Dear Earth’s Enrichers
Your body requires certain things to help it get through the day and maintain a balance of good health. Without these things, it could produce small signs, which are messages or SOS signals, if you will, from your body saying it needs them.
So your body’s basic needs boil down to sleep, food or nourishment, physical activity, sun, and water. Of course, oxygen or being able to breathe is one of them, but I think you all already have that down. This week our topic will be sleep.
Sleep is one of the most important ways to gather energy to help you face the challenges of your day. If you don’t sleep well, how do you feel when the alarm clock goes off? We know, you feel like picking that thing up and tossing it across the room. A restless night or not enough sleep could leave you cranky, lethargic, and most of all not ready for your day.
We also know that it is not easy getting a good relaxing night’s sleep especially if you are a student, a business person, or parent. It gets hard to find the time to decompress before bed. If you’re still reeling about what Johnny did at work this morning, you’re probably not going to sleep well.
The saying, “don’t go to bed angry” should be one written on your bed’s headboard. Find a way to relax before going to sleep, create a plan and back-up plan to get the work done or have the kids in bed. An adult individual should have at least 7 to 9 hours of sleep a night. The most popular way to detox before sleeping is a bath or shower. Something semi-long and with your favorite scent to ease the pressures of the day.
Another reason why sleep is so important is because it can affect your health, not just your lifestyle. Lack of sleep can stress out your body physically. Stress to a constant and extreme degree can aid in factors like anxiety attacks, hypertension, chest pains, and Infarction (heart attack). Also, sleep deprivation during daily activities could lead bad health decisions in your daily activities. This could not just effect your health but the health of others around you.
Sleep deprivation in daily activities could increase the risks of obesity. Believe it or not, sleep helps you regulate weight! I bet you didn’t know that. It helps keep your body balanced. Insufficient sleep could lead to an increase in the amount you eat and a greater BMI (or body mass index).
Also, being extremely tired and sleepy while driving could be very dangerous to you and others around you. You could become drowsy, impatient, and non-observant of the drivers/pedestrians around you. There is a term for this called drowsy driving. If you are too exhausted to drive, don’t be afraid to give yourself those extra minutes to rest up or wake yourself up.
Question for you all, when you’re sleepy to the point of no return are you happy? You kind of don’t want to be bothered, which means you aren’t the most cheery of people. Too much exhaustion and extreme sleepiness on a constant basis can lead to things like depression or substance abuse. For instance, when you are having trouble sleeping, the bath didn’t work, and you have a choice between a pill or sleepy time tea—GO FOR THE SLEEPY TIME TEA! The last thing you want is to depend on a pill to get you to sleep. Besides there could be side effects.
There are plenty of reasons why sleep is so important. Try your best to get a good night’s rest. We know that lifestyle (being a student, business person, parent, etc) can play a major role in one’s ability to relax before sleeping. If you are having trouble and you have tried all the other natural options, then consult an expert like your doctor. As always, know your body and do what is best for you.
The EE 411:
Benefits of Sleep
- Prepares you for daily activities
- Regulates your weight
- Helps you stay organized
- Helps you control your emotions
- Reduces stress
- Helps your performance
- Helps your heart
- Improves memory
- Can positively impact life expectancy –of course longevity depends on other factors as well
- Aids in repelling depression
Sleep Guidelines for Different Age Groups
- Newborns 11-18 hours
- Infants 14-15 hours
- Toddlers 12-14 hours
- Preschoolers 11-13 hours
- 5-10 year olds 10-11 hours
- Teens 8.5-9.5 hours
- Adults 7-9 hours
Tips for Better sleep
- Aromatherapy (Lavender, Chamomile, etc.)
- Herbal teas (Chamomile, Lavender, Sleepy Time)
- Relaxing/ Baths
- Meditation before bed (like a light yoga)
- Gentle music
- Your favorite pajamas or sleep wear ^-^
Share with Us: What helps you get to sleep at night?
(This post was brought to you by Earth’s Enrichments. Similar posts can be found by visiting our Blog. More information about our company and products (USDA Certified Organic Soaps, Organic Bath Salts, Organic Sugar Scrubs, Organic Body Balms and Organic Lip Balms) can be found on our Website. Thank you Earth’s Enricher!)