From Amanda's very early writing (1990s to early 2000s), shared as it was originally written.
Almost everyone is desperate for more energy and vitality and too many of us accept this state of chronic exhaustion as normal.
The way we live life today tends to intefere with healthy sleep patterns. We were physiologically meant to go to sleep when the sun set and arise with the sunlight! Electric lights (especially the fluro type) have put an end to this optimal sleep habit. Not only can we have light all night now, but we have all sorts of brain stimulating distractions that can keep us up at night - even if we are exhausted!
Computers, TV programs, books, certain drugs, sleep apnea, cigarettes, coffee or tea, late night meals or snacks, alcohol, radio programs, disco music amongst other activities overstimulate our nervous systems and keep our brains racing when our bodies are screaming out for sleep.
thinking about work , worrying about the future, focusing on things that went wrong during the day,
So if you are one of the zillions of people waking up exhausted, it could be caused by many factors - stress is one of the likely culprits and poor sleeping patterns another.
If you feel it might be your sleeping patterns, or lack of them , consider some of these 'sleep enhancement' strategies.
Go to bed at the same time every night - and try to be in bed by ten pm. Gasp! I hear you cry - impossible! Well, try to be in bed by 10 five nights a week. There's a suggestion that the later we stay up, the more likely we are to lose our restorative sleep - our REM or rapid eye movement sleep which tends to occur in the early phases of sleep.
During the night we go through various stages of sleep, designed to ensure our bodies are refreshed and renewed after seven to ten hours. If we go to bed late and at different times every night, we don't have enough REM sleep and we interfere with this complex and sophisticated restorative system. So we wake up exhausted.
Why not try it for a couple of weeks - go to bed at 10.00 and wake up with the 'birds'! You'll be much fresher to tackle the work or tasks you would normally have done th night before. As a student , I worked this out at University - I found my study much more effective when I went to bed early and rose early.
,yetour, instead of searching out activities or ways of thinking and living that allow us to have the energy and vitality of toddlers.
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Next , make exercise a part of your daily routine - and preferable exercise in the mornings. this not only wakes you up, it stimulates your metabolism which helps you physiologically function better all day, it reduces stress and balances the mental fatigue plafueing so many living in a fast paced lifestyle.
Avoid watching TV at night - esepcially after about 8.30pm. Few late night TV programs are uplifting and relaxing events! All the violence, mystery, and quiz type shows just send your brain into overwork mode.
"Gasp, what will we do?".
Try a hot bath with aromatherapy oils in it. If you put epsom salts in there as well , it's supposed to help detoxify your body! Relax, soak for a while and dwell on the pleasant things that occurred to you that day.
Burn aromatherapy oils in a burner while you sit quietly and just hold your partner. Lavender, rose, bergamot and sweet marjoram are some that are relaxing.
Have a warm drink - not tea of coffee! Herb tea or just lemon and hot water. Sip slowly and contemplate the process. Avoid eating too late or gobbling down a late night snack just before you go to bed. How can your body rest and recover when your digestive system (stomach, liver, pancreas, gall bladder, small intestine, colon and the rest of your guts!) is in full speed ahead.
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especiallyEpsom a burner while you sit quietlyGive each other or give your self a massage - massage your feet, hands or whole body. Soothing and good for your relationship as well!
Play a lullaby to yourself - remember your favorite tune as a baby? No, nor do I! But remember the principle - we play gentle music to babies to lull them to sleep. It helps block out other disruptive sounds and there are indicators that music actually can vibrate in resonance with our bodies biological systems or can literally 'jar' us inside.
Make the room dark - although at ten pm it's most likely to be dark! If you don't want to wake up at dawn, find some good curtains that keep the light to a minimum. Make sure you are not too hot or cold as you sleep - some recent studies reported in scientific journals suggest that we might get too hot with doonas which may aggravate skin conditions and make us wake up tired.
Meditate just before you go to bed - formally or just sit and repeat the word calm or one or any sound you like. As your mind starts to wander , gently return to your word or sound.
Try some of these strategies for a month and monitor your energy levels and sleep quality. You'll be amazed at the changes!
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