The power of sleep

Scott Schwab:
I have been looking into the benefits of a good night sleep as it relates to health. To many times we are spending restless nights, that turn into restless days. Focusing at work seems impossible, noises just seem to get annoying, and anyone that talks to you seems to be wanting something. Does this sound familiar? Of course it does and it could be a regular or semi-regular routine for you. The goal is to stop and make some changes so that you can get the zzzzz's that you need. Having good health encourages good sleeping habits and specifically exercise helps one to sleep more soundly. The truth is as we burn energy, we will be more ready for sleep as the night sets in. There are many people who have a difficult time getting to sleep. There are others that have a hard time staying asleep, and still others that don't rest enough. A good workout or exercise can really help with exhausting the body. The short term results of getting a great workout are more energy that day. Long term effects are more energy throughout a week. Another benefit is being tired when the time comes for you to sleep. The difficult thing is there are many factors to a good night sleep. Factors such as stress, soreness, overactive bladder, etc. There are certain areas that you can control and others that you cannot. Lets start with what you can control and then expand into what you will control. The power of the mind is incredible and I am of the belief that you can accomplish anything you set your mind to. It is not a secret that you draw certain things into your life. The best example I have heard, is that you draw into your life the things that you think about the most. With that being said remember that thinking positive and surrounding yourself with positivity is the way to go.
Stay busy
As it pertains to sleep, fill your day with many things. I am certainly not an advocate of doing to much or exhausting yourself, even though that seems to be the way it is sometimes. However, learn to control your thoughts and shut down your mind when it is time to sleep. Have a certain routine that your body and mind can adjust too. This is also much easier said then done. However, know that your body will thrive on consistency and familiarity.
Exercise
In my opinion there is no better way to prepare for sleep then staying awake. Avoid long naps and doing nothing in the day. There are times for a little R&R, but it shouldn't be a daily activity. Make sure that when you are at the gym or in your routine that you are focused and using the time effectively. Last night I watched the 10 most influential people and the #1 spot is Michelle Obama. She said that in her busy life she once had to do her exercising at 4am so that she could have time. Though I am not saying that each of us need to get up that early; find a time that is right for you. Whether at home or at a gym do something and make it count.
Sleep
Find a time or schedule when you can go to sleep. There are many things that you are doing during the day and responsibilities seem to stack up. It is known that people should get at least 8 hours in a night. That gives a person the appropriate time in the evening to go through the stages of sleep. There are 5 stages of sleep that continuously repeat themselves and each is essential. Make sure that you are avoiding interruptions as much as possible. Eliminate drinking late, so that you are interrupting your sleep patterns. Dealing with children is another, but that is a difficult one. We really got some good advice from Baby Whisperer and Baby Wise. I have included the website that I found about the stages of sleep as well as links to the books below.
http://longevity.about.com/od/sleep/a/sleep_stages.htm
http://www.amazon.com/s/?ie=UTF8&keywords=the+baby+whisperer+book&tag=googhydr-20&index=aps&hvadid=3879514461
&ref=pd_sl_5443qmlhtr_e
http://www.amazon.com/b/?ie=UTF8&node=283155&tag=googhydr-20&hvadid=4670562747&ref=pd_sl_87k46q9w0u_b
Meditate
It is so important for the body and mind to take time to digest the events of the day. I here many people talk about t.v. being their relax time. The problem is that many of the shows cause your mind to think in different ways and about different things and does not leave time for you to think about what happened in the day. I am not saying don't watch t.v., I am saying to limit the time and frequency. There are few programs that stimulate the mind and body like other activities. Take time before you go to sleep to think through your day and how you acted. Then think about how you could change those areas that you weren't happy with and also what you did well. The point is giving yourself time to digest, just like eating a meal and digesting your food. It takes a little time, but the benefits are well worth it.