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What is the biggest thing you can do to improve your overall wellness? I’ll give you a hint. It is not a supplement or anything you can buy. It comes free, and is actually quite necessary for life. Any guesses?
If you guessed SLEEP you would be correct!
Now I’m not talking about sleep all the time and never do anything kind of sleep. Although you wouldn’t have to deal with the stress of different people. There is a difference in QUANTITY and QUALITY of sleep. For example, my husband and I can go to bed the same time and wake up the same time, but our sleep outcome is very different. He wakes rested, I feel like I could sleep a few more hours. See, he goes to bed and says asleep, I get up 2-3 times with kids (just an example, he actually lets me sleep in way longer than I should).
So how do you know if you are getting enough of the right sleep? There’s all different sources telling how many hours (quantity) of sleep you need. For most adults it is 7-9 hours recommended. Another better recommendation is to get between 5-6 sleep cycles. Each sleep cycle is about 90-120 minutes. But what if you get the 9 hours (moms can roll their eyes here), and wake tired? Chances are you are not getting restful sleep. But WHY?
There are many different reasons you may not be sleeping as well as you thought. First if you are waking up in the middle of a sleep cycle you will feel tired and groggy, whereas if you wake between the cycles you feel more refreshed. It is worth getting to know your sleep cycles for that reason. You could also be having problems breathing, sleep apnea, in which you should seek medical assistance out for help correcting this. You might toss and turn all night. You could be like me and just struggle to shut your brain off.
So what can you do to get better sleep? First, why are you not sleeping well? If you are tossing and turning all night, you can seek out chiropractic care. Re-aligning your spine can help to ease the pain. Also make sure you have a mattress that is correct for you. Adjusting the firmness of the bed makes a difference in keeping your body aligned. When I struggle to fall asleep, or shut the rabbits down, I use essential oils. You have to know your source though with these methods. Message me if you want to discuss this further. Some people use melatonin, or warm tea, or a warm cup of milk.
How do you know if you're not getting QUALITY sleep? The Sleep Foundation says your sleep needs improvement if, it takes you more than 30 minutes to fall asleep, you have been diagnosed as having insomnia, you regularly wake up more than once per night (not because of kids), you stay awake for longer than 20 minutes when waking up in the middle of the night.
Overall, creating better sleep habits will help you have a better night's sleep. Cool the room at night, set a consistent sleep schedule and stick to it. Create a pre-bed routine and stick to it. Avoid caffeine 4-6 hours before bedtime.
Wanting a community to lean into? Join the FREE Courageous + Purposeful Mommas group! This community is for the Mommas, mommas to be, in the midst of raising, and kids grown, looking for tips on building your family up and providing for them through natural methods. Tips include: gardening, bulk buying, caning,/preserving, livestock, homesteading, and home remedies. Your family is precious, and this group is to help you gain the knowledge and tools to keep your family well and not reliant on outside professionals. Remedies and tips are easy and simple for the busy momma, time is precious after all, including pregnancy, birth, young kids, and illness. Trust your Momma gut again! This community offers the resources + community you need to help get started on your journey and prepare for whatever future you envision.
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