The Power of Good Night and Sweet Dreams

A dose of goodnight and sweet dreams is one of the cornerstones of health. Six to eight hours per night seems to be the optimal amount of sleep for most adults and too much or too little can have adverse effects on your health.

Sleep deprivation is such a chronic condition these days that you might not even realize you suffer from it.  Science has now established that a sleep deficit can have serious, far-reaching effects on your health.

For example, interrupted or impaired sleep can:

1. Dramatically weaken your immune system
2. Accelerate tumor growth – tumors grow two to three times faster in laboratory animals with severe sleep dysfunctions
3. Cause a pre-diabetic state, making you feel hungry even if you’ve already eaten, which can wreak havoc on your weight
4. Seriously impair your memory; even a single night of poor sleep – meaning sleeping only 4-6 hours – can impact your ability to think clearly the next day
5. Impair your performance on physical or mental tasks, and decrease your problem solving

Optimize Your Sleep Sanctuary

• Sleep in complete darkness, or as close to it as possible.  Even the tiniest glow from your clock radio could be interfering with your sleep. Close your bedroom door and get rid of night lights. Refrain from turning on any light at all during the night, even when getting up to go to the bathroom.  cover your windows with blackout shades or drapes.
• Keep the temperature in your bedroom no higher than 70 degrees Fahrenheit.  Studies show that the optimal room temperature for sleep is quite cool, between 60-68 degrees.  Keeping your room cooler or hotter can lead to restless sleep.
• Move alarm clocks and other electrical devices away from your bed.  Electronic devices must be used, keep them as far away from your bed as possible.  Remove the cock from view.  It will only add to your worry when you stare at it all night.  2 am… 3 am… 4: 30 am…
• Reserve your bed for sleeping.  If you are used to watching TV or doing work in bed, you may find it harder to relax and drift off to sleep, so avoid doing these activities in bed.

Suggestions to Enhance Sleep

1. Go to bed as early as possible.
2. Establish a bedtime routine and don’t change your bedtime, even on weekends.
3. Don’t drink any fluids within 2 hours of going to bed and go to the bathroom before going to bed.
4. Avoid before-bed snacks, especially grains and sugars.
5. Take a hot bath or shower before bed.
6. Wear socks to bed, usually, the feet are the first to feel cold and may wake you from sleep.
7. Wear an eye mask to block out light.
8. No TV right before bed, instead try listening to relaxation CDs or soft music.
9. Read something spiritual or uplifting.
10. Write in your gratitude journal

Book a session with us to know more about how we can help you!