As women who want it all, we have to do it all. Sometimes that means run a household, work a fulltime job, and raise a couple of children. Of course, we do all this for a reason, we love it. Yet, sometimes we get overwhelmed with everything we do and other necessary things fall to the wayside, like sleeping.
Sleeping is a very important activity in the life of a busy woman. When we sleep the required 8 hours a night, the health benefits are profound. During the phase of deep sleep our bodies create growth hormones even if we stopped growing decades ago. That growth hormone repairs damaged cells and tissues while we doze away.
Also, the reset button is pressed on our energy level so we can take on all we have to do the next day. Your brain spends this slumber time sorting through your memories and deciding which will head into our long term storage.
What Happens When We Don’t Sleep
If all these great things happen when you are sleeping, then it stands to reason that if we aren’t getting the rest we need, then these repair and replenish duties our body typical goes through aren’t happening. This can lead to health issues like heart problems, weight gain, diabetes, and can accelerate the aging process and leave your face with wrinkles and blemishes.
It’s rather apparent that sleep is important for us to be healthy and a healthy woman is a powerful woman.
Why Aren’t You Sleeping?
If you are still reading, then you might be a person who isn’t getting the sleep you need. Have you been burning the candle at both ends or are you having a hard time falling asleep? If so, why? Are you suffering from insomnia or sleep apnea? Or are you experiencing back, shoulder, neck, or hip pain?
These are all pretty common reasons why a person might not be sleeping.
Go To Bed
If you aren’t sleeping because you are putting it off to do other things, stop doing that. Stop it right now. You will end up making mistakes and hurting yourself. Get into bed at a decent hour and get 8 hours a night.
Get a New Mattress
If you are experiencing pain in your joints like we mentioned above, it may be time to invest in a better mattress. These types of pain can be traced back to sleeping on an inadequate or old bed. The nice folks at The Sleep Judge put together a great list of the best mattresses available. Whether you prefer memory foam, innerspring, or a hybrid, there is an option on that list for you.
Shut It Off
This means all of your devices. Your television, your smartphone, your tablet, and anything else that might be shining a light into your face. If you like to read on your tablet in bed, then allow time to do that and still shut it all off 30 minutes before you want to fall asleep. That half-hour will be spent helping you sleep.
Start To Unwind
When we have a ton of things to do, we also have a ton of things to worry about. Ruminating over work-related problems or when to squeeze time in to make those cupcakes for your daughter’s bake sale are only going to keep you awake and rob you of your much needed rest and repair.
Try managing your stress with other activities like…
Exercise
If you have a regularly scheduled workout regimen, then you should have no problem getting to sleep. This is an all-natural way to tire yourself out and stop worrying so much. The harder you work out, the better you will sleep. So get out and run a little bit or take a spin class. By the time you are ready to unwind you’ll be so tired you’ll fall asleep 30 minutes earlier and forget all about that gossipy coworker who has been causing you trouble.
Watch What You Eat
This applies to every meal of the day. In relation to your sleep, it especially applies to what you consume before you go to bed. If you are hungry eat some nuts or a little cheese and whole grain crackers. Avoid spicy foods which can ignite heartburn and avoid caffeine which will keep you awake.
Overall, to get better sleep, try to adopt a healthy diet for the entire day. If you have more colors and lean proteins on your plate and less refined sugars and carbohydrates you will find that your quality of sleep will improve.
Relax
Have a mug of chamomile tea. Meditate. Do some yoga. Write in your journal. Do anything you need to stop thinking and tire your brain out. When we are relaxed it is easier to fall asleep and stay asleep.
Conclusion
Sleep is as much a necessity in our lives as water, food, and oxygen. We need that time to reboot and rebuild. If you miss out on too much of this healing process, your body and your brain will suffer greatly, which would make it difficult to be a powerful woman who does it all. So get your sleep and take over the world.
