Sleep is Essential

Sleep is essential and critical to our well being.  Without sleep, our bodies break down and we risk getting sick and stressed out.

Take Care of Yourself First! 

Do you remember when we all used to get on airplanes (before the pandemic)  and the flight attendants would tell you to put on your own oxygen mask before you help a child put theirs on? We must be able to breathe before we can help others.

Please, dear reader, put your own oxygen mask on first! We do that by getting enough sleep at night!

So how are you doing? Do you have some basic routines established that work for you? How is your sleep? Are you going to bed at a consistent time? When do you get up? When do you get clean?

If we are to effectively lead our families, especially through this time of crisis, we must take care of ourselves first. That begins with getting our essential sleep at night!

Your Sleep is Important

Today, I’m going to address an issue that is near and dear to my heart. If you have spent any time with me, you know how much this topic is central to my health and wellness.

Sleep is Essential

First of all, it is absolutely critical that you establish a good sleep routine. Adults need between seven to nine hours of sleep a night to be functional. Medical studies have proven that with reduced sleep our cognitive function goes down. The less we sleep, the stupider we get.

Now, some of you are going to stop me here and say that there are plenty of famous people who are highly productive and get very little sleep.

You’re right. I’m not going to argue with you. In fact, there is almost a tenor of bravado that those who get by on very little sleep project. “I only slept 5 hours last night and I’ve already gotten so much done!”

Talk to me tomorrow my sleepy friend. You will feel it tomorrow, or the next day. It may not even hit you with the feeling of fatigue. Maybe you’ll just start snapping at your spouse and kids. Maybe you’ll drink a few extra cups of coffee. Maybe you’ll forget what you were supposed to be doing. Or, maybe you will get sick.

In the time of a pandemic, it is absolutely critical that you take sleep seriously.

But How Do I Get Quality Sleep?

Now, it is quite possible you are struggling to go to sleep and stay asleep because of anxiety. I can relate to that. I have had several nights during this crisis where my mind will not shut off. I will begin worrying. One of the silliest things I was worrying about was whether or not my husband was going to be able to get a good night’s sleep. Talk about silly! I was spending hours listening to his breathing, trying to evaluate the quality of his sleep, while I was most definitely not sleeping!

There are a many things you can try to help you get to sleep and stay asleep. Some of them may work better for you than others, so keep an open mind and try them out for a few nights. See what works. Your reward will be a rested soul in the morning!

Tips for a Relaxing Bedtime Routine

• Start getting ready for bed at about the same time each evening
• Stop watching TV, reading the news, or consuming social media at least an hour before you’d like to be asleep.
• If you read, make sure it is something light and enjoyable. Before bed is not the time to be reading self improvement books.
• If you are on an electronic device, make sure that it has night shift turned on. This will reduce the blue light that comes out of the device, and help you not to get too energized by what you are seeing on the screen.
• Make sure your room is quiet, dark, relaxing and picked up.
• Think sleepy thoughts once you turn off the light.  Envision a nice relaxing place that you are drifting off to.
• Try a relaxing meditation that will help you calm down
• Consider relaxing essential oils, like lavender, to help you fall asleep
• Make sure you are not drinking anything with caffeine after 2PM. This will make sure that the caffeine has left your body by the time you are trying to get to sleep.
• Keep some water by your bed in case you get thirsty.
• Make sure your room isn’t too hot
• Or too cold…
• Use ear plugs if the noise from outside, or inside, is bothering you.
• Consider drinking chamomile tea a few hours before bed. It has a wonderfully relaxing effect. Just don’t drink it too close to bedtime, or you’ll be waking up in the middle of the night to visit the restroom!
• Lovemaking can help to relax our bodies and minds before sleep, as long as it is enjoyable!
• If all else fails, and you are lying in bed in the wee hours of the morning, consider taking an over the counter sleep aid. Personally, I have been known to take a Benadryl if I just can’t get to sleep. Make sure that you are healthy enough to take something like that, and don’t use it too much, because you could become dependent on it. Please make sure you consult your doctor before taking anything to help you sleep.  I am not a doctor or a health care provider and you should always make these types of decisions with the help of a professional!

Sometimes You’ll Have a Trouble Sleeping

What if you try all of those and you still end up with a lousy night sleep? Funny you should ask that, because I am writing this before six o clock in the morning.

No, I don’t usually get up this early, but my dog decided that at about four in the morning he needed to scratch himself silly and go outside to use the bathroom. When I took him back upstairs, he wouldn’t settle. So I ended up on the couch with him on a leash, in the hopes that at least my husband would be able to get some sleep. He came down with our other dog in about forty-five minutes.

It was an early morning for both of us.

But, we both just decided to shrug it off and make the coffee. Despite the fact we had done everything possible to get a full and complete night of sleep, sometimes there are things that happen that are out of your control. Sometimes the kids wake up sick. The baby is crying. The wind is loud. The smoke detector decides to beep at 2 AM.

If that happens, then you know you can try again to have a better night of sleep tonight.

If you are extra tired, then plan for a nap in the afternoon. The key is to decide as soon as you get up if you are going to allow the lousy night sleep to define your day.

I have been known to throw an entire day away because I was so grumpy about the sleep I got. In fact, I’m going to need to really work hard today to make sure that I don’t get cranky with my family. So, I might make an extra cup of coffee for us around 10AM, and maybe plan for a nap around 1.

I’ve ordered itch spray for my dog, which should arrive in a few days. But until then, I need to take ownership over my attitude. I have a few hours remaining until the kids wake up. We’ll have some breakfast, let the sun come up, and go for a walk.

Tonight is another opportunity to try to have a better night sleep.

How are you going to make sure that you set yourself up for success in the area of sleep? If you have any ideas to share, please feel free to add them to the comments below. I’d love to hear how you are taking care of yourself and getting enough sleep during this challenging time!