Sleep Well--#1 Key to Break Free

Break Free Key #1--Improve the Quality of Your Sleep

It's estimated that 70 percent of us are not getting enough quality sleep, meaning we are a culture of sleep-deprived humans. Yikes. That’s scary enough to keep us awake at night.

What’s enough sleep? What’s quality sleep? How do we get the sleep we need? The miracles that happen when we sleep are staggering: hormonal regulation, brain detoxifying, and muscle rebuilding are among the most important.

Here are some tips to help improve the quality of your sleep with minimal investment of time or money.

1. Commit to eight solid hours of sleep per night. Period. Block out eight hours: 10 to 6… 9 to 5… 11 to 7, whatever works for you. Work with the natural rhythms of daylight if possible—not easy in this electronic world, so…
   
2. Darken your room. You should not be able to see your hand in front of your face. Seriously. Remove all sources of light—the electric clocks, computers, nightlights (replace with motion-activated lights), all electronics, your neighbor’s light coming in through the window. Our pineal glands stimulate the secretion of essential sleep-inducing melatonin when there is an absence of light.
   
3. Honor your space. Reserve it for: rejuvenating sleep, intimate interludes, sacred retreat from the world. Get your office out of your bedroom. Move the TV, computer and PlayStation.
4. Sleep cool. Turn down the thermostat. Our bodies start kicking in with all the magic when the room is cooler—say between 55 and 65 degrees.
   
5. Sleep with minimal noise distractions. This one may be easier said than done. However, a snoring partner or persistent pet may be disrupting quality sleep. Explore options for reducing or eliminating the noise.
   
6. Prepare for sleep. Treat sleep as though it’s one of the highlights and most important parts of your life. To prep: Take a shower or bath and wash away the day. Read something non-work related. Leave Facebook alone an hour or so before hitting the sheets. Meditate. Still yourself. Let your body celebrate the anticipation of sleep. Then, sink into your dreams.
   

​If you suffer from a sleep disorder, by all means get some help from a sleep specialist and good luck. For the rest of the 70 percent, try these ideas on for size. Sweet dreams tonight and every night.
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Sleep well.