CATCH UP ON YOUR SLEEP



Catch Up on Your ZZZ’s:

Experience the Benefits of Ample Sleep

By Mary Lee LaBay, M.S.

Due to recovering from minor surgery, I spent the better part of 10 days sleeping, meditating, learning to maneuver a wheelchair, and surrendering to being in the moment.

While each of these activities has been rewarding, I would like to focus on the value of what can happen in your mind, body, and life once necessary sleep requirements have been met. Surely we all know this from reading it in any number of magazines targeting health, beauty, and science. Having knowledge gleaned from reliable sources is valuable. Having personal experience - priceless. Catching up on sleep is a sensuous, mind-expanding, life-enhancing state.

According to sleep-, "Sleep deprivation is a common condition that afflicts 47 million American adults, or almost a quarter of the adult population. Symptoms can interfere with memory, energy levels, mental abilities, and emotional mood.”

They go on to state: “The trend in industrialized nations over the last hundred years suggests that people are increasingly sleep deprived. In 1910, the average person slept 9.0 hours a night. By 1975, the total had fallen to 7.5 hours. The 2002 Sleep in America poll, conducted by the NSF, indicates that the average American adult now only sleeps 6.9 hours a night, leading to fatigue, exhaustion and other symptoms. Shift workers suffer more than other people: many shift workers average only five hours a night.”

The site continues with a list of other side effects and symptoms that relate to not getting enough sleep. If we were to ask the typical citizen on the street, chances are not one would claim to be getting the recommended hours of sleep on a regular basis.

While it is true we think we value having enough sleep, in truth we don't always value it enough to make it a reality.

Like I stated above, I have had the opportunity recently to reverse that condition for myself. It really started before the surgery, when many of us in the northwest were without electricity. After an hour or so of reading by candle and flashlight, it was just easier to go to bed – and not get up until the sun appeared again. Now, there is a strategy - sleep whenever it is dark out!

While we probably won’t get anyone to do that, here is a strategy that may be helpful in your quest for alleviating sleep deprivation.

The Experience

• Resolve to place sleep at the top of your priorities for one week.

• Schedule it in as you would an important meeting.

• Find time for a nap at least once a day – more if possible.

• Go to bed earlier – how about 9 p.m. instead of 11 p.m. or midnight?

• Try, when possible to wake up without an alarm clock. Go to bed early enough that you will have 8-9 hours of sleep by the time you need to wake up.

• Make your plans known to your family, friends, and anyone else, if necessary, in order to get their cooperation. Perhaps they will join in.

• Turn off all phones and means of communication or interruption when it is time to sleep.

• Notice whether there are times in the day when you are naturally more tired. Try to schedule your naps within that natural rhythm.

• Make your nighttime environment as dark as possible, or wear an eye mask, as it encourages your body to produce natural melatonin, which enhances the body’s circadian cycle.

My own experiences of achieving sufficient sleep provided enough benefits and inspiration to have had lasting effects on my bedtime habits. I no longer feel guilty about going to bed at 10 PM while I still could be getting more work done. I am content to remain in bed a little longer in the morning as my schedule permits, rather than seeking out that first latte of the day. The resulting lifestyle has been encouraging.

I have been able to resist colds even when I can feel them coming on. My mind is clearer and more creative, my body calmer yet energized. The additional rest has allowed me to be more intuitive, opening my receptivity to ideas, thoughts, and messages. Because I am not as tired as I fall asleep, my mind is free to focus on remembering my dreams and learning from their meaningful metaphors. Instead of wanting to shut out the world and escape, I am ready for the nocturnal adventures of dreamtime.

While my results may be interesting, only you can make that happen for yourself.

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About Mary Lee LaBay: Author and expert Mary Lee LaBay offers workshops and training that focus on the discovery and alignment with your individual, unique purpose and path. Contact her at MaryLee@ or visit .

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