on the floor.

Place your palms in your lap, keep you back straight.

Soften close your eyes. Focus your inner gaze on your third eye.

Start to breathe in through your nose, deep, long breaths.

Exhale out, emptying your lungs completely. Repeat, feeling the way your lungs expand and contract with each breath.

Do an internal body scan from the top of your head, down your face, to your eyes, your ears, your nose, your mouth, your throat, your heart, your arms, your abdomen, your seat, your legs, your knees, your feet, your toes.

Keep breathing deep intentional breaths.

Relish in your own heartbeat.

Give thanks for your breath and for your life.

Visualize a warm, golden orb before you, hovering and undulating inches from your face.

Feel the warmth and comfort of the orb’s glow.

Envision the orb entering your third eye and warming your soul from the inside.

Imagine the orb travelling down your body through your feet, through the floor, descending down to the core of the earth. Imagine it is connecting you to the earth and all its wealth and goodness.

Imagine the orb growing and rising, steadily making its ascent back to you where you are seated.

Imagine it extending out through the crown of your head and connecting to all others in your room, your town, your state, your country, other countries, around the world.

Imagine the warmth and light of the golden glowing orb is connecting all of us, all inhabitants of earth, together in harmony.

Sit in peace. Sit in gratitude. Sit in prosperity. Sit in love.

Tag: meditation