photo credit: Adrian Pimpam

Sleep is important for our overall health. Sleep affects mood, energy levels, productivity, and mental clarity.  Recent studies also indicate the amount of sleep can impact weight gain/loss. So whether you are having difficulty catching those zzzzz’s, or just don’t feel rested, try a few of these strategies to see if your counting sheep days are over.

1. Create a bedroom oasis.

One of the most important things to consider is creating a bedroom oasis, where you can relax and rest. I don’t know about you, but too often laundry, papers, or other distractions try to worm their way into my bedroom. It’s best to leave these influences behind, since they are not part of creating a relaxing retreat. Decor should also be serene and uncluttered.

2. Establish a calming evening routine.

Once you have created your bedroom oasis, it is beneficial to establish an evening routine that you find relaxing. To learn more about how to create a calming evening routine, check out this article.

3. Develop and maintain technology boundaries.

As part of establishing the calming evening routine that is right for you, some experts recommend no television in the bedroom. My husband and I agreed when we were married that we would leave the television in the living room. For us, that has been an easy decision to maintain over the years, but the distractions such as the laundry listed in #1 have been more challenging for us to overcome as a family!

If you do choose to have a television in your bedroom, try to turn off the tube at least an hour before you go to bed. Same goes for computers, tablets, and smart phones. Read here if you want to learn more about blue light and how electronic devices may have a negative effect on sleep.

4. Try a few apps.

Yes, I know what I just said about technology in the bedroom, but these exceptions may be helpful to you. I have used all three of these apps and I have found them to be extremely beneficial, so see if one of them might be right for you.

• iSleep Easy – Meditations for Restful Sleep
  • Choice of 9 guided meditations, which can be combined with music or nature sounds.
  • This app allows you to combine sounds with music.
  • 3 music choices and 6 nature sounds

   

• Simply Being – Guided Meditation for Relaxation and Presence
  • Good basic music choices, with the added benefits of guided meditation.

• Relax Melodies – Sleep & Yoga
  • By far, the relaxation/sleep app with the most diverse playlist. Music and other sounds range from everything from Gregorian Chants to sounds of the seashore or a vacuum cleaner.
  • This app allows you to combine sounds, with music, say, a lullaby with white noise and a heart beat for a baby’s ears or a mix of ocean waves, seagulls and sounds of foghorns for a beachy mix.
  • Other nice features include favorites and timers.
  • 52 nature sounds or melodies

5. Check out the new sleep guidelines.

The National Sleep Foundation has updated their guidelines on How Much Sleep We Need. Check out this Infographic to see the amount of sleep considered appropriate for you and your family.

Disclaimer: If you have concerns regarding sleep, please check with your doctor for information specific to you or your family’s needs.

photo credit: B. Fernari

Here are our six tips for a healthy 2014:

1.       Eat nutritiously

Sure it’s easier said than done, but start with small changes you can make that will help you develop nutritious habits. What you eat—and drink—and what you don’t eat and drink can definitely make a difference to your health. Eating five or more servings of fruits and vegetables a day and less saturated fat can help improve your health and may reduce the risk of cancer and other chronic diseases. Eat a balanced diet and watch your portion sizes.

Depending on your personality, you may wish to master one tip before moving to the next or you may prefer to do an “all or nothing” approach. Check out our healthy eating tips here.

 2.       Get moving

Keep in mind that any activity that gets your body moving and heart pumping is exercise. Cleaning your house, parking your car farther away and walking to your destination as well as taking the stairs instead of the elevator all add up.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommend 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic exercise every week. If you haven’t been getting regular exercise, you should work up to these recommendations.

Here are some suggestions to help you prioritize exercise:

• Find a partner (a human or a dog) to help keep you motivated and accountable.
• Make it a family affair; suggest a nightly walk before curling up on the couch.
• Try something new. Mix up your exercise routine to prevent boredom and work different muscle groups.
• Don’t forget strength training. The CDC recommends you perform muscle-strengthening activities two or more days a week in addition to aerobic exercise. As we age, strength training plays an important role in preventing Osteoporosis.
• Remember that exercise is important throughout every stage of life – even during pregnancy. Check out this post for tips on exercising when you are pregnant.

3.       Practice prevention

Prevention is an integral part of good care at every stage of life. Routine doctors’ appointments can help detect signs of illness when they are most treatable.

Learn what health screenings you should have through each age and stage of your life.

4.       Invest in your mental health

Remember that your mental health is as important as your physical health. Take steps to manage stress, know the signs and symptoms of postpartum disorders, practice deep breathing, mindfulness and self-compassion.

Know when it is time to consult a professional and learn more about psychological counseling at Virginia Women’s Center.

5.       If you smoke – QUIT

Check out these tips and consult with your health care provider about effective ways to quit smoking. Help lines, counseling, medications and other forms of support are available to help you quit. Health concerns associated with smoking include cancer, lung disease, early menopause, infertility and pregnancy complications. Smoking triples the risk of dying from heart disease among those who are middle-aged.

6.       Make room for sleep

As a society, we are quick to “burn the candle on both ends” and give up sleep in order to complete our to-do lists. This strategy will come at a cost if we routinely deprive ourselves of sleep, as it plays a very important role in maintaining healthy, productive and safe lives.

Learn tips for practicing good sleep hygiene and for getting more sleep when you are pregnant.

We wish you a year of health and joy!

In order to maximize the likelihood of getting a good night’s sleep, it is important to establish good sleep hygiene. Here are some tips:

1. Have a set time when you go to bed and a set time when you wake up (yes, even on weekends and holidays!).
2. Establish a “winding down” period in the evening about an hour before bedtime. Try soaking in a hot bath, listening to soothing music or meditating.
3. Create a sleep-conducive environment. Sleep on a comfortable mattress and pillow. Keep the room dark, quiet and cool. Get rid of or hide electronic lights from cell phones, computers, TVs and clocks. Keep your pets out of your bed.
4. Use your bedroom for sleep and intimacy only. Watch TV, read or work in other rooms of the house.
5. Avoid eating heavy meals within two hours of going to bed. Limit caffeine and alcohol close to bedtime and stop smoking. Nicotine is a stimulant and can impede sleep.
6. Exercise daily (30-60 minutes), but not too close to bedtime. Regular exercise in the late afternoon has been shown to deepen sleep.
7. Try not to nap, but if you must, keep naps short (20 minutes or less) and not too close to bedtime.
8. Manage your stress. Before bed, write down your list of worries and set them aside for tomorrow.
9. Make sure that you never spend more than 15 minutes tossing and turning. If you do, get up and go through your night time routine again. When your eyes get heavy, go back to bed and try to fall asleep. If you are still having trouble after 15 minutes, get up and do you routine again. Do not do an activity that will activate your brain. For example, avoid turning on the computer/TV or cleaning your house.
10. Limit your use of sleeping pills. Some sleep medicines can be habit forming and may have side effects. Sleeping pills should only be used as a very short-term solution while other lifestyle and behavior changes are put into place.
11. Know when to contact your doctor. Most people experience an occasional sleepless night, but if you often have trouble sleeping, contact your doctor as there could be an underlying cause. For the times when practicing good sleep hygiene isn’t enough, check out this article on overcoming insomnia.

Remember: sleep is not an expendable part of our lives that we can cut out in order to accomplish more tasks or have more fun. Similar to regular exercise and good nutrition, qualitative sleep is an important component of good stress management and is an essential component in our lives. By establishing good sleep hygiene and incorporating these tips, you can maximize your ability to live well and get the most out of each day.

About Virginia Women’s Center

At Virginia Women’s Center, we value the complete health of women. As researchers continue to identify the significant relationship between physical and mental health, Virginia Women’s Center has emerged as a leader in innovative health care for women by providing psychological counseling services to our patients since 2005. For more information, visit www.VirginiaWomensCenter.com, or find us on Facebook, Pinterest and Twitter.

A few years ago, I was painting my boys’ bedroom over Winter Break.  The paint smell was pretty noxious, so my sons ended up sleeping in the living room for a few nights.  It was all very exciting as they each lay under a part of the Christmas tree, with the lights aglow on their faces.

As they fell asleep under the tree, I watched over them and it struck me how similar they looked at that moment, but how different they truly are. I started thinking about the presents they have received over the years and began considering the impact of those gifts.

My boys are opposites through and through.  My 8-year-old is interested in all things mechanical, while my 6-year-old is an artist at heart.  There are of course, common activities that they share, each seeing the activity with their specific mindset.  For example, they both love making shrinky dinks, but their approach is very different.  The 6-year-old enjoys coloring them, while the 8-year-old appreciates the “firing” of the works of art and how the different sized pieces shrink at different times.

Now as I look under the tree, I see very contrasting stacks of presents.  A karaoke machine, pastels, paints, and brushes for the 6-year-old and a telescope, science kits, and building materials for the 8-year-old (by the way, it doesn’t go unnoticed that science-y things tend to yield larger packages than art supplies).  By focusing on their keen interests, I can’t help but wonder – are we creating a self-fulfilling prophecy?  A vicious cycle whereby a particular interest is fostered, which leads to encouragement (lessons, materials, extra practice), which enhances skill, and consequently, reinforces interest…nature vs. nurture.

Fortunately, there are activities that they have in common – anything involving speed, wheels (biking, skateboarding, cars), as well as ball games and video games.  These shared interests make gift giving a little easier, despite the intensity of their individual “artsy” or “mechanical” interests.

Sleeping under the tree has now become a tradition for at least one night during the Christmas season and we consider it a treat for our family.  But I can’t help but wonder about those packages of cheer and their significance (or not) in the years to come.

As a parent or grandparent, do you consider choosing gender neutral presents or presents that foster a particular interest?  Do you think that fostering a particular interest can “pigeonhole” a youngster into a particular direction?  If your children or grandchildren hold dissimilar interests, how do you handle it?  Please share.