We often find that it’s worthwhile to give up something good for something even better. Sacrifice is a principle of life.
Too often, we apply this principle to our sleep.
Numerous studies have shown the benefits of consistent, uninterrupted sleep. And yet, when the going gets tough, sleep is the first thing we sacrifice in the name of making our lives work.
Unfortunately, sleeping isn’t something you can bank and use later, neither can you “catch up” on the weekend. Repeated nights of too few hours or of low quality sleep can result in long-term health risks including increased risk for heart disease, more rapid aging, impaired memory, emotional instability, and depression. Your ability to cope with stress diminishes with time.
Imagine the effects that can have on your life. How would your emotional instability effect your friends and family? How would the reduction in memory and creativity effect your working life? This is where regularly getting a good night’s sleep could mean literal money in the bank.
Do it right
1. Turn off the television and try to avoid all screens, including your phone, for an hour or so before bed. Limiting your media to relaxing music or books just before bed has been shown to help your brain more easily settle into the relaxed state necessary for a good deep sleep.
Watching screens have also been shown to suppress the production of melatonin, a key hormone in controlling your sleep and waking cycles.
2. Set a bed time … and stick to it! (No, you didn’t wander into a parenting post.) Try it! You’ll find that a little self-discipline can go a long way in this area. After all, being a healthy, well-balanced adult means being a good parent to yourself. It may be difficult at first, but sticking to the routine as much as possible ensures you get the time you need to rest. Making your circadian rhythm consistent results in better sleep over all.
3. Get regular massage. This one is obviously self-serving, but it also has the benefit of being true. What’s more, massage isn’t just for the rich anymore, and is more affordable than ever.
Massage has been shown to improve sleep in people of all ages, including children and seniors. This extra measure can be particularly helpful for those who suffer from chronic pain. Massage provides relief from the kind of pain that keeps you up, or at least tossing and turning.
4. Prepare the bedroom. It’s best to keep your room as dark as possible and relatively cool. Avoid using clock radios with bright displays or night lights.
Also, keep the television off and avoid working on your laptop in bed. The more you associate your bed and the bedroom with sleep or intimacy, the more it will feel like a sanctuary from the cares of the day, and the better your sleep will be.
5. Invest in a good bed, pillow, and linens. And we don’t use the word invest lightly here. The benefits of better sleep are strongly correlated with higher incomes and more prosperous lifestyle. You spend nearly half your life in bed! Make it count, and get the best mattress, pillow, and linens you can reasonably afford. This is one investment you can be certain will pay off down the road.
Just because your body seems to be on autopilot when it comes to sleep, you really shouldn’t have that mindset. Look at getting enough sleep as essential self care. The rewards are well worth it.
As with everything on this blog, none of this information should be construed as medical advice or care. The employees of The Good Life Massage, including the writers of this blog, are not medical doctors. Consult with your physician before making any changes to improve your health.
Tom Gunn is the Marketing Director and Blog Editor at The Good Life Massage. You can follow him on Twitter @tomgunnpoet.
mes with a cost, though.
new habit.
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