If I Had to Choose, I’d be Sleeping Beauty!

Princess Aurora, aka Sleeping Beauty, not only got several great nights of sleep, she reaped the benefits, too. What a beautiful girl she was from all that rest! When I grow up, I would so love to be Sleeping Beauty J. Ok, back to the real world. You know - the world where you would sell your kids on eBay for a good night’s sleep!

Before we delve into the many health benefits of peaceful sleep, let’s talk about the harm of sleep deprivation.

v  Increases your risk of diabetes, heart disease and many other health problems

v  Memory and concentration problems

v  Brain fog

v  Moodiness and irritability

v  Lack of motivation

v  Increased risk of having an accident

v  Difficulty making decisions

v  Weight gain (that’s a BIG one!)

v  Reduced immunity to colds and infections

My personal analysis is that growing up and being a Big Girl is stressful. And stress tends to wreck the whole Sleeping Beauty scenario. If you want to trash all possibility of a Vibrant and Beautiful You, just go without sleep for a while.

Unfortunately, life today is fast-paced and chock full of stress. I’ve heard it said, though, that stress is mostly self-inflicted. In that case, there’s actually something we can do to induce a good night’s sleep - DE-STRESS!

Merriam-Webster’s definition of De-Stress is: “to release bodily or mental tension: Unwind”

Here are a few ideas to help you unwind and I’d certainly welcome your tips, too.

v  Practice 10-20 minutes of deep breathing

v  Go for a relaxing, slow-paced walk

v  Drink a nice hot cup of  herbal, caffeine-free tea – a sleepy time variety

v  Punch a pillow (for those really stressful days)

v  Pay your kids to give you a foot or back rub or sweet talk your hubby ♥

v  Watch a good comedy or call a ‘funny’ friend who makes you laugh

v  Snuggle up in your favorite blankey and read a good book

v  Spend some quiet time reading your Bible and praying

v  Play some of your favorite relaxing music

v  Eat fish – the Omega-3 fatty acids are known to reduce stress

v  Turn off the computer and television a couple hours before bedtime

v  Take a hot bubble bath by candlelight (wine is optional)

But isn’t it interesting, that the very BEST de-stressor of all is a good night’s sleep.  According to a recent report on Fox News, there are some amazing benefits of getting your rest:

v  It improves your memory

v  Possibly lengthens your life and improves the quality of your life

v  Curbs inflammation that is now known to be linked to heart disease, stroke, diabetes, arthritis and premature aging

v  Results in more creativity

v  Improves physical and mental performance

v  Aids in controlling your metabolism

v  Lowers stress

v  Decreases depression and anxiety

v  Prevents accidents

Remember:

“Sleep is the golden chain that ties health and our bodies together

~Thomas Dekker

May God bless you with peaceful sleep...