#1 Self-Care Practice
The #1 thing that you need to be doing to prioritize your overall well-being is sleep.
If you’re not getting 7-9 hours of sleep each night, you’re not functioning optimally. Sleep is tied to physiological, cognitive, and metabolic health. You can do all the therapy in the world, but if you aren’t sleeping well, you’re going to feel off.
Some studies show that being awake for 24 hours straight is similar to having a .10 blood alcohol concentration (BAC). FYI — the legal BAC in Kansas for drivers over 21 is .08. You’ve heard the Public Service Announcements about not drinking and driving, but I think we might need some PSAs on sleep.
Other factors related to sleep deprivation include increased risk for heart disease, high blood pressure, stroke, type 2 diabetes, obesity, depression, anxiety, and suicidal ideation.
My wife, Blakely, a Registered Dietitian (RD) who is trained in Functional Medicine, notes that when working with people who want to lose weight, sleep is a crucial factor. When we are not sleeping well, our bodies stay in stress mode. And when our body thinks it’s under threat, it stores fat. For your metabolism to work at its best, it must be nourished AND rested.
This principle is also true for your mental well-being - you must be nourished AND rested.
Obviously, I’m all for deep personal exploration, but I do think that we mental health professionals can miss simple explanations for why a person might be plagued by unhelpful symptoms. Sometimes, people just need a friggin’ nap.
You need to work on your sleep habits if you’re not getting 7-9 hours of sleep. Here are three quick tips to help your sleep:
Limit your caffeine intake. People often brush this off and crack jokes about how they need coffee, soda, or energy drinks to make it through the day. But this is no joke. Caffeine will F-up your sleep. I didn’t realize how much of my own anxiety was tied to caffeine until I started cutting it out. I’m a realist, so I know people will want their coffee in the morning. But if you can, start reducing your intake. Perhaps commit to no caffeine after 3pm, and then work from there.
No tech before bed. At least 1 hour before you want to go to sleep, get off screens. Screens are stimulating and keep your brain activated. You need to cue your body that it is time to slow down. Historically, darkness has done this for humans. Now, we can live in a perpetual state of being “on.” We must reintroduce cues that it is time to sleep.
Engage in meaningful, slow activities. Replace your tech habit with activities like reading, journaling, coloring/doodling, puzzles, stretching, meditation, prayer, chatting with a loved one, making a cup of decaf tea, or listening to soft music.
Personal growth isn’t only about pushing yourself. It is also about learning to rest. If you don’t have a paradigm for the importance of sleep, you will likely end up pushing yourself to the point of exhaustion, and then when you finally snap, you will be harsh toward yourself and be tempted to think that you’re somehow weak or incapable. Please don’t do this. I’ve tried it, and it doesn’t work. Be kind to yourself. Make sleep your #1 self-care priority.
Sweet dreams!
Tom Page, LCPC
Want to receive Transformation Tips directly to your email?
Subscribe below!
