13/07/2020
Again, get enough sleep.....
https://www.facebook.com/GirlsGoneStrong/photos/a.188657791211531/3007966402613975/
Lack of sleep is the sad status quo for many of us.
We’re often stuck in a cycle of...
😴Feeling tired but unable to fall asleep
😴Not being able to sleep through the night
😴Waking up earlier than we’d like and never feel truly rested
Not getting enough sleep can:
🚫Compromise memory + ability to think
🚫Heighten our pain sensitivity
🚫Increase our risk of cardiovascular and GI disease
🚫Suppress our immune system
🚫Impact fertility
🚫Increase stress hormones and overall stress response
🚫Affect our hunger management hormones
Yet getting more quality sleep can be a challenge, especially now.
Yet getting more quality sleep can be a challenge, especially now.
We’re living in extraordinary times, and the changes due to COVID-19 and the nationwide protests calling for justice for Black folks and People of Color have left many folks, particularly BIPOC, feeling exhausted, angry, and grieving.
For some, this leads to many restless, sleepless nights. For others, it may present as sleeping *more*, but getting far less *quality* sleep.
This is one of those times when *quality* may be better than quantity. Here are four tips to help you sleep better:
➡️ Minimize your exposure to bright light, electronics, and social media 30–60 minutes before bed.
➡️ Find something truly relaxing to do before bed that doesn’t involve bright screens (taking a bath, reading a book, writing in your journal, or meditating, for instance.)
➡️ Advance your bedtime by 15-minute increments until you’re getting an optimal amount for you — this should be at least seven hours, but could be up to nine.
➡️ Sleep in a cool, dark room with no distractions.
You don’t have to do these all at once. Pick one of these and practice it until it becomes almost automatic and you don’t have to think about it. Then add another, and keep repeating the cycle until you’re able to incorporate all of these into your sleep routine.