Arianna Huffington has a new book: "The Sleep Revolution", which she says was inspired by an incident that occurred 2-1/2 years ago, when she collapsed from exhaustion and fell. Her face slammed into the corner of a desk and she broke her cheekbone. Additionally, she received stitches to close a laceration near her eye.
Assuming the worst, she met with physicians, diagnosticians, had X-rays and MRI's to determine whether a tumor or some other malady was responsible for her recent loss in consciousness. The diagnosis came back: Exhaustion and sleep deprivation.
It was then, that she began research which ultimately resulted in the book she is now promoting and speaking about. It the book and in her many interviews, most recently, on CNN's Fareed Zakaria, she states that sleep was revered and coveted as way to connect with one's inspiration and creativity, but starting in the first industrial revolution, human beings began to be treated more like machines, in the perpetual drive for greater productivity. And now, with the advent of digital devices that connect us with a global content stream 24/7, sleep is suffering more than ever.
From my perspective whether in relationships, business, creative endeavors, etc., there is no one single factor more critical than attaining 7-9 hours per day of high-quality sleep. In our busyness obsessed culture, sleep has been relegated to a necessary evil that can be overlooked if the attainment of a particular goal is viewed as sufficiently important.
But this strategy is like robbing Peter to pay Paul, for though we may presume to gain time to accomplish more by denying ourselves rest, the quality of our mental processing suffers tremendously. Meaning that the effectiveness of our decisions, productivity and even interpersonal relations may decline or even become counter-productive, if those efforts are not supported by a rejuvenated brain.
Having said that, please continue reading the article I published last year regarding strategies for getting more and better quality sleep. Please enjoy and share.
An essential element to helping your life run more smoothly and feel a sense of control over how well you function is ensuring proper sleep, (which for most people is 7-8 hours). A deep, restful sleep is critical for your health and maintaining your happiness foundation. During sleep, the body repairs itself and performs many essential biological functions.
Getting enough rest can even help you control your weight, oddly enough. And if you have missed some sleep throughout the week, its very helpful to take a nap, now and then.
Many say they don't have the time for a nap, but once you learn how to manage your time, Time Management Article, you may find spaces in your day that allow for a 20-40 minute nap. You can't imagine how refreshing it can be!
There is a science known as "sleep hygiene" and it has many facets. But it is important to heed what has been learned about sleep and practice certain rituals to ensure your sleep is deep and health promoting.
A. Block all ambient light from the bedroom during sleep. This means clock radios with bright displays, television components with power LEDs that stay on all day, light from nearby street lamps and porch lights, etc. It all should be blocked by whatever means necessary to create a very dark space in which to sleep.
Then and only then can the brain produce hormones in the right amounts to support the all important REM sleep. Without this, you may still feel tired in the morning, regardless of how long you were in bed.
B. Do not drink alcohol in excess or before bed. Alcohol will turn to sugar in your blood, causing a rise in your heart rate and energy levels, making deep sleep difficult to reach.
C. Don't have a stressful discussion in the bedroom or before attempting to sleep. So many married couples struggle with this problem, bringing up unpleasant topics and causing a rise in stress hormones, when they should be trying to relax.
Also, the bedroom is not the place to hold these discussions, it's the place for sleep, sex and getting dressed. That's it! Maintain the bedroom as a sacred place, reserved for only those activities. Set aside time during the day to have these discussions. Issues appear much clearer in the light of day anyway and are often more easily resolved.
D. Invest in a Good Mattress. The importance of this cannot be overstated. You spend more time in your bed than any other place, except maybe your work. So wouldn't it stand to reason that your bed should support your comfort and proper body alignment?
You want your car seats to be comfortable and supportive, also your desk chair, what about your bed? That should be of equal or greater importance. If you awake feeling achey or not fully rested, chances are your mattress and or pillow needs replacement. Do your research and buy the best one you can afford.
E. Set up your bedroom as a sanctuary for sleep. And if at all possible, do not locate your home office in the bedroom. Even when you're not at your computer or desk, the sight of a work station and piles or files of documents begins a cascade of worry and mental processing about pending projects or unattended problems. That is not the last thought you want to have before preparing to be transported to a blissful dreamscape. Keep the bedroom clutter free, dusted and decorated with items that create a pleasant feeling. Paintings, photos, mementos from travel, even plants, whatever pleases you and gets you feeling positive.
F. Ask your health professional for a sleep study. If you are feeling tired all of the time, in spite of following all the steps outlined above, it's possible that you have a physiological issue preventing you from reaching a deep sleep.More often than not, these result from improper respiration: a blockage in the nose or mouth that inhibits sufficient amounts of oxygen from reaching the brain.
It could be excess weight causing a sagging soft palette, blocking the trachea, or inflammation in the nose preventing proper airflow. Either way, you must be observed by a specialist during sleep to determine the problem and possible solutions. Do not put it off or assume the problem will resolve itself. Often, without treatment, it only gets worse, causing your health to deteriorate
Do everything you can to ensure that those 8 hours in bed really count and the other 2/3 of your life will work exponentially better.
-Shane Eric Mathias is the author of "The Happiness Tree" (Grow Your Happiness by Cultivating a Healthy, Creative and Purposeful Life". Now available on Amazon and Barnes and Noble, online retailers.
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