Video
Lesson
A few years ago, I heard Arianna Huffington recommend that women “sleep their way to the top.” Science now supports that recommendation — if by “sleep” we mean, well, SLEEP.
As I stated in the video, we cannot wake up if we do not sleep. We cannot be present and aware and mindful if we’re constantly exhausted.
Additionally, a lack of sleep is blamed for a whole host of non-joyful problems, including heart disease, depression, weight gain, memory impairment, and greater accident risk.
Your Mindful Moves
First, neuroscientist Rick Hanson recommends that we take note of the reasons WHY we’re not sleeping enough. Are you staying up late watching TV, surfing Facebook, or catching up on work? Perhaps take a few days to note how you are spending your time so you can identify how to shift some of your wake time to sleep time. Otherwise, your intention to “go to bed early” might be sabotaged by end-of-the-day tasks.
Wind down before bed. Many people find the body scan to be a relaxing, pre-bedtime meditation practice. You can find several guided meditations, including a Body Scan Meditation for Sleep, from the UCLA Mindful Awareness Research Center.
Know your WHY. Remind yourself why you want more sleep — perhaps it’s to be healthier, to be more present with your children, or to not feel so stressed and exhausted during the day. Knowing why it’s time to go to bed, and why it’s so important to you, will give you more incentive to turn off the distractions and turn down the sheets at night.
Helpful Links
Are You Sleep Deprived? Take this clinical assessment developed by sleep expert James Maas.
Check out this list of sleep hygiene tips from the Division of Sleep Medicine at Harvard Medical School.
