Awaken to Your Best Sleep

My family snores. All of us. Since I released a lot of weight, I don’t snore loudly, or often (if there is anyone out there that disagrees, just keep quiet about it!). However, the rest of the Parker crew could form a chorus—my mom included. On two occasions I went home to visit my mom, and due to a full house, I slept with her. Rather, I stayed in the same bed with her, but sleep evaded me. The dear woman snores loudly, and persistently. I told her to ask her doctor to refer her to a sleep study, and sure enough, she was diagnosed with sleep apnea. Years later, I followed that same path, and learned I had a mild case of my own.      

It takes me several days to recover from a restless night, whether it’s due to my mother’s snoring, going out with friends, a late night of book binging, feeding the Netflix addiction, or staying up late to study (ok, the latter truly does not apply to me!!). I know I am not alone. According to Wellness Guru Dr. Andrew Weil, insomnia affects about 1/3 of the adult population worldwide, and for most of us, the quality of our sleep will decrease at some point in our lives. Naturopathic physician, Dr. Karen Davis, states that sleep is important because it provides our bodies with rest and energetic recovery from the day’s activities. It also allows the resetting, activation, and inhibition of hormone production, impacting our body temperature, blood pressure, digestion, and immune activity. Additionally, sleep deprivation inhibits the production of insulin, and adversely affects hormones and substances that signal the body to stop eating and increases one’s urge to eat. Research has shown that someone who manages to go ten days without sleep would die.

So here’s an equation that we all need to learn: sleep = health. Dr. Weil gives some tips to find relief:

1. Establish a consistent bedtime routine, and try to go to bed at the same time every night.
2. Get plenty of exercise during the day. The more energy you expend during the day the sleepier you will feel at bedtime.
3. Reduce or eliminate your intake of caffeine, stimulants and alcohol. Even when consumed early in the day, these can affect sleep.
4. Avoid large meals late in the evening.
5. Learn and practice a relaxation technique regularly: Breathing exercises, meditation and yoga are good examples.
6. Don't obsess about not sleeping. Instead, remind yourself that while sleeplessness is troublesome, it isn't life threatening.

 Dr. Davis adds others: 

1. Sleep in complete darkness, which helps to trigger the production of melatonin, the sleep hormone, and serotonin, the “feel good” hormone.
2. Keep the temperature in the bedroom no higher than 70 degrees Fahrenheit—rooms that are too warm can make staying asleep difficult. Especially for us women during this very special time in life.
3. Avoid alcoholic beverages before bedtime in order to stay asleep and reach deeper stages of sleep where the body does most of its healing.
4. Eat a high-protein snack a couple of hours before bedtime, which also provides us with the hormone required for the production of melatonin and serotonin.
5. Keep your bed for sleeping or for sexual activity only. If you are used to watching TV, doing work, or studying in bed (I’m sooo guilty), you might find it harder to relax and to consider bed as a place to sleep.

There are so many other helpful tips to help you Awaken to Your Best Sleep. If you want to learn about and experience them, I invite you to join my healing partner, Julie Magram, and me for our workshop on 7/9/16 from 1-4 PM in Greenbelt, MD. We’re going to wow you with acupressure, Qi qong, Reiki, Energy Medicine, Aromatherapy, Massage, Meditation, and tastings of herbal teas and foods that all help promote sleep. The cost is $40, and is a true bargain in helping you get your life back.

Sweet dreams…

To find out about my holistic offerings, visit my website at www.mindbodyandspiritworks.com. To check out my Self-Care Saturday Series and other holistic events, go to http://www.meetup.com/Laurel-Mind-Body-Soul-Food-Meetup/.  To listen to my podcast, Mind, Body & Soul Food, visit www.blogtalkradio.com/tonyaparker. Purchase a Kindle or audio version of Diary of a Witch’s Daughter, my young adult novel with holistic and metaphysical themes at http://tinyurl.com/diaryofawitchsdaughteronamazon.