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How To Feel Refreshed All Day and
Enjoy Quality
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How To Feel Refreshed All Day
and Enjoy Quality Family Time In The Evening!
If you're one of the "still" surprisingly many that just can't
get the sleep thing right, keep reading! How many times a week
do you wake up where you can't figure out if you're getting up
or going to bed or you wake up with a headache, numb leg or that
stiff neck that goes right to the shoulder blade and you can't
look left or right, what's that about? After struggling through
a tough day, no way do you have anything left for family play
time in the evening.
There's a time proven, simple method to regain back and enjoy
your full days, but most of us definitely take it for granted,
SLEEP! "I'll sleep when I sleep." If we all could shift this
mindset to, "I need and enjoy my sleep," That would be a huge
step in the right direction. As we age, depending on how
"gracefully," we develop certain health issues, maybe not
serious but nagging enough to stop you from playing catch with
JR. or piggybacking your Little Princess.Many times we look to
doctors and cures for nagging problems that just might be
related to your particular sleep habits.
So, what does the Sleep in America poll tell us about the
connection between sleep, health and aging? "We reaffirm what we
know from the epidemiology of aging that there is a very strong
correlation between common medical conditions and a
predisposition to sleep disturbances," says Daniel Foley, an
epidemiologist at the National Institute on Aging. "A person may
have several medical conditions that they're seeing their doctor
about and they may be getting treatment, but they don't feel
they're getting better. What may go unrecognized is a tremendous
amount of sleep disturbance and daytime sleepiness. What may go
overlooked is a major sleep disorder that may be complicating
treatment of the other conditions. "The poll results show we
need to educate the public and healthcare professionals about
the connection between sleep, health and aging."
Granted not all health issues can be prevented, but we shoulddo
what's in our control to remain health conscious day and night.
Maintaining health can prevent many of those nagging old
problems. What's the use of working out in the morning, jogging
at lunch, eating right all day then crashing at 3:00am on that
busted imitation "La-Z-Boy" using your cat as a pillow? Oh!
There's that headache, numb leg, still neck cycle again!!
There are some very simple things you can do to make your sleep
more beneficial for you. You've probably seen these many times
in many forms but this time, it's time to start! You're going to
pin this article up and make an effort to change your poor sleep
habits.
" Sleep is as important as food and air. Quantity and quality
are very important. Most adults need between 7.5 to 8.5 hours of
uninterrupted sleep. If you press the snooze button on the alarm
in the morning you are not getting enough sleep. " Keep regular
hours. Try to go to bed at the same time and get up at the same
time every day. Getting up at the same time is most important.
Getting bright light, like the sun, when you get up will also
help. Try to go to bed only when you are sleepy. Bright light in
the morning at a regular time should help you feel sleepy at the
same time every night. " Stay away from stimulants like
caffeine. This will help you get deep sleep which is most
refreshing. If you take any caffeine, take it in the morning.
Avoid all stimulants in the evening, including chocolate,
caffeinated sodas, and caffeinated teas. They will delay sleep
and increase arousals during the night. " Use the bed for
sleeping and sex. Avoid watching TV or using laptop computers.
Know that reading in bed can be a problem if the material is
very stimulating and you read with a bright light. If it helps
to read before bed make sure you use a very small wattage bulb
to read. A 15 watt bulb should be enough.
" Avoid bright light around the house before bed. Using dimmer
switches in living rooms and bathrooms before bed can be
helpful. (Dimmer switches can be set to maximum brightness for
morning routines.)
" Don't stress if you feel you are not getting enough sleep. It
will just make matters worse. Know you will sleep eventually, no
pressure.
" Avoid exercise near bedtime. No exercise at least 3 hours
before bed. " Don't go to bed hungry. Have a light snack, avoid
a heavy meal before bed. " Bedtime routines are helpful for good
sleep. Keep routines on your normal schedule. A cup of herbal
tea an hour before bed can begin a routine.
" Avoid looking at the clock if you wake up in the middle of the
night. It can cause anxiety. This is very difficult for most of
us, so turn the clock away so you would have to turn it to see
the time. You may decide not to make the effort and go right
back to sleep. " If you can't get to sleep for over 30 minutes
get out of bed and do something boring in dim light till you are
sleepy. " Keep your bedroom at comfortable temperature. Not too
warm and not too cold. Cooler is better than warmer. " If you
have problems with noise in your environment you can use a white
noise generator. An old fan will work or you can listen to soft
music on a timer. " Know that the "night cap" has a price.
Alcohol may help you to get to sleep but it will cause you to
wake up throughout the night. You may not notice it. (It is
worse if you have sleep apnea because the alcohol makes the
apnea worse.) Sometimes people snore only if they have had some
alcohol or may snore worse if they already snore.
" If you have a sleeping partner, ask them if they notice any
snoring, leg movements and/or pauses in breathing. If you have
any concerns see your doctor. " The proper mattress and pillow
can make the biggest difference in preventing those nagging
problems. Educate yourself on the new advancements in mattress
technology and sleep systems that are designed to provide the
right support to minimize pressure to acceptable levels for
different body types and sleeping postures, maintaining back and
spine alignment. Shift the mindset from the one mattress fits
all, coils and springs to the luxury and convenience of air
mattress beds, adjustable beds, latex beds and memory foam beds.
Not only do these sleep systems provide the necessary support
and comfort, they give you the option to rearrange the layers
for a myriad of comfort levels to ensure you get exactly what
you want in a mattress and not, "just living" with it.
OK, PRINT! Now get started and work out while you sleep!!
Make the necessary changes that will help you feel refreshed and
have the energy to get through a busy day and the stamina to
spend quality time with the family at night. Give yourself and
your family the chance for you to "age gracefully."
Catch my next articles that will cover sleep related disorders
and advancements in mattress technology. |
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