“Life must be aromatic.  There must be scent, somehow there must be some.”

– Gwendolyn Brooks

Did you know that our quality of life is linked to our sleep very very much?

Good sleep is important for healthy brain function. The average person needs 7-8 hrs. of sleep. Do you ever wonder what happens when you sleep? Surprisingly, the brain is active, even when we are asleep. When we sleep, our brain processes what happened in the day. During sleep, our brain forms pathways that are involved in learning and creating memories.

What are some of the important health benefits of sleep?

Emotional Wellness

The expression, “Waking up on the wrong side of the bed”, is true. Poor sleep can affect our mood as well as our emotions. Not getting enough sleep can leave us feeling irritable and stressed. This can lead to poor coping skills or feeling easily frustrated. I have even found myself getting stressed just because I can’t sleep. Can you relate?

Immune system

Our bodies need consistent rest to maintain a healthy immune system. Sleep allows our body to repair itself. Without enough sleep, we leave ourselves vulnerable to getting sick.

 Brain Function

Memory, focus, and performance can all be impacted by lack of sleep. Research has shown that getting enough sleep can improve memory, learning and increase attention.

Heart health

Both the quality and quantity of our sleep may impact the health of our hearts. When we sleep, our blood pressure decreases. If we are not sleeping, or have poor sleep, our blood pressure could remain higher for longer periods.

So what can we do to help ourselves sleep better?

**Go to bed at the same time every night. Develop a routine that helps to get us relaxed and ready for bed. Try a hot bath before bed as part of our nighttime routine. Need a few ideas for a bedtime routine? I will write another page for suggestions.

**Get up at the same time every day.

**Don’t eat heavy meals before bed. Instead, have a light snack if we are hungry.

**Get regular exercise. This is a great way to release stress and keep our body in shape.

**Do not use the phone or watch tv in bed. This can disrupt our sleep patterns. If we are using our phone or kindle to read, make sure there is a blue light filter on your device.

**Start a sleep journal. Track your sleep habits. This way we can begin to understand what helps us sleep well and what does not.

Sleeping better is the road to feeling better. Give these tips a try!