Welcome! Today we are going to reflect upon that necessary but at times an allusive state…Sleep.
And what it actually does for our body, mind & spirit with some useful tips to help us get that deep restorative sleep that we all so desperately need.
First, let’s get our cuppa’s, with the winds blowing from the icy South pole, I thought Morning Sunshine tea, a blend which combines black teas from Assam, Darjeeling & Rwanda would keep us toasty warm.
To accompany this I have made us some gf buckwheat pikelets with sliced banana & maple syrup straight from the hotplate, with a dollop of decadent fresh cream, topped with flaked almonds… Delicious!
We are seated indoors in my comfy & warm living room that looks out onto the Bush reserve across our front garden as the morning sun filters through our full length windows.
Sleep is such an important & necessary time each day…
Don’t you think… last week during our time of reflection, as you may remember, we looked at Who are you? & the important lifestyle inclusions that longitudinal research has discovered that greatly help to lower our risk of dementia.
Quality & quantity of sleep is one of these inclusions & I shared that this is the main one, since having chronic health conditions, that is at times the most allusive for me.
And that I have now put strategies into place that are actually working & have helped enormously.
So, I thought I would share these with you today, as many who visit here shared that they also find getting enough restorative sleep, allusive.
However before I share these strategies, we’ll reflect upon what sleep actually does for us & why it is so important.
During our waking hours there are a great deal of neuro chemicals surging through our brains, while these help to maximize our thinking ability, over the course of the day, they build up a waste product that becomes toxic in our brains…also known as Amyloid-beta plaque.
It appears from recent research findings that only during our sleeping hours do brain cleaning cell teams really come alive & flush away this toxic chemical bywaste.
Therefore, the quality & amount of sleep (approximately 6-8 hrs) is very necessary for this cleaning & restorative process.
The rest of our body is also renewed, refreshed & restored during the process of sleeping, the body’s own maintenance teams all come to life in all the different systems of the body as we slumber!
In other words the body’s night shift teams do their work as we sleep! The following sleep strategies are those that I find work for me:
- Increasing my daily physical activity…That is apt for my personal circumstances.
- No caffeinated drinks or any food after dinner (6.30 -7pm) at night. Instead my last cuppa at night is Vanilla Rooibos shared in Focus…
- I journal any concerns I may have…then I put my faith into action & trust God for the outcome.
- Keep to a set pre bedtime routine, this tells my brain it’s time to wind down.
- Have the bedroom at a neutral temperature (not too hot or too cold).
- No digital devices or TV in the bedroom.
- Warm the bed in winter before climbing under the covers, then turn off the warmth. It’s not good for your heart health to get into a wintery cold bed, remember what is good for the heart is good for the brain!
- Always a prayer time & goodnight kiss with my hubby before the lights go out.
- We have white noise going during the night.
- We like a dark room, so we have block out curtains.
- If I can’t fall asleep after 30 minutes I get up & read for a little while (don’t toss & turn as that is counter productive) then go back to bed.
These strategies have been working for me…I call that a great success!
A good night’s sleep also recharges the spirit
The world looks so much brighter & we feel much more positive when we are refreshed!
It’s also a great investment for our future brain health in the prevention of Dementia strategies.
Do you have troubles sleeping dear friend?
What strategies have you tried or are thinking of trying?
Until next time,
Jennifer
You’re most welcome to join me in The Reading Nook
Or in Prayer
© 2019 Jennifer M. Ross, teawithjennifer.blog All Rights Reserved. Photo on Pexels.com
Featured at Grace & Truth Linkup And Esme’s Senior Salon Pit Stop
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Tea With Jennifer 
Until 15-20 years ago I would fall asleep as soon as my head hit the pillow and I would sleep through the night. Since then, I either lay awake for long periods of time or wake up within an hour of going to bed and then every hour or two after that. I cannot do much in the way of exercise as the longer I’m on my feet the more pain I’m in, and my one leg just won’t do what my right leg will do in freedom of movement.
I like to read for a half hour or so once I get into bed. A few months ago I purchased a grounding mat to use in bed, and that has helped some, though it doesn’t work every night. I do more often fall asleep more quickly and don’t wake up as often some nights, but still cannot sleep through the night and I think that is what I need more than anything.
I find myself falling asleep in the afternoon and often during the evening which I do not like to do. But I’m asleep before I know it and wake up realising I have missed a good chunk of the movie I had intended to watch. 🙂
If I go to bed hungry, I know I will not sleep. Sometimes if I get up to get a snack I will go back to sleep. I do get up to read after a couple of hours trying to go back to sleep.
A few years ago I started using a sleep mask, and that does help a lot too. Often my best sleep is after 5:00 or 6:00 am, so that mask is great and allows me to sleep sometimes until 9:00 or even later.
So I guess at nearly 81 I have to catch the sleep when it comes and be thankful for those times. But I find no matter how much sleep I get, I’m still tired all day long. Maybe that’s just part of getting old, though it seems to me that my mother slept more when she got old. But whatever happens, I know the Lord is with me and I don’t spend my time worrying about it.
It can be very frustrating feeling fatigued all the time though Diane, which I totally understand having Chronic pain myself with Fibromyalgia. Chronic pain itself exhausts the body.
I love your following statement though;
“But whatever happens, I know the Lord is with me and I don’t spend my time worrying about it.”
He is indeed! Amen! 😊
Dear Jennifer, Congrats, thanks for this amazing post. I will feature you at SSPS this coming week.
Thank you, that’s a lovely surprise Esme! 😄
I have not had piklets in so long, wouldn’t mind some now – I just put butter on mine, but yours sound delicious! :)Totally loving your ideas and 100% agree sleep is so important. I finally took time off over Easter and enjoyed some much needed lie in’s, it’s amazing how something so simple can have such a positive effect on your mood. Hope you are managing to get more sleep! Sim x #SSPS
I am indeed Sim & I’m glad you were able to get more time resting over Easter ☺️. We do love our pikelets here in Australia.
This is very interesting! I love the science part of it. I’ve never heard this. Thanks for sharing!
Your most welcomed Susan, lovely having you join me in a cuppa. 😊