Sunday, April 30, 2017

Z - 5 steps to a catch some good Zzzzs!!


Sleeping well is quite important to our body. Doctors would tell you, that sleep supports your body’s circadian rhythm. When you sleep, certain body functions occur, which wouldn’t occur if you were to remain awake. Perhaps that is why it is important to sleep and wake up at the same time every day so that the body can perform to its maximum potential.
Repairing and relaxing the body happens during sleep and thus sleeping well is important to de-stress and rejuvenate your body. It is during deep REM sleep that our subconscious thoughts are manifested as dreams.
Here are 5 ways to help you get some great Zzzzs.
#1. Maintain a regular sleep cycle.
Go to bed and wake up at the same time every day, so that the body’s internal clock falls into a pattern. What works for one person will not necessarily work for another, so choose your sleep hours according to your lifestyle. Having said that, the body needs 7-8 hours of rest each night- try to get adequate rest.
# 2. Eat a light dinner.
Heavy food, spicy food, and late dinners can make falling asleep difficult. Stick to a set dinner time, which should ideally be 3 hours before your bedtime. Eat light- preferably fill up on raw vegetables and fruits. Also avoid drinking too many liquids, especially alcohol and caffeinated drinks before bedtime.
#3. Limit technology at bedtime.
Limit your exposure to light at night-time. Bright screens interfere with sleep and body’s rhythms. So, avoid watching television or meddling with your smartphones and tablets late into the night. Keep away distractions at least an hour or two before bedtime. Use that time to read, or to listen to soft, soothing music.
#4. Relax the body.
Take a walk. Or better still, perform yoga. Shavasana or the corpse pose is quite a relaxing posture. All these activities relax the body and prepare it to sleep. However, avoid vigorous exercise before bedtime as it tends to have the opposite effect and keeps you awake.
#5. Create a proper sleep environment.
Before you jump into bed, draw the curtains to block out outside light from the room, light a scented candle or spray some sleep inducing fragrance like lavender or jasmine and switch on some light, soothing music at the lowest audible volume.


So, learning to sleep well is not really rocket science. Sleeping well is meditative and it can help your body to feel rejuvenated and be prepared for the next day. 

I think we'll all need this tonight!! 


19 comments:

  1. True that. With our erratic schedules many days and I eat and head to bed in an hour. That's so not good. Need to change age old habits. Great post!

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  2. I so abide by all these rules, except the technology bit. I want to get over that too, but seems to be a bit challenging at this point. Your posts have been quite resourceful, Shubhangi. Thanks for joining me in this journey of A-Z. Congratulations on finishing it successfully!

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  3. I have tried these tips and personally recommend them all, especially putting away technology and trying out some bedtime yoga!

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  4. This limiting technology usage is my problem :( Rest of the tips I follow.
    Congratulations on completing the challenge , Shubhangi. Your posts were truly helpful, and fun!:)

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  5. I still have an irregular dinner time and need to do something about it. Sleeping well is important... Being a night owl isn't cool anymore 😀

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  6. I cant sleep without reading on my Kindle or reading whatsapp messages from the various groups (which are on mute and I dont read whole day long). While I may quit doing the latter, I cant stop myself from reading. SIGH
    Thank you for sharing some amazing tips and lots of food for thought and your company too, all through April. Cheers ♥

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  7. How fitting that the last post is about sleeping well :) I've adopted some of these habits recently. I've really noticed an improvement in the quality of sleep. Also, (can't say if there's scientific reasoning behind this, but,) I've read lavender on your pillow (or anywhere where you can smell it as you sleep) gives you pleasant dreams.

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  8. True that buddy! Regularisation of our sleep cycle is the key to good health and happiness. It was absolute pleasure being with you in this lovely AtoZ journey 😊

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  9. oh yeaah....we all are suppose to follow such wise advises, but in this blind race of life that too equipped with so many gadgets its no more that easy to follow...no matter how much we pay for that in terms of health and money...

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    1. Well, it's not difficult and this comes from following it myself! I guess, it is just a matter of prioritizing what's important for our health, isn't it?

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  10. I sleep well... But I'll keep in mind this, just in case!
    -----
    Eva - Mail Adventures

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At times our own light goes out and is rekindled by a spark from another person..deep gratitude for those who have lighted the flame within me!! your comments will be appreciated..

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