YAWN!
I don’t know about you, but sleep has been a bit elusive lately.
Certainly since mid March I had about 2 weeks of terrible sleep, lying awake making lists. I would take some of my own advice, get up, write the list so it was no longer in my head & then go back to bed, only to start another list! Then when listing wasn’t an option anxiety kicked in & my worries would magnify under the prism of panic.
Things have settled as I adjust to a new rhythm & this involves plenty of physical exercise, PE with Joe & my son last week, & plenty of gardening which is my constructive solace right now. My garden has been “Ground forced”! Mostly food for us but liberally sprinkled with flowers for our friendly pollinators and because they bring me joy – & who doesn’t need some joy where they can find it right now. Certainly there is a deeper appreciation than ever of seeing the shoots spring skyward with the promise of future food.
I digress though, what if our pattern of sleep doesn’t kick back in & insomnia takes over? Here are some tips that may help, try what comes easy & stick with it for a while:
-I know it’s easy to reach for comforts but reducing your intake of stimulants like tea, coffee, alcohol, tobacco, salt, sugar, & processed foods.
-Exercise regularly, 3 times a week for 20 minutes aerobically is recommended; that means exercise vigorously but so you can still talk while exercising. Joe Wicks The Body Coach is great fun & Mr Motivator is back! other online coaches are available – maybe support your local teachers or search youtube for free workouts.
-Try listening to relaxing music; choose something unevocative, repetitive and soft, avoiding tunes that remind you of past memories.
-Try drinking chamomile tea, lemon balm infusions (this is in season now & is great free tea if you grow it which can help reduce anxiety & boost wellbeing), or a milky drink before bedtime.
-Although lavender is a good oil to help you relax, other oils are more sedative e.g.
benzoin, frankincense, sandalwood, rose, vetiver or valerian. Pop 2 drops in a teaspoon of base oil, apply to the soles of your feet, temples and chest, or:-
-Try a warm bath, but not too hot as this can be a stimulant. Add 6-10 drops of your chosen oils to 1\2 an eggcupful of milk, and add to your bath once you have drawn it to the correct temperature.
Swish round and soak for 20minutes. Pat yourself dry with a towel to ensure you continue to soak up the goodness of the oils.
I sell a handy wee balm called “Dreamy Drops” (Link) which includes Benzoin which is also good for processing grief and crisis and Frankincense which slows your breath & aids acceptance.
-Build in time each day into your newly forming routine to relax. That may not be easy right now, but looking after you is the best way to keep our NHS supported right now.
Sleep well, stay well, stay safe & look after you to take the stress off the NHS, warm wishes, Nicolle 😴
8th April 2020
Maaawning … more yawns!
Last week I wrote about sleep with lots of helpful tips. I noticed last week I had started to get into a better pattern again, yet this week it worsened.
Now that could be because there is a pandemic I told myself & this would be quite a normal reaction as well as kind of usual daily stresses of a lock down. Well this morning as sleep eluded me it popped into my head that something else had changed; my magnesium & zinc intake. I had been taking both as a supplement with my nightly meal to support immunity, but decided to lay off for a bit as you can’t boost immunity over your optimum homeostatic levels.
3 or 4 days later … my sleep is disturbed again. So yes I’ll get back on it.
If you fancy a little light bedtime reading to help you nod off, there is a small Italian study I came across this morning (although there is a larger body of research out there too, but I thought this one useful): https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21226679
Have a chat with your local health food shop for the right type of magnesium & best doses for you; these guys local to me are ace & very knowledgeable: https://www.facebook.com/cornishhealthstore/
Sleep well – look after you to take the stress off the NHS, warm wishes, Nicolle