Good Sleep Sets You Up for Success

I am a sleeper. I love my bed! I love to sleep! I feel my body requires a lot of it to function optimally. I need approximately 8-9 hours to feel good. When I was younger, I undervalued the importance of getting adequate sleep. Needless to say, no more all-nighters for me!

Sleep is now a real priority in my life because I see how much it affects me, for better or for worse! Good sleep produces a good mood, a well-rested energized body, and a clear mind so I can take on the day!

I want to show up bright-eyed and ready for life each day! How I wrap up the cycle of each day at nighttime is important to my sleep hygiene, to be prepared for the next day.

I have somewhat of a nighttime ritual to get ready for bed. I drink chamomile tea. I wash my face and brush my teeth. I do yin yoga. Oftentimes I read a book. Maybe spritz a little lavender on my pillow. I like to set the stage for getting that good night’s sleep! I really love my sleep!

But the best tips are as follows:

In terms of sleep quality every hour before midnight counts as two hours.

For example, if I go to sleep at 11 pm and wake up at 6 am, that quality of rest equals 8 hours.

If I go to sleep at 10 pm, that is 2 hours before midnight which equals 4 hours in terms of rest, because you get double hours before midnight! The philosophy behind this has to do with circadian rhythm or the body’s internal clock.

I have tested this and found this to be true through my own personal experience!

Note: I am not a doctor. I do not provide any medical advice.

I have simply noticed the positive difference these techniques have made in my sleep health. Timing is everything.

There truly is nothing better than a good night’s sleep! The body and mind need to shut down to reset, recharge, and rejuvenate. When we are well-rested, we look, feel and perform our best.

Oftentimes, people who have poor sleep hygiene state that they have difficulty relaxing at nighttime. Perhaps the body is aching, the mind is not quiet, something is nagging us, trying to tell us that we are out of balance. We need to check in with ourselves. Parent ourselves! See what’s going on. And then tell ourselves to go to bed!

Another aspect of this is:

Stop, look, and listen to your inner-being with loving compassion. How are you doing physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually? Get in touch; be a friend to yourself. Journaling and meditation are great ways to connect deeply with yourself.

Find your way back to center, where you do your best work. Implement tools to skillfully calm both the body and the mind and allow rest.

Master your physiology!

Move the energy out of your body.

Movement is imperative to the health of the body and mind. Movement (physical activity) actually moves stress and emotional energy through the physical and psychological channels. Gentle stretching or practicing yin yoga before bedtime is the perfect remedy for when you’re tired but still wound up. Slow deep stretching increases circulation, lowers blood pressure and eases aches and pains.

When the body and mind are in balance, all systems are in harmony and rest comes easily and naturally.

Breath awareness is a powerful tool to create calm to prepare the body and mind for sleep.

The goal is to consciously slow down the breath and observe. Witness the breadth of each complete cycle of inhalation and exhalation.

Slowly inhale through the nostrils, count to 4. Briefly pause at the top of the inhale. Then slowly exhale through the nostrils to a count of 8. Like a funnel, the breath disintegrates down, into the pelvis, and the navel squeezes in, completely emptying the lungs. Repeat cycle, filling up from the lower abdomen to the chest for a 4 count. A brief pause at the top of the inhale. Slowly exhale, a little longer than you think you should, to an 8 count, emptying the breath in the pelvis.

The conscious application of breath awareness sets the tone for relaxation. Deep, slow, even, rhythmic breathing activates the parasympathetic nervous system, telling the body and mind it’s okay to be calm.

Like any other new habit that we want to build, we must practice. Small, consistent efforts pay off.

If we are going to make the most of ourselves and our time, we need to be well-rested. Make sleep a priority. You will look, feel, and think your best. Getting adequate, quality sleep sets you up for success.

How are you going to show up this year?