What we can all learn from sleeping beauty…

Regularly I am asked how it comes that I am such a good sleeper…

People comment on how I just stretch, make myself comfortable, roll up like a cat and sleep… until the next morning; then stretch myself as if nothing had happened and start my day…

I used to jokingly say that it was one of my talents; just unfortunately I couldn’t earn any money with it…

Well is there more to it?

Health is not only about nutrition and exercising. Something often overlooked is the importance of regular and sufficient sleep.

Sleep helps your brain work properly. It helps you to learn and remember information. Also it increases your creativity, awareness and decision-making.

The precious rest is important for your physical health, like healing and repairing your heart and blood vessels and decrease risk of obesity, diabetes, stroke and various diseases…

So sleep is pretty essential for your general performance, let’s look at a few tricks to get a healthier sleep for a happier life:

5 tips to improve the quantity and quality of your sleep:

1. Go to bed earlier — and at a set time. Sounds obvious right? The problem is there’s no alternative. You’re already waking up at the latest possible time you think is acceptable. If you don’t ritualise a specific bedtime, you’ll end up finding ways to stay up later… I was a master at this as a kid.
2. Start winding down at least 45 minutes before you turn out the light. You won’t fall asleep if you’re all wound up from answering emails, chatting etc. Create a ritual around drinking a cup of herbal tea, or listening to music that helps you relax… maybe some mild stretching to end your day?
3. Write down what’s on your mind — especially unfinished to-do’s and unresolved issues — before you go to bed. If you leave items in your working memory, they’ll make it harder to fall asleep, and you’ll end up ruminating about them if you should wake up during the night. Thank you Daddy for sharing how you always had a notebook to write down notes if something kept you awake – without having to get up, turn on the light etc.
4. Make sure you have done your 10.000 steps a day – ideally outside, while making sure that you do not do vigorous exercise just before going to bed because of the increase in adrenalin which potentially can prevent you from sleeping.
5. Get into a routine to get up at the same time every day – yes, also during the weekend J Else the body gets confused!

Caution! Following the above mentioned ideas, might make you become not only a good sleeper, a hyperactive energized day time monster – you might end up being envied – just like sleeping beauty…

Lene Pedersen