Nowadays, one of the greatest health challenges facing all in our busy modern society is: sleep.
And, more specifically—the lack thereof.
People are struggling with sleep more and more as we get busier and busier, trying to pack more into each day, and trying to do it all. People say things like “I’ll sleep when I’m dead,” thinking this makes them an even better person who will get more done, but—in reality, we need sleep to function well, be healthy, and do all of the things that we want to do.
Our energy is like a credit card—while you can buy things with money you don’t have, you will eventually have to pay the balance. Sleep debt is like this as well—eventually, it will catch up with you.
Now, we have to be realistic—at the end of the day, people may not be willing to dramatically change their lifestyle to accommodate their need for sleep. But, there are some very small but important ways they can increase their relaxation, slow down, and ideally get better sleep at night.
Here is just a short list to start with for things you can do to sleep better at night, as well as rejuvenate your mind and body in the interim:
Movement
Some form of movement or exercise each day (with an occasional day off if total rest is needed). This does not require going to the gym for a major workout or doing a huge hike or bike ride—even going for a walk in the morning, afternoon, or before bed will make a difference in moving your energy and calming your nervous system.
Going Horizontal
Try finding 15-20 minutes each afternoon between 2 p.m. and 4 p.m. to lay down, go horizontal, close your eyes, and just let your whole nervous system shut down. This is “Adrenal Recovery Time” and is the optimal time of day to rest, and will give you maximum return—you will find that after this lay down, you are rejuvenated to continue what you have to do that day, when only just before laying down, you found yourself feeling fatigued and with brain fog, not sure if you could “push through.” Listen to your body and notice when it needs a break—it will pay off in the long run. If you can only get 5 minutes in, then do that—whatever you can do will help.
Get Acupuncture
Acupuncture is one of the best ways to get your sleep back in order. I’ve seen people who have gotten so far off balance with their sleep, that they developed severe insomnia. When things get to this point, all the exercise, supplements, and time in the world won’t allow a person to get peaceful sleep—the body’s meridians need balancing and support. Acupuncture can help balance the nervous system, and the endocrine system, and over time, you will be getting the best sleep of your life.
Call Colorado Orthopedic Acupuncture today to set up an appointment for sleep issues, or, any other health concern that you may have.
Or, go to my website to learn more—there is so much to learn!