In the past 18 months I have had problems sleeping (among
other things)... I would stay up SUPER late & have to be up at 6am, most days
I was running on 5 hours of sleep (when adults should be getting 8-9 hours) if I was lucky, and I couldn’t eat because if
I did I was immediately tired. It was one hell of a vicious cycle. And on top
of it, I was always tired because when I was sleeping, even on the rare
occasions that I would get 8 hours (aka the weekend) I was still exhausted.
I had gained 40lbs in 18 months, I could barely function
& truthfully I was terrified to even eat a salad for fear that it would
knock me out. This was no way to live,
it was destroying my life & I was miserable. It wasn’t as easy as you would
think, but I knew I needed help. So I took myself to my doctor & we broke
it all down piece by piece, I laid everything out there, like an open book,
because I knew something was wrong & I wanted answers. I wanted my life
back.
Long story (very) short, one of the major factors that was causing my weight gain, my stress, my inability to focus, over reacting & many other issues, was the fact I was not getting enough sleep. But to that, I was also not getting quality sleep. Meaning I wasn’t getting enough REM sleep, so my body wasn’t getting the actual rest it needed in order to function .
Long story (very) short, one of the major factors that was causing my weight gain, my stress, my inability to focus, over reacting & many other issues, was the fact I was not getting enough sleep. But to that, I was also not getting quality sleep. Meaning I wasn’t getting enough REM sleep, so my body wasn’t getting the actual rest it needed in order to function .
Thanks to a very honest friend & my kids complaining of my snoring (Josh just lived with it for the past 15+ years, God bless him!), I had a sleep study done & it confirmed I have sleep apnea, which plays a HUGE factor in a lot of the health issues I was having. So now I have made it a priority not only to get better sleep, but at least 8 hours a night & you should to not only because you deserve a good nights sleep but because when you sleep your brain gets rid of toxins, consolidates memory & balances your hormones, among other things. So if you're feeling like a hot mess who can't remember anything & are irritable all the time (among other symptoms), it might be because you aren't getting enough sleep or not sleeping well...
While I am not a medical professional, I have picked up a few tips along the way on how to get a
better night’s sleep + the sleep you need & I'm happy to share the top 5 that have worked for me:
1) Set a bed time: I know, I know… It seems crazy & if you’re like me you want to be all like “I’m an adult, I do what I want!” I get it 1,000%. But bedtimes aren’t just for kids, when you have a set time to go to bed & wake up it helps to set your internal clock & you will sleep better, trust me. Do the math & find out when you need to go to bed for optimal sleep. (P.S. this doesn’t mean you give up Sleep in Saturday or Sleep in Sunday… because I sure haven’t! Let’s be honest, no one wants to wake up to an alarm every day!
2) Limit your To-Do
List: (insert your cringing face here!) I get it, ooohhh boy do I get it.
Our to-do lists are 5 pages long & we feel like we need to do everything
today. Guess what, you don’t!!! I
promise the dishes/laundry/whatever will be there tomorrow & it’s totally
ok if you don’t get it all done. As long as everyone is fed, has clean clothes &
clean underwear, you’re good girl! Real friends don’t judge!! (P.S. I may be
speaking from A LOT of personal experience here. #I’mJustSayin)
Limit yourself to 6 tasks on your daily to-do list & make a list of other tasks you need to do throughout the week… heck make lists to your hearts content (I sure do!), but Rome wasn’t built in a day & you don’t need to tackle everything in a day either. It has taken me a LOOOOONG time to realize this & to stick to it… In fact, I still struggle some days. If you want help with it, I’m happy to help!
Limit yourself to 6 tasks on your daily to-do list & make a list of other tasks you need to do throughout the week… heck make lists to your hearts content (I sure do!), but Rome wasn’t built in a day & you don’t need to tackle everything in a day either. It has taken me a LOOOOONG time to realize this & to stick to it… In fact, I still struggle some days. If you want help with it, I’m happy to help!
3) Avoid Screens:
Avoid any screens 30-60 minutes before bedtime… that blue light kills your
sleep, it signals the brain that you should be awake. Need a solution for your bedroom? The White Noise App Lite is free, but the full app is the best thing I have ever found & totally worth every penny (IMO)
to help calm your mind & drift you
off to sleep, plus they have a White Noise Market where you can download free
sounds & submit requests…
P.S. I totally did this for Ice Skating without background noise & they created it, that’s my most favorite sound!
P.S. I totally did this for Ice Skating without background noise & they created it, that’s my most favorite sound!
4) Get Physical: Don’t
go running a marathon, but get active every day. Whether it’s a walk on your
lunch break, take a Thursday night yoga class or you do your best to shake what
your mama gave you at home while rocking out that Zumba routine you found on
YouTube.. Anything to get up & get moving, it’s good for the body, mind
& soul!
5) Practice Self
Care: Take a hot bath, put on a mask, read a book, whatever helps relax you. You do you & take this time for yourself
because you deserve it & use the hour before you go to bed for just that.
Trust me you will not only sleep better, but live a better life.
I have always used the 1 ½ after Livy & B go to bed for me. To do what I love & to feed my soul. Sometimes that is writing, sometimes it’s reading, sometimes it’s catching up on one of my favorite tv shows, whatever it is 8:30 -10pm is “Me Time” that time where (even if I am folding clothes) I am doing something I want to do. Something I deserve. Something to keep me sane & grounded.
I have always used the 1 ½ after Livy & B go to bed for me. To do what I love & to feed my soul. Sometimes that is writing, sometimes it’s reading, sometimes it’s catching up on one of my favorite tv shows, whatever it is 8:30 -10pm is “Me Time” that time where (even if I am folding clothes) I am doing something I want to do. Something I deserve. Something to keep me sane & grounded.
P.S. If you are ready to make taking care of you a priority in your life, we would love to have you join us over at my VIP group Posh T Rocks! on facebook. Self care is one of my passions in life, because you can't be the best you that you can be if you aren't taking care of yourself.
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