A Closer Look: Sleep

"A good laugh and a long sleep are the two best cures for anything."- Irish Proverb

Let me be honest, having a baby (and a snoring husband) has hardly allowed me a good 8+ hour long uninterrupted sleep. I usually get 6 hours of broken sleep, which I have adapted to for now. I keep it in the back of my mind that this is only a short season of my daughter needing early morning comfort. However! Trust me, that is the last thing I think about in the middle of the night and I fail the patience test time and time again. But let's look at the glass as half full not empty. Too much negative energy in our world, right? 

Have you ever laid down to go to bed and your mind starts racing with ideas, thoughts from the day, conversations, fear and/or worry? Before you know it, hours have passed. You start to tell yourself, "Gosh! I need to fall asleep but it isn't working!!!" You start to panic and stress, working your way out of relaxation mode.

I never realized the importance of sleep until I did my internship. We had "third shift". Our leaders recommended us waking at 3pm and staying awake til 7am then going to bed. That was the first time out on my own as an extroverted eighteen year old sheltered homeschooler. I didn't want to sleep but hang out with my friends for as long as possible for those 6 months. My personality quickly turned negative and pretty dramatic. Then I heard one of our leaders tell us, "sometimes the most beneficial thing you can do is sleep". That stuck.

I think we can all agree a good nights rest is vital to our bodies working properly. Sleep can improve memory, moods, our hearts, weight, detoxification, and sex life, just some to name a few. 

I love to learn about Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). I personally believe the Chinese are some of the healthiest people on our planet. How often do you see a clinically obese Chinese man? One of the subjects that fascinated me recently is called "organ cycle". TCM believe's that each organ has a point of the highest energy and the lowest energy in a 24 hour cycle. Some of it sounds like hoop-la (or maybe I don't know enough about it) but I was fascinated to learn that between the hours of 9-11pm the endocrine system is adjusting the body's homeostasis and replenishing enzymes. It is recommended to go to bed between these hours for the body to store up energy for the next day. Most professionals would agree any time before midnight is far more beneficial sleep then after. 

Doctors recommend getting 8-10 hours of uninterrupted sleep to allow your body to repair and replenish itself. If your not sure that your getting that amount, keep track with a pen and a paper for two weeks (unless your a parent and when/how much you sleep is out of your control. Just relax and take it one day at a time, and sometimes one hour at a time. Preaching to the choir here.). If you don't obtain the hours, I would recommend seeing a specialist. Something else could be going on i.e. Thyroid? Adrenals issues? etc. 

A couple years ago due to my addiction to sugar I wasn't sleeping adequately. I went to a naturopath. She uses  nutritional response testing, and learned that my adrenals were not functioning optimally. She then helped me get off of my "cocaine like addiction" sugar. Thankfully that was my answer! I finally started sleeping through the night without having to use the bathroom or eat something sugary. Talk about a major shift in my mood!!!

Besides eliminating sugar here are 12 ways to help your body obtain sleep :

1. Limit your caffeine intake. It is best to not drink caffeine after 12pm (noon). 

2. Learn how to control your thoughts through meditation. I personally love to recite the same scripture verse over and over again before falling asleep.  A close friend of mine just wrote a wonderful paragraph on her blogspot on the act of meditation: http://juliesfitnessadventure.blogspot.com/2016/01/mental-health-being-at-peace-with.html?m=1

3. Maintain a regular sleep schedule of going to bed at the same time every night and waking at the same time.

4. Set the thermostat between 60-73 degrees so you are not waking in the middle of the night freezing cold.

5. Create a peaceful environment. Turn down the lights to promote melatonin (sleep inducing hormone) or consider lighting a few candles 2-3 hours before bedtime as a way to wind down, put on peaceful music, turn off electronics, and/or start a therapeutic diffuser with a few drops of high quality lavender essential oil (Young Living is my favorite!). Lavender promotes rest and relaxation. If you are one to like baths, take a bubble bath with candles all around.

6. Exercise vigorously in the morning. This one helped me big time.

7. Eat melatonin producing foods such as: oats, tomatoes, barley, rice etc. Also foods rich in magnesium and B6 will promote sleepiness.

8. Don't worry about not sleeping. If you haven't been able to sleep for more than 20 minutes, get up and read a book, journal or anything that doesn't require a lot of light. In other words: don't turn on electronics!

9. Unwind your mind with a spiritual book or a good novel.

10. Get sunshine to help reset your biological clock.

11. Chamomile tea has a wonderful relaxing effect on our bodies. 

12. Invest in a good mattress. 

I realize sleep can be a sensitive subject considering a lot of us are sleep deprived. How important it is to take our health into our own hands. If you think you struggle with insomnia a sleep expert may help, or if you are more like me who prefer a more natural gentle approach, try a naturopathic doctor. 

Sincerely,

B

I am doing a series called, " A Closer Look". Stay tuned for my next subject on, "Exercise".

Come follow me on instagram- danzagirl16 for food posts and nutrition fun

Disclaimer: Each of our bodies have been intricately designed, what works for me may not for you. It's about each of us walking out our journey of getting to know our individual bodies. I am here to share what has worked for me and it may work for you. Let's respect each others process. That said, I'm not a doctor or a nutritionist just a girl with a passion for health. Before trying any of my recommendations please seek advice from a professional.

Special thanks to my family for "behind the scenes" help!

A Closer Look: Water

"I believe that water is the only drink for a wise man." Henry David Thoreau

"Mom! I have a headache." My mothers reply? "Did you drink any water today?" "Mom, I don't feel well." Again, "How much water did you drink?" At a young age, water seemed to be the magic solution for everything. If I was dizzy, if I was tired, hungry, in pain, moody, you name it, (ok, maybe not moody. But you get the picture.) water seemed to be my mother's answer. As you could imagine, water quickly became my favorite drink (it probably helped that that was only drink we ever had on hand, with the exception of a juicy juice every now and then). I would love the feeling of refreshment after a full day of neighborhood sports or after a invigorating dance performance. Lucky for me, my mother was establishing in my mind at a young age a healthy relationship with one of our most precious needs. Water.

On average, people can go up to 21 days without food.  But water? Most of us would be lucky enough if we last past the third day. Physically your body starts to shut down. Why? A form of protection. As most of us know, our bodies as a whole are made of 75% water. Our blood? 82%. Lungs contain 90%, brain-70%, skeleton-22%, and cells-

90%. You, literally can not function without water. 

A little over eight years ago I attended a theological internship. At the time, my friends and I were a radical group, wanting to physically encounter God in a new way. We thought a three day water fast would get us there. (Could you tell I was an "all or nothing" 18 year old?) Thankfully, leadership stopped us in the evening of the first day, informing us on how detrimental that would be to our health. I'll never forget the side effects of going the first whole day without liquid- first came the chapped lips, then a dry mouth, sore throat, and dizziness that kept me from thinking properly. While our motives were pure (extreme yes, but pure) the result could've been fatal.

Water has the ability to rid the body of toxins, remove bloat caused by sodium, supply our organs with oxygen from the blood, keep our brain and heart properly functioning, aids in repairing muscle fatigue, & regulate bodily temperature are just some to name a few. Maybe there would be less cases of disease if we supplied our bodies with the proper amount of water we need?

I was curious to know what system controlled the water that our bodies kept and what was chosen to be eliminated. As I looked into WebMD I read an article which stated, "through our pituitary gland, our brain communicates through our kidneys to tell what to excrete through urine and what to hold onto for reserves. As well as triggering when you are thirsty." 

Answering thirst: I love to carry water with me everywhere I go (or you could keep some in the car). May I suggest a glass water bottle verses a plastic one? Or how about a BPA-free one?  The toxic chemicals from the plastic can seep into the water, making it a not so healthy drink. Some of those chemicals are, but not limited to: BPA, phthalates, vinyl chloride, dioxin, and styrene. As scientific research shows, too much consumption of these chemicals could lead to cancer. 

How much water should I consume? The calculation is: your weight divided by two is the ounces you should consume, divide that by 8 and you get how many cups you need on a daily bases. As I stated before in my previous post, too little water won't work but too much could be dangerous, resulting in water intoxication or water poisoning. Definition of water intoxication: a potentially fatal disturbance of brain functions resulting in the lowering of electrolytes. The lowering of electrolytes can lead to dizziness, cramps, irregular heart beat, and mental confusion. However water intoxication is rare, (no need to freak out if you over drink) but it is something to be aware of. In other words: No need to go sign up for a water drinking contest.;)

You may be thinking, "but I don't even like water!" My response to you would be, "have you ever tried well water? " What a difference there is between well and city water. No, I'm not saying go out and dig a well so you can enjoy water, but it's in the power of how you talk to your self. If you tell yourself something isn't good, then you will probably never get into the habit of this beneficial practice. We have city water at our house and use a good filter to be able to enjoy our water. Also, if you miss flavor, try adding slices of lemon, apples, oranges, berries, cucumber, ginger, or mint leaves etc. 

Did you drink any water today?

Happy drinking,

B 

I will be doing a 5 part series on the bullet points I made in my first blog post. Series will be called "a closer look". My next blog will be on the need for sleep. Stay tuned. 

Instagram: danzagirl016 for food blogs and nutritional fun

*disclaimer: I'm not a doctor or a nutritionist, just a girl with a passion for health. Before trying any of my recommendations, please consult a professional.