Getting with the Program

Do you have days (weeks) when you feel like you are sinking in quicksand? Like the rope is just out
of reach. So many times we get bogged down and desperation sets in, not by accident or because of someone else. That sinking feeling comes from our own lack of discipline, our own lack of organization. I find myself so overwhelmed some days, I just want to give up and let the bog overtake me. Other days I fight so hard it just makes me slip further, faster. But then there are those days when I determine I will make it out alive! One of my goals for 2019 has been to get out from under the stress of physical exhaustion, mental fatigue, loss of spirit...all things caused from poor choices of diet and lifestyle.

Recently, I read an article that listed things the American Mental Health Association suggested as steps to a healthy life, physically and mentally. I read and re-read this list and decided to dig into each one a little deeper. If you have these kind of feelings, join me as I dwell on each one over the next few weeks, exploring them and coming up with ideas how best to accomplish them.

1. Get enough sleep
2. Eat well
3. Stay positive
4. Create joy and satisfaction
5. Get physically active
6. Connect with others
7. Help others
8. Take care of your spirit
9. Deal better with hard times

Which one of these do you have the most difficult time with? Which one is not a problem for you at all? I can tell you the one that comes the easiest for me is #9. Not always, but out of the 9, that one is the easiest for me.  When times are hard, really difficult, I just turn it over to God and pray more that He will help me leave it in His hands, than I do for the actual situation!

Let's look at #1. Get enough sleep. HAHAHAHAHAHA. I don't think I have had more than 4 hours of uninterrupted sleep since 1996, when I was 41 and pregnant for the first time in 16 years with a very active boy. I quit sleeping about 4 months into the term and, 23 years later (after teething, colic, noisy sleepovers, tweens, teens, my own menopause and now college age out until all hours) I still am not sleeping!

So, how do we lick this? How can we find the true rest our bodies need?

First, figure out the reason. Mine is sometimes worry (colic, teething, kids out until late). But, since menopause, I have found that the biggest reason for not sleeping is that I just can't shut my mind off. It seems like my most creative moments occur between midnight and 4 a.m. I am a paper crafter and event planner, organizer and creator, and I can be stumped all day long on an idea, but when everyone is enjoying visions of sugar plums in their heads, I am seeing scrapbook pages, ideas for photo shoots, creative new ways for tablescaping and decorating, and breakthroughs on plans for events. It's amazing how my night shift brain takes over, like another personality. Sadly, that leaves my day shift body exhausted for functioning on a day job!

So, how can I train my brain to work more during the day and rest more at night?  Here are some suggestions from NHS website:

• Keep regular sleep hours--going to bed and getting up roughly the same time every day will program your body to sleep better. Choose a time when you're likely to feel tired and sleepy. 
• Create a restful sleeping environment--your bedroom should be a peaceful place for rest and sleep. Temperature, lighting, and noise should be controlled so that your bedroom environment helps you to fall (and stay) asleep. 
• Make sure your bed is comfortable--it's difficult to get restful sleep on a mattress that's too soft or too hard, or a bed that's too small or old.
• Exercise regularly--moderate exercise on a regular basis, such as swimming or walking, can help relieve some of the tension built up over the day. Make sure that you don't do vigorous exercise, such as running or the gym, too close to bedtime, though, as it may keep you awake.
• Cut down on caffeine--cut down on caffeine in tea, coffee, energy drinks or colas, especially in the evening. Caffeine interferes with the process of falling asleep, and also prevents deep sleep. Instead, have a warm, milky drink or herbal tea.
• Don't over-indulge--Too much food or alcohol, especially at night, can interrupt your sleep patterns. Alcohol may help you to fall asleep initially, but it will disrupt your sleep later on in the night.
• Don't smoke--nicotine is a stimulant. Smokers take longer to fall asleep, they wake up more frequently, and they often have more disrupted sleep.
• Try to relax before going to bed---have a warm bath, listen to quiet music or do some gentle yoga to relax the mind and body. Your doctor may be able to recommend a helpful relaxation CD
• Write away your worries--if you tend to lie in bed thinking about everything you have to do tomorrow, set aside time before bedtime to make plans for the next day. The aim is to avoid doing these things when you're in bed to sleep.
• If you can't sleep, get up--if you can't sleep, don't lie there worrying about it.  Get up and do something you find relaxing until you feel sleepy again, then go back to bed.

So.....let's try these things. Try one or two (or more) and let me know how it affected your sleep. I am going to try a few of these and see what happens!

Here is another good read about rest and sleep. You will find some scripture about rest and sleep.

In peace, I will lie down and sleep, for you alone, O Lord, will keep me safe. (Psalms 4:8)