Getting Back to Sleep for the Fall
One of the most important habits to create a healthy life is the habit of restful sleep. When you and your family begin the day with a restful night’s sleep, you awake alert and ready for the greatness the day has in store for you. Today I will continue with my theme of creating healthy habits and routines by talking about the habits of restful and restorative sleep for your entire family.
Have you ever suffered from a night of not getting enough sleep? Perhaps this is a chronic problem for you. According to the National Sleep Foundation over 40% of Americans report having sleep difficulties more than one night per week.
Insufficient sleep can cause:
A weakened immune system
More susceptibility to colds and flus
Hormonal imbalances
Insulin resistance
Irritability
Memory loss or changes in cognition
Emotional highs and lows
So it is the perfect time to talk about creating healthy habits and routines because families are starting to think sending their children back to school.
Many parents are in the frenzied state of buying things to prepare for back to school. Looking at checklist for school supplies or clothes.
Have you stopped to think about getting your children prepared for habits that will create success for integrating back to school routines? Sleep should be at the top of the list.
Has this ever happened to you?
Your alarm goes off and it jolts you out of sleep. Disoriented, your fumble around the night stand to hit the snooze button for relief, only to have the noise start again a few minutes later. After 2 or 3 cycles of this you finally crack your eyes open to see that it is later than you thought is was, so you jump or stagger out of bed to make up for lost time?
This is a terrible way to start the day: late, stressed, and behind. It sets in motion a cascade of emotional, mental, and hormonal events in your body that deplete your body of joy and nutrients.
This can cause your day to start off rushed, late and frustrated. This could all be avoided by having better sleep habits and routines.
Sleep is important for children too!
Sleep habits are important for children as well as adults. If children don’t get enough sleep they don’t want to get out of the bed in the morning and this can be a disaster for a morning routine or schedule, especially if you have a tight time schedule for the bus or school opening.
During the summer, many children’s sleep schedules are different than their school sleep schedule. So about 2 weeks before school starts it is important to start getting your kids back into their school sleep schedule.
Kids need more sleep than adults so makes sure your kids and adolescents are getting 8 hours or more every night.
So begin to move their bedtimes back to the normal schedule so they can get used to going to bed at the same time and wake up at the same time every day.
Back to the adults:
Once you get the kiddos in bed, your next assignment is to go to your room and get sleep too!
To Your One Sweet Life,
Dr. Dae
Upcoming Talks:
Stress Hormones and Health
August 15, 2017
6:30 – 8:00pm
Center for Mindful Living
4708 Wisconsin Ave NW, Suite 200
Washington DC 20016
OR
August 22, 2017
6:30 – 8:00pm
Center for Mindful Living
4708 Wisconsin Ave NW, Suite 200
Washington DC 20016
In case you missed them, here are my last few blog posts:
If you Brush Your Teeth Every Day You can have Optimal Health
Alzheimer's disease a robber of independence