The Nerve! Sleep Tactics

If you mix and unregulated nervous system or unhealed nervous system with sleep issues what you will produce in your waking hours is what is informally known as a “booga bear” 🐂. I am laughing here. But what you will have is a person who’s emotions are intensified to various degrees and their reactions (because responses are more controlled and regulated) can be excessive.

Sleep is important your overall health. We spend over a third of our time sleeping. Sleep is just as important to your survival as the rest of your basic needs. A lack of sleep and inconsistent sleep patterns can affect your physical, emotional, and mental well being. So, with that information, it would be wise to create sleep habits that optimize your well being including the benefits it has to regulate and heal the nervous system.

Sleep is important to a number of brain functions, including how nerve cells (neurons) communicate with each other. In fact, your brain and body stay remarkably active while you sleep. Recent findings suggest that sleep plays a housekeeping role that removes toxins in your brain that build up while you are awake. -National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke.

Ahh, did you read that part about how you communicate with others being affected by sleep issues? When I know I didn’t have enough sleep I make myself aware of that and others, too. Not so they will stay out of my way but, so they will be aware also that I may be a little off or distant that day. Things may not come out right or clear. I also learn to pause before responding. I am especially aware of this need to pause when I am cranky, agitated, anxious or in a funk. Trust me. It takes time and I don’t always execute it. But I do come back and apologize once I am aware of my tone or words (and sometimes facial expressions lol).

Prioritize sleep. Create healthy sleep habits such as no screen time before bed and doing something calming such as journaling or reading something that doesn’t require you to think too heavy. I am sure you have heard about dimming the lights and doing certain routines or what is call sleep hygiene that signals to your body it is time to wind down. You already have some good habits like washing your face, taking a shower, and brushing your teeth that signal to the body, okay, it’s time to relax.

Add to the routine other calming habits such as stretching or a bedtime yoga routine. I use a cpap machine and it makes a huge difference in how I feel in the morning and my quality of sleep has improved dramatically. I also take a prescribed sleep med. I once was opposed to sleep medication but, after having bouts of insomnia and pain-somnia, I was willing to add it to my sleep routine. Sometimes, I use a slow dissolve melatonin over the counter med instead. The ones that are not slow dissolve causes me to become wide awake in the middle of the night!

Everyone needs sleep, but its biological purpose remains a mystery. Sleep affects almost every type of tissue and system in the body—from the brain, heart, and lungs to metabolism, immune function, mood, and disease resistance. Research shows that a chronic lack of sleep, or getting poor quality sleep, increases the risk of health problems like high blood pressure, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, depression, and obesity.-National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke.

~Nikki