Do You Get Enough Sleep? - By: RebeccaRengo

Get enough sleep. Many of us are sleep deprived. Time management books tell us to wake up an hour earlier in order to accomplish more. I say in order to feel better, get enough sleep. I typically feel best on eight to ten hours of sleep per night. I often lay down for half an hour or an hour in the afternoon on top of that. I decided to honor my body and when it tells me I need to rest, I do my best to rest. I find I am more effective and functional overall, if I take the time when I need to.

If you are not sleeping well at night, try different approaches. I used to meditate for one to two hours before I could fall asleep. I bought a hot tub to soak in and relax. I have tried reading in bed. As much as possible, follow a nightly routine to train your body. Not sleeping is very stressful. When this happens don't fight it. That makes it worse. Try to distract yourself by watching a movie or boring TV show. I like to lay quietly with all of the lights out and daydream. Sometimes I daydream for an hour or so, but at some point my daydream becomes my sleeping dream. I wake up very easily, as many pain sufferers have a hard time going into a deep sleep. I have taught my children to whisper in the house and to be quiet when I am sleeping. Talk to your doctor. Muscle relaxers for spasms, sleeping pills, anti-depressants and some herbs are all helpful options during difficult times.

I will never forget an Alzheimer's patient support group that I was leading several years ago. Many of the participants were in the middle stage. They enjoyed the conversation but needed to keep it very simple. We were going around the circle giving suggestions on how to deal with a bad day. Many people were rambling and did not make a lot of sense. When we came to one of the most confused women she stated, “Take a nap!” Her wisdom still rings true.

When I feel bad, crabby or overwhelmed I've found that often what I need is a nap. Next time life is too much, try a nap and see if you just needed some sleep.

About the Author

Rebecca Rengo, shows you how to improve your health & decrease your pain. She is giving away FREE pain relief Secrets. To get access to these powerful and practical secrets that can help you transform your life – go to http://www.painreliefexplained.com now. Rebecca Rengo, MSW, LCSW, is author of Beyond Chronic Pain: A get-well guidebook to soothe the body, mind & spirit. She has been a Pain Relief Coach, Author, Speaker , Psychotherapist and Educator for over 25 years.

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