God Rest Ye, Merry Gentle Ladies!

It may be the last thing on your “to do” list this holiday season, but this is the best time of year to give yourself the much needed gift of rest. Once, our family was discussing if we could have one wish come true what it would be. When it was my turn, I gave it a great amount of consideration and finally decided that if I could have one wish it would be that my body never needed to sleep…Is that pathetic, or what?! I have since learned that sleep is a much-needed period of restoration and it is truly a gift that we give ourselves. However, that still doesn’t mean that I don’t try to cram in twenty hours of work into twelve hours of daylight. Here are some tips to embrace that much needed and rarely appreciated gift of slumber this season.

Work Your Buns Off
The best way to ensure a deep sleep at night is to live a full day. Lounging in front of the television or warming the park bench during the preschool playgroup is not exactly pushing the limits. Put 110% into your days and your nights will be extremely rejuvenating. One of the reasons that people have a difficult time going to sleep at night is because their bodies are not at all tired. In essence, they have been in a relaxed state most of the day. You don’t have to go join a spinning class or start running five miles a day. Just put some action in your day and raise that heart rate a little bit. Catch up on the laundry. Do some yard work. Dance with the kids. The choices are unlimited.

Let Your Body Signal You
Your body will tell you when it needs to rest – listen to it. Don’t try to force yourself into sleep. It just doesn’t work. There have been times when I wake up around two or three in the morning, fully rested. Instead of lying in bed, hoping for sleep to overtake me, I usually just get up and do a little writing until I feel tired again. We all have different biorythyms that we need to listen to. Keep your ears open to what your body is trying to tell you.

Ditch The Chemicals
Don’t confuse your body with chemicals. I love coffee as much as the next mochaphile, but I never have any after early afternoon so that the caffeine can be completely out of my system when night time rolls around. If you do love your coffee as much as I do, then go ahead and enjoy – in moderation. Don’t have more than two cups a day, preferably less. And make sure you cut yourself off around 2pm or so (unless you’re planning on a late one). And while we are on the subject of chemicals, I was amazed when my girlfriends were sharing with me which sleeping pills work the best. Leave the sleeping pills on the shelf at the pharmacy with all of that other medicine that your body is so much better off without. Let sleep come when you’re tired, not when you pop a pill in your mouth. This greatly upsets the natural rythyms of your body. And one more note – even if the bottle says that it is non-habit forming, your mental state (which controls your body) will become dependent on chemicals to induce sleep. Enjoy sleep chemical-free!

Ease Into Sleep
Of course, we have all had those times when we crashed on the bed with a full face of makeup, unbrushed teeth, and blue jeans. But the best sleep is always the kind that we ease into. Consider developing an evening routine to signal to your body that it is time to unwind and relax. My mother is a bath maven! I think if she had to go without a bath for one evening, she would toss and turn all night. I, for one, love a cup of herbal tea and some down time with my husband before we turn in. My sister, Regina, cannot get one wink of sleep until she has read magazines and catalogs for at least thirty minutes (sometimes falling asleep with them on her chest). What helps you settle in to sleep? Develop some evening rituals, treat yourself right, and enjoy a good night’s sleep.