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NOVEMBER 15, 2024
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SLEEPINGBEAUTY Commandments FOR GOOD SLEEP
Q
uite a few among us aren’t doing so great in the sleep department on a good night, let alone when Daylight Saving Time interferes. Of the two annual changes, “spring forward” is harder to take, since it makes an entire hour vanish into thin air, an hour generally spent in bed, presumably asleep. The “fall back” by comparison isn’t as disruptive, but it still does a number on many of us. Why? On Night #1 it might seem great. Maybe you usually go to bed at 11 pm. On this particular night as you turn in you reset your clock to 10 pm. It feels good to go to bed early. (That free hour burns a hole in some people’s pockets, however, and they cash in the extra time immediately by staying up an extra hour, going to bed at the new 11 pm.) The problem can arise in the days that follow. According to the body’s internal clock, that 11 pm bedtime we’re staying up until is now midnight, and extreme fatigue can be the result. It isn’t just a matter of staying up late enough to watch the end of your favorite TV show; it might involve driving or working, where lapses in attention could result in accidents and injuries. The CDC says about 15% of us have trouble falling asleep and staying asleep on most + nights, all year long. See the box for a few good ways to make sure we aren’t among them.
• LIKE CLOCKWORK Go to bed and get up around the same time, seven days a week. Staying up half the night on the weekends, and/or sleeping ‘til noon on days off are not healthful habits and will disrupt sleep patterns in the days that follow any big breaks from the routine. • CREATE A SANCTUARY Watching television, surfing the internet, or checking social media are activities that should be strictly off limits in bedrooms. That goes for both grownups and children. Laptops, TVs, and cell phones should not be allowed in bedrooms, and they should disappear well before bedtime. • THERE ARE LIMITS As stated above, the bedroom shouldn’t be someone’s home office or the room with the best TV in the house. Sleep experts say bedroom activities should be mostly limited to just two activities, and they both start with S. • BE A KID AGAIN Most kids fall asleep minutes after going to bed. What’s their secret? A calming ritual of winding down activities like a warm bath, putting on cozy pajamas, having a story read to them, being tucked in and feeling safe and sound and completely relaxed. Grownups would likewise benefit from a relaxing ritual of quiet activities before turning out the light. Some people meditate, read poetry, pray, or do something else that’s quiet, calm and soothing, like deep breathing exercises. • GET COMFORTABLE Make sure your bedroom temperature is just the way you like it, which usually means on the cool side. Make it happen. A box or ceiling fan is many people’s best friend overnight. Your pillow(s), sheets & blankets, mattress, even your PJs, should all be uber-comfortable. • ACCEPT FAILURE If you can’t fall asleep or stay asleep, getting all worked up over it is a solid guarantee for more of the same. Ironically, trying to relax and enjoy the time awake can be one of the best ways to fall asleep. +
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Independent Medicare Broker Renea Soos Serving Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina and Michigan • Email: srsoos@yahoo.com
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