Have you ever woken up Saturday morning and wondered why you are so exhausted? Do you sleep in and wonder why you are still worn out? We have all been told that rest is an important part of a healthy lifestyle. But how do we work rest into our busy schedules? How do we know how much rest we need? It does not seem like such a big deal. What is the effect of a little lack of sleep anyway? Actually the effect is pretty big and it is cumulative so over time a little lack of sleep becomes a big lack of sleep. Because lack of sleep is cumulative you cannot catch up in one day.
So what does lack of sleep do? It causes lack of focus and clarity in thought. It causes slower reaction times. It reduces impulse control, which means we can be much moodier. And it causes us to eat more in an effort to boost our energy level or simply out of boredom. Often the extra food is heavy snack foods like chips and soda because it is quick and easy. This lower level of activity and increased calorie consumption leads to added pounds. So how do we introduce more rest into our schedule?
The recommended amount of sleep for adults is 7 – 8 hours per night. This is one case where longer is not necessarily better – too much sleep can make you groggy. So identify when you need to get up in the morning and back up 8 hours to determine when you need to go to bed. Now you have a benchmark. It does take time to ease into a routine so if your current bedtime is significantly later than your target try moving it back 15 minutes at a time over a period of time. When I get 7 hours of sleep a night I am much more productive during the day so when I reach bedtime I don’t feel so much pressure to push on and stay up late. It also takes time to wind down before you go to sleep. We establish bedtime routines for children, but as adults we tend to function as though we can flip a switch and go to sleep at once. It doesn’t work that way. About 30 minutes before you want to go to sleep turn off the TV and computer and quietly read or chat with your spouse.
In addition to getting enough sleep at night it is important to give yourself short breaks during the day to rest and recharge. A few minutes of stretching at your desk, a quick walk up and down the stairs or around the parking lot, an evening walk with the dog can all be ways to break up your day and re-energize.
What are creative ways you work rest into your day? Would love to hear from you in the comments below.
