“Tired minds don’t plan well. Sleep first, plan later.”
– Walter Reisch
There was a time when I was sleeping very early… yeah, early in the wee hours of the morning like after 2:00 A.M. That’s early, right?
Then I developed this new habit of sleeping before 10:00 P.M. Well, this new sleeping habit definitely working for me. Not all will agree with me, there are some who prefer to sleep late as they can work better late at night or they can think better?
This is not an easy topic to write as some may or may not agree with what I am writing. I am writing for my own reference and sharing to those who can resonate with me… no offence to those who cannot agree. One man’s treasure is another man’s trash…
Why sleep?
For me, when I have enough sleep, I felt that I can perform better the next day. I can think clearer and my mind works faster than when I am deprived of sleep. I am no professor who is doing any research on sleep. I just felt that sleeping is part of our lifestyle… anything to do with lifestyle is a journey in life and it is somehow linked to our habits.
Please take some time to read the extract below from this article:
https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health-topics/sleep-deprivation-and-deficiency
== QUOTE ==
Sleep plays a vital role in good health and well-being throughout your life. Getting enough quality sleep at the right times can help protect your mental health, physical health, quality of life, and safety.
The way you feel while you’re awake depends in part on what happens while you’re sleeping. During sleep, your body is working to support healthy brain function and maintain your physical health. In children and teens, sleep also helps support growth and development.
The way you feel while you’re awake depends in part on what happens while you’re sleeping. During sleep, your body is working to support healthy brain function and maintain your physical health. In children and teens, sleep also helps support growth and development.
The damage from sleep deficiency can occur in an instant (such as a car crash), or it can harm you over time. For example, ongoing sleep deficiency can raise your risk for some chronic health problems. It also can affect how well you think, react, work, learn, and get along with others.
== UNQUOTE ==
There are a lot of articles and sharing in the web on the health benefits of sleeping and the consequences of sleep deprivation. I will not go into the details of that… Just know yourself, in terms on how many hours will be enough for you. You will need to experiment the right amount of sleep time. I believe at different age, our needs will be different…
Can you imagine… there is a body called the “National Sleep Foundation”… I wonder what do they do there? Sleep? Jokes aside… they came up with the research on sleeping time… I am referring to the majority here, not to those super man or woman who may not need to sleep. Please refer to the link as below for more information:
https://www.sleepfoundation.org/press-release/national-sleep-foundation-recommends-new-sleep-times
About the National Sleep Foundation
The National Sleep Foundation is dedicated to improving health and well-being through sleep education and advocacy. Founded in 1990 by the leaders in sleep medicine, NSF is the trusted resource for sleep science, healthy sleep habits, and sleep disorders to medical professionals, patients and the public. For more information visit sleepfoundation.org or sleep.org.
Some tips on How to sleep better at night:
- Spend some time outdoor to get some dose of sunlight. Make time for the exposure.
- Reduce blue light exposure in the evening and your body may be tricked that it is still day time. Rest one hour before snooze time.
- Heard from some experts… less or no caffeine late afternoon or evening.
- Monitor your nap time. You can practice power naps… experiment the dose of naps needed.
- Be consistent with sleeping and awake times. You body needs time to adjust; consistency is key.
- Movement and exercise can help to relax those tight muscles, plus it will help to provide better quality sleep at night.
- Alcohol sounds good to some people to help with sleep but according to some smart scientists, it does not help but disrupt sleep patterns.
- Bedroom is a place for sleeping not watching movies or playing games… ensure the environment is optimized for sleeping. And not forgetting the temperature too.
- Avoid from over-eating or supper at night… instead of sleeping, your body is digesting the food and disturbing your sleep.
- Place all your worries on paper… or somewhere you can refer to the next day. Sleep is more important than your problems… you need a fresh and active mind to solve problems.
- Take a good, relaxing and warm shower to relax those muscles of yours to get better quality sleep.
- Ensure your bed is good to support you and you are comfortable with the bed… remember about those pillows and bolsters too.
Pssstt… there are also good talks from www.ted.com as below for you to learn from:
https://www.ted.com/playlists/223/talks_to_inspire_you_to_go_to
“Sleep is the Swiss army knife of health. When sleep is deficient, there is sickness and disease. And when sleep is abundant, there is vitality and health.” – Matthew Walker
Should you have any great tips to share on sleeping habits, or any good resources for reference. Do let me know… till then, I am getting ready to sleep as tomorrow is another great day. Good night!
