As you already know, Eco - Living, Sustainable Living or Environmentalism is a lifestyle. And a lovely, logical one at that! We talk so much about the benefits of making new eco or sustainable choices that we are beginning to know all about that now aren't we? What we are now learning is how to fall in love with the 'slowed-down' living that we are participating in.. Shifting our priorities to what actually matters (connection, mental health, nature, relationships) It brings you together with people and get to know your loca community. It is time spent being crestive and new ideas growing within the spaces that we have made. It is growing, or regrowing things on your windowsill or in your garden. It is enjoying playing games with your kids and loved ones. It is creating a home that you want to spend time in and is becoming a safe, healthy, nurturing space.
"Going-Green" are not buzz words anymore, they are doing words. Our kids are loving it! It seems to have opened up their minds to potential and their ability to find beauty and joy in the world around them...
When we realized that it was sleep awareness week this week we jumped on the chance to explore this area of our lives and compile a few articles for you. Since sleep is no vitally important to each and every one of us it makes perfect sense to include it in our year investigations to becoming a more sustainable, earth-friendly family.
Sleepless Nights
Sleepless nights really make a mess of your days, don’t they? When you sleep even one hour less than normal, it feels like you've been run over by a truck. And it's even worse when sleeplessness becomes the norm.
If you’re suffering from sleepless nights, it’s important to get it under control! Lack of sleep results in poor physical and mental performance. And it even messes with your mood.
Try this process for just 3 days and start feeling the joy of a great night’s sleep:
Avoid Late-Night Eating.
Even though your late-night snack may seem harmless, it's possibly the cause of your sleeplessness! You'd be surprised at the effect certain foods have on sleep patterns.
Heavy, greasy foods like fries are very difficult to digest. Having those before bed can literally cause you to have nightmares!
Fish and other types of seafood can also cause sleeplessness. Again, your digestive system might have a hard time breaking them down. This is especially true when your body is lying flat.
Acid reflux disorder can develop if you’re unable to fully digest your food before bed. Many of the food acids remain in your stomach instead of being processed through the body.
Assess Your Bed and Pillow.
Maybe your sleeping conditions are less than favorable. Perhaps it's time to check out your pillow and mattress and consider replacing them.
Do you have aches and pains when you wake up each morning? It probably means that your mattress is worn and needs replacing. An uncomfortable mattress can result in much tossing and turning. Good luck trying to sleep under those circumstances!
What about a creaky spring bed frame? Your actual mattress may feel comfortable, but the squeaking of the springs may prevent you from sleeping soundly at night. We just realized this very thing - we had not been sleeping very well and realized that we kept being woken up by a 'loud noise' - our old bed had sprung a spring in its frame making it make noises like someone was slamming a garden gate all night! NO wonder our sleep was disrupted... We are now saving for our dream bed and have fixed our old frame!
It's also possible that your pillow might need to be changed. Have the fibers worn down? Does the pillow carry a smell? These factors can subconsciously play a part in your sleep or lack of it. A pillow supports your neck which in turn supports your wonderful head - it is vitally important to have a pillow that makes you feel like royalty when you lay your head down upon it!
Practice Deep Meditation.
After a hard day's work, it's sometimes difficult to relieve stress. If you're not careful, you could end up carrying those stresses to bed with you. Stress is a surefire way to lose sleep at night.
Try tai-chi, yoga, or some other form of meditation. These activities take your mind off everything around you. They help you focus on your inner peace of mind. There are also a lot of good apps available now that provide a fantastic meditation or soundscape for you to listen too.
Make it a regular part of your day. Allow your body and mind to depend on it for rest. This is a great way to ensure the stresses of life won't keep you awake at night.
Increase exercise frequency.
Exercise is a great way to relieve stress. Exercise releases endorphins, the hormones responsible for the feeling of well-being.
Try exercising after work each evening. Maybe you could encourage friends to meet up for a walk, not only will you get time to exercise but you also get to hang out, get to know people in your community and build new relationships... Many people report sleeping more soundly after working out.
Although it is important to avoid exercises that are too strenuous if you're working out in the evening. You don’t want to put your body under too much strain before bed. Believe it or not, you'll get the same results as you do from work stressors! (Doing a little research into stress teaches us that it is all about balance)
In Conclusion:
Your sleep matters and is a sacred space for your body to rest, reset and heal. We have put together a few ideas about how you can make your bedroom sleep-proof with this blog post.
We encourage you to work through this checklist and make the recommended changes. Keep a journal as you implement the changes. You'll be pleasantly surprised by how much better you’ll feel. Start today and you'll soon see sleepless nights as things of the past! Thanks for joining us on this journey – if you would like to connect with us find us on Facebook or Instagram and use the hashtag #loamandlore so we can connect!
In love and kindness,