How often do you get good night’s sleep and wake up in a great mood?
Sleep is your body’s time to restore and repair, but most busy women are not getting enough shuteye these days. With sleep being one of the first things to go when we get busy.
Of the three pillars of a healthy life, sleep is undoubtedly the most crucial.
It has an effect on the immune system, metabolism, cardiovascular health, and emotional health.
To ensure that we are all on the same page, let’s define emotional wellness
How we think and feel is what is meant by emotional wellness, or emotional health as I’ll be referring to it frequently in this article
It is about how we feel about ourselves, how we handle difficult situations, and how we acknowledge both our own and other people’s feelings.
It does not imply perpetual happiness.
Most people are aware of how sleep impacts their emotional wellness. After all, there’s a reason why someone in a poor mood is said to have “woken up on the wrong side of the bed.”
It turns out that there’s quite a deal of truth in this idiom. Sleep is directly linked to emotional and mental wellbeing and has been linked to disorders including bipolar disorder, anxiety, and depression among others.
Sleep and Emotional Health.
The research so far suggests a two-way relationship. Poor sleep is often a symptom of emotional health issues.
In addition, a lack of quality sleep, particularly insomnia, can contribute to the onset and aggravation of emotional health issues.
There are many studies that suggest that you will be likely to react emotionally rather than choose a deliberate response to emotional situations.
This is what happens when you don’t get enough shuteye:
Your prefrontal cortex is the centre for decision making and is affected by sleep deprivation leaving you vulnerable to poor decision making and you making you more likely to react emotionally rather than choose a deliberate response to emotional situations.
And this is how it affects your emotional wellness:
- You react emotionally and your ability to make deliberate choices is reduced
- You are more likely to crave carbs and fatty foods
- Affects your mood, you may feel depressed which can make you more likely to crave and choose sugary foods
- You will have less stamina and you will be unlikely to last through the day without turning to stimulants like coffee
- Increased food intake because of insufficient sleep is a physiological adaptation to provide the energy needed to sustain longer hours awake
Learn how to sleep better to help your emotional health by reading the article below.
“Sleep is the golden chain that ties health and our bodies together.” — Thomas Dekker
Improve Your Sleep Hygiene.
Your capacity to sleep may be impacted by everything you do in the hours before bed. For this reason, it’s crucial to maintain appropriate sleep hygiene.
Below are some general tips to help you:
- Try and maintain a set bedtime and maintaining a steady sleep schedule.
- Before going to bed, turn off all electronics at least 30 minutes in advance. These gadgets emit blue light, which can prevent the generation of melatonin.
- Exercising in the morning and evening may be beneficial, but refrain from doing anything difficult right before bed. I sleep much better after doing resistance work around 5pm.
- Try to avoid caffeine or other stimulants a few hours before bedtime. I am aware that for me, consuming coffee after 3 o’clock in the afternoon can affect how well I sleep. It’s very individual so see what works for you personally.
- Ensure that your space is cosy and cool. The ideal sleeping temperature is from 60 to 68 degrees Fahrenheit.
Wind-Down Your Mind.
“Man should forget his anger before he lies down to sleep.” — Mahatma Gandhi
One of the most crucial things you can do at night is to wind down and keep your mind clear so you can sleep peacefully rather the feeling agitated or irritated before bed.
Our fight-or-flight reaction is triggered by emotions like anger and tension and anxiety, which also cause us to lose sleep and feel stressed out.
The outcome? You’ll experience a constant cycle of fatigue upon awakening.
Below are some tips to help you if you believe that your emotions are preventing you from getting a decent night’s sleep:
1.Journaling
- Record your thoughts on paper in order to physically erase them from your head.
- Write everything down so you can rest, then make the decision to return to it later.
2. Gratitude
- Write down a list of everything you are thankful for to help you reconnect with the good things and people in your life.
- When you think back on the positive things, you’ll experience an immediate rush of joy.
Practice Deep Breathing
Another all-natural method to enhance your sleeping patterns is meditation.
Deep, slow breathing has been demonstrated to improve sleep quality and emotional health by lowering stress and promoting soothing effects.
As part of your bedtime ritual, you can meditate at home. Below are some tips to help you:
- Before retiring to bed, try to take a few minutes to breathe deeply and slowly.
- You can relax and feel less stressed by doing this.
- You can more quickly fall asleep if you breathe while picturing the stress leaving your body with each exhalation.
Meditation Apps.
“Sleep is the best meditation.” – Dalai Lama
You can use a meditation app to help you get into a relaxed state.
- My favourite app is Synctuition, it’s like nothing you’ve ever experienced before.
- And InsightTimer comes in as a close second.
Both are worth trying.
Last but not least, it could take some trial and error to establish the sleeping habits that are most effective for you, but sticking with it will guarantee that you awaken feeling rejuvenated and prepared to take on the day.
This is one of my favourite quotes:
“Let her sleep, for when she wakes, she will shake the world.” — Napoleon Bonaparte
And now it’s over to you:
- How would it feel to go through the day with a clear head and be prepared to take on any challenges that may arise because you had a good night’s sleep?
Please let me know in. the comments below…
Irena Geller
This story was originally published on The Carousel.
