Today we’re obsessed with the hustle and grind. Why sleep when you can work 24/7, run yourself into the ground, and make a ton of money while doing it?
While there’s nothing wrong with busting your ass, working hard at your job/ jobs, and doing what you have to do to support yourself and your family. Our society also needs to appreciate rest just as much as we support “the grind”. Life is truly all about balance and you can’t have one without the other.
Sleep is an essential part of our overall health and wellness. It affects our overall mental, emotional, physical, and spiritual health. Today we’ll go over exactly why you need a good night’s rest and how you can manage to catch more Z’s on a nightly basis.
Why you Need Sleep-
Mood-
It’s no secret that when someone’s tired they might not be a ray of sunshine. Someone who’s not properly rested is more likely to feel moody and irritable. They’re also more likely to pick fights and lash out at those around them.
Appetite-
When you’re lacking in the sleep department, the hormones that your body produces to regulate appetite: ghrelin and leptin can become disturbed. This can lead to eating an excess of calories or reaching for unhealthy foods that leave you feeling lethargic.
Productivity-
Productivity is brought to a halt when you spend the majority of your day yawning and daydreaming. Lack of sleep can cause your thoughts to become jumbled and unclear, leaving your to-do list for the day, largely unchecked. Without enough energy, having a productive day is like pushing a boulder up a hill.
Danger-
Doing certain tasks without an adequate amount of sleep like driving or operating heavy machinery can put yourself and others in danger. If you’re lacking sleep in certain cases it can have the same effect as consuming alcohol. You’ll have a much higher chance of making a mistake and causing potential harm to yourself and others when you haven’t slept properly.
Emotional-
Our emotions are processed and regulated while we sleep. Often if an upsetting situation happens in our lives we’ll end up dreaming about that situation to process it.
Without quality sleep, we aren’t allowed the time to sort through our thoughts and emotions surrounding that situation. This can leave us confused about how to process our feelings and unsure of the next steps to take.
Mental Health-
A link has been studied between sleep and depression and found that those who suffer from depression, often get less sleep, than those who don’t have it. While it’s unclear if correlation equals causation, more studies are currently underway.
Immunity-
Staying healthy and keeping your immune system up is crucial since you never know what bugs or viruses can strike. Sleeping properly is a huge factor in keeping your immune system strong and ready for battle.
When you feel an illness coming on, getting a substantial amount of rest can be the deciding factor in the severity and duration of certain colds and viruses. A study compared those who slept more or less, and the effects it had on their illness.
Social Cues-
When you’re missing out on good quality sleep you may have trouble recognizing social and emotional cues from others. This could lead to miscommunications or arguments that aren’t an accurate depiction of reality.
Things that Disrupt Sleep-
Shift Work-
A common tip for getting a good night’s rest is to stick to the same sleep/wake time every day. People who work shift work, night shifts, or inconsistent shifts in general can have trouble with this. If possible aim to stick to mainly day or mainly night shifts. Invest in some blackout curtains if you need to sleep during the day.
Children-
Parents of babies and small children tend to be the most sleep-deprived. Since every child is different, what works for one in getting more sleep may not work for another. Do what works best for you and your family.
Technology-
Screens that emit blue light can affect our body’s ability to produce melatonin. The hormone that lets our bodies know it’s time to sleep. It’s a fact that people are spending an exorbitant amount of time staring at screens. This blue light tells our brain that it’s still daytime and we need to be awake, even if the moon is out.
Limiting screen time a few hours before bed can have a tremendous effect on our ability to fall asleep faster. Remind yourself that whatever you’re fixated on scrolling through at night, will still be there the next morning.
Reach for a hardcover book or magazine if you’re looking for something to do before bed. You’ll start to drift off and become drowsy much sooner by making this slight change.
Sleep Disorders-
Those suffering from sleep disorders such as Insomnia, Sleep Apnea, Narcolepsy, and Restless Legs Syndrome might not respond to quick and easy fixes like limiting screen time, avoiding caffeine, and taking melatonin tablets.
If you suffer from a sleep disorder, it’s best to consult with your doctor as soon as possible to come up with the best course of action for you.
Anxiety-
Anxiety causes huge disturbances in attempting to fall asleep. Racing thoughts about the day, tomorrow, or anything else can hinder your brain and body’s ability to relax.
Use whatever techniques work to soothe yourself. Maybe it’s falling asleep while a movie plays in the background, meditating before bed, or using a weighted blanket to help you feel safe and secure.
A good tip is to steer clear of intense or scary movies, TV shows, or news feeds that put your mind in a state of panic. Stick to ingesting light-hearted images and media closer to bedtime.
How to Get More Sleep-
Caffeine-
Avoid caffeine later in the day and stick to herbal teas like chamomile and mint to calm your nervous system and help you fall asleep.
Melatonin-
Melatonin is the hormone that tells your body it’s time to sleep. If you feel your system is a bit off, or you often have trouble falling asleep then try out melatonin pills for a few days in a row and see how they work. If melatonin gives you wild dreams then try out l-theanin, magnesium, or ashwagandha.
Adjust Temp, Lights, Sounds-
Find the perfect combo of temperature, light, and sound to help you fall asleep soundly. Everyone probably needs a completely different combo of senses to fall asleep.
Maybe you like it pitch black or with a night lamp. Cold or warm. Dead silent or music playing. Find what works for you. If you and your partner are on the complete opposite spectrum, then it’s okay to sleep on the couch or elsewhere sometimes, if it means you can get any sleep at all.
Night Time Routine-
Use these 17-night routine ideas to ensure that you set yourself up for success in the sleep department.
Breath Work-
Doing meditation or breathing work before bed will relax your nervous system and tell your mind and body that it’s time to slow down. Add some light yoga or stretching to the mix for the ultimate relaxation ritual.
Calm Environment-
Set the mood every night to a calm and peaceful environment. Dim or turn off lights, drink hot tea, light candles or incense, tidy up, and organize your things for the day ahead so that you can kick back and relax without stressors on your mind.
Conclusion-
Hopefully, as a society, we can learn to appreciate rest, relaxation, and sleep, just as much as we appreciate the hustle. Sleep is an extremely important facet of your total health and well-being and should be a top priority in your life.
While you may be at a place in your life where sleep doesn’t come easily, hopefully, you can find a way that works for you to be more well-rested. Sleep can be tough to catch if your rhythm is off and sometimes, we get it more than others. Fingers crossed that this post can clarify some ways to approach your sleep hygiene.
