The question, “How do you get it all done?” usually follows with the second question, “Do you ever sleep?” My answer, why yes actually, I sleep quite a lot! 8-10 hours a night and some days I even take a long nap. You might be laughing right now thinking how is that even possible. If you have a newborn, you get a pass (but I encourage you to start sleep training on night one.) Outside of the newborn phase, no one really has any excuse for not getting enough sleep.
The CDC reported that around 30% of all Americans are sleep deprived. Sleep deprivation means getting 6 or less hours of sleep per 24 hour period. Interestingly a Gallup report from 2017 showed the average American only get about 6.8 hours a night. The number goes up drastically for high school students. The National Sleep Foundation polled students to find that 87% are chronically sleep-deprived. Sleep deprivation increases anxiety, increases high blood pressure risks, can cause heart disease, obesity, and diabetes.
The best thing you can do for yourself is to sleep just a little more or allow yourself to sleep in 1-2 days a week. Rather than watching another episode or reading another chapter, try turning off the lights an hour earlier and pray. Talk to God about your day. Play your day back in your mind like a movie. Where are some areas you succeeded in glorifying God? What areas were you lacking? How was your attitude? How were your interactions with others? Ask God for forgiveness and ask him to help you learn to do better tomorrow. Self reflection is a great way to end the day chatting with your Maker.
Here are a few things you will want to change in your bedroom. Make it as dark as you can. Do not allow any blue light sources in the bedroom at night. This means no TV and no media devices. Put your cell phone on the other side of the room turned to “do not disturb” mode with the screen facing down so that you cannot see the light if someone calls or texts. Do not keep your phone next to you, and for sure do not place it under your pillow. The electric magnetic radiation can cause disruptive sleep patterns.
Consider eliminating electrical sources. This would mean using more blankets rather than an electric blanket. Placing your alarm clock or cell phone across the room. Getting a normal wall clock rather than an electric clock. Unplugging the TV or any modem or router that is in the room. Electrical fields can be a major cause for sleep issues.
Not everyone is effected by them, but the amount of positive ions that they produce have been proven to cause negative responses such as irritability, aggressive behavior, and sleeplessness. The goal is to add more negative ions in your bedroom than positive ones. The negative ions have a positive effect on our behavior. To produce an abundance of negative ions in our bedroom, consider using a diffuser with your favorite essential oils or humidifier (do not add essential oils to a humidifier). The water will help to placate positive particles in the air, causing the room to be more calming.
Another area to consider is what you are eating before bed. It is best to eat a slow digesting protein that is high in amino acids such as cottage cheese, some nut butters, greek yogurt, or salmon.
There are several essential oils that I use to help me sleep more soundly. This may sound odd, but a very successful method of application is directly in the bellybutton. Simply drip a drop of lavender or your favorite calming oil, such as Valor®, Peace & Calming®, Stress Away™, Frankincense, Copaiba, Valerian, Vetiver, or a combo of some. Just one drop is all you need. Tape a cotton ball over your bellybutton to keep it from leaking out and use a little carrier oil if you have sensitive skin.
Some supplements you might consider would be natural melatonin and GABA. Melatonin is something our bodies should be creating but many adults no longer produce enough each night to get to sleep in a normal amount of time. The melatonin I use is called ImmuPro™ from Young Living. I will also use GABA. You can get GABA from any health food stores. Many adults have low levels of GABA, which is a neurotransmitter in the central nervous system. Having not enough GABA can cause insomnia.
Drinking too much coffee and caffeinated beverage can be a major reason you are not sleeping well. I encourage you to go completely off all caffeinated beverages for 30 days to start. See the 30 Day Withdrawal Protocol HERE. I know you might think I am nuts. I am so confident that this will help you sleep better and will open up your mind and world in ways you did not know possible, that I want you to try this.
SOURCES
https://bestlifeonline.com/average-american-sleep-schedule/
www.nichd.nih.gov/health/topics/sleep/conditioninfo/sleep-deprivation
An Excellent Wife 