I honestly can’t believe that we’re more than halfway through the month of January and I’m finally writing my first post of the year. Believe me, it was never my intention for me to take a break this long and there’s frankly no excuse for it. However, I’m not over here beating myself about it because I’ve been honoring one of the few goals that I set for myself this year.
I realize that it may seem super late to jump on the New Year’s resolution bandwagon and don’t worry I’m not going to go through a laundry list of things that I want to accomplish for the year. Just like everyone else, I want to get in better shape, eat healthier, go to church every week, save money and spend more time with family and friends. But this is a list that I already do for the most part on a regular basis or at least I should be doing it. I also believe that it isn’t too late to start something good. I think we can all agree that goals are ongoing and there isn’t anything magical about the month of January. Well, this year I decided to create a few goals for myself to start off just to keep things manageable and to avoid feeling overwhelmed. The main theme of all of my goals is BALANCE and I'm going to share one of the goals with you here.
MORE SLEEP
When I reflect on 2017, the one thing that I wish I had more of was sleep. Even as I write this post, I can’t recall a day last year that I didn’t drink a cup of coffee or take an energy supplement to give me that little extra boost to get me through the day. And as a result, I created a viscious cycle of sleepless nights and caffeine filled days. Although I powered through to get my work done and even got in a workout at the gym, I was severly sleep deprived. One of the goals that I wanted to share with you all here is to get more sleep. I’ve decided that I’m going to start going to bed at a decent hour regardless if I didn’t get everything on my to-do list done. Here are a few ways I’m working on this goal:
i. Limit caffeine and alcohol:
We all know that drinking a caffeinated drink before bed will keep you wide awake for some time. But did you know that studies show that caffeine stays up to 6 hours in our body? Therefore, you should limit your caffeine intake up to 6 hours before your bedtime. Also consuming alcohol might put you to sleep quicker, but it does not help you sleep better. Alcohol can actually keep you awake as the sugars break down. Increasing your water intake throughout the day allows your body to produce melatonin at night, a hormone that helps you sleep. I’ve cut out caffeine and alcohol from my diet so far and I try to stay hydrated by drinking 6-8 glasses of water a day.
ii. Bedtime Routine:
Having a regular bedtime not only helps you get to sleep faster it allows you to wake up refreshed and ready for the day. Create a bedtime routine that is both calming and relaxing, but at the same time prepares you for your sleep. Your bedtime routine can include taking a hot bath or shower, reading a book or using natural oils like llavendar or eucalyptus scents.
iii. Turn Off Technology:
Turn off your electronics at least an hour before going to bed. The blue light from your electronics decreases the production of melatonin. Melatonin is a hormone that helps you control your sleep and wake cycles. If I happen to wake during the night, I don’t reach for my phone because I’ll have trouble going back to sleep due to the blue light. Turning off my technology has really helped me stay well rested.
I know that little changes can add up to make a big difference to your overall health and well-being. And I'm totally focusing on that this year.
What are some of your goals for the year? Let me know in the comments below!
