Feeling Sleep Deprived?

You’re not alone. I came across some great tips I thought I’d share with you as I found it to be a great reminder of the important role sleep plays in our overall health.  I’ve pulled the few I found most helpful as reminders.

• Feel sleepy? Go to bed. How simple is that? And how many times do we power through at the end of the night to do a few more things making ourselves overtired.
• Create routine. We do this for our littlest ones to help them settle in for the night, why not use it on ourselves? Incorporate prayer, music, journaling, lists, reflection, just before nodding off.
• Gentle exercise helps. Yoga or tai chi can help wind down before hitting the pillow. There are nights when you’ve been running at 90 mph and this can be a good tip to put into play.
• Take a hot bath. One of my favorite treasured times when I can sneak away after most of the kids are asleep and read a good book to quiet my mind.
• No stress before bed. To sleep more soundly it only makes sense to cut out stress until the morning. You’ll have plenty of time to get worked up over it then.
• More sun, better sleep. I love this tip. If you take in 15 – 30 minutes of the sun during the day, you’ll sleep more soundly at night. While this is scientifically sound, it’s also why I’m an advocate of getting the kids outside to play each day, even in the winter months. The fresh air and sunshine always serves them well and makes nights a little calmer.

Thanks to Healthy Gourmet for the tips. Sound sleeping!