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My guided meditation "Peaceful Sleep" is based on Psalms 4:8 to help
you enjoy the rich blessings of nourishing sleep.
Dr. Deb
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The Simple Joy of a Good Night's
Sleep
Meditation
and Sleep Meditation is important for nourishing sleep--and nourishing sleep is necessary for health.
It's how we are made! Restful healthy sleep gives you better weight control, reduces depression and anxiety, helps
your heart and your immune system. Sleep allows your body to rebuild your brain and restore
the stress damage from daily life. You learn better when you sleep well, and after a good night's sleep, you are
more fun to be with, too! Here are some
physical principles of healthy sleep that apply to all of us. Be sure you are giving your body
all the support it deserves so it can give you the healthy sleep you need. Tips for Healthy
Sleep
- Eliminate or limit alcohol. Alcohol puts you to sleep, then wakes you up again. It interferes with sleep structure, and destroys a good night's sleep.
- Limit to no more than
1 glass of wine, or mixed drink equivalent, for women, and no more than 2 for men--and try
to do it several hours before sleep.
- Have some lovely chamomile tea instead!
- Exercise. It is a
rich resource for clearing away stress biochemicals, and balancing the levels of healthy relaxing sleep biochemicals available to you.
- But--no
exercise right before bed. You should
be finished with your exercise at least two hours before going to sleep.
- Create a restful sleep space. Remove your
desk, your computer, your hobbies and crafts, from the bedroom. Bedrooms are
for two things--sleeping, and intimacy.
- Take
the TV out of the bedroom.
Many people go to sleep with the TV on--but TV actually inhibits the processes of
relaxation and sleep. Use a CD, radio or fan for background noise instead.
- Create a healthy
bedtime ritual. One reason parents learned to read the
story and give the glass of water every night before bed, is that it cues their child's mind and body that it's
time for sleep. We grown-ups are the same way!
Here's
an example of a healthy pre-sleep ritual: - Two hours before bedtime: begin the process.
- No more food or alcohol, and no more work of any kind.
- If there's been conflict--affirm that you still love them, acknowledge that you'll resolve it tomorrow.
And find a way to touch.
- Enjoy relaxing--reading,
watching TV, talking.
- One hour before bedtime:
prepare the environment.
- Turn out many lights, dim the lights you are using.
- Turn the
thermostat way down--cool makes our body want to snuggle up and sleep!
- Lock the doors, let the dog and cat in or out...
- 20-30 minutes before bedtime: prepare your
body.
- Set the clock, and turn it so you can't
see the numbers.
- Turn on your white noise and turn down
the covers.
- Take a very
warm bath, or shower.
- Wash your face, brush your
teeth (don't forget to floss!)
- In
bed: prepare your mind.
- You might spend a few minutes reading--no interesting fiction, nothing too meaningful, never anything
related to work (Perhaps a nice boring history of an ancient civilization--you know
how that ends!)
- Turn
out the lights, turn on your Sleep CD, and enjoy.
- You can trust your body to do the rest!
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