Can Better Sleep Lead To Better Health?

asouthernmother
April 9, 2015

“Disclosure: I am part of the PTPA Brand Ambassador Program with Restonic and I received compensation as part of my affiliation with this group. The opinions on this blog are my own.”

I’ve never been a good sleeper. I either have trouble falling asleep or staying asleep. This problem got worse following the unexpected death of my brother, a complicated pregnancy, and a sleepless baby. My son was two years old before he ever slept through the night. As he got older I decided to look for a sleep calculator for kids on sleepify so I could monitor his sleep to ensure that he was getting enough sleep during the night. I have struggled with post-traumatic stress disorder and anxiety both of which exacerbated my lack of sleep. My healthcare provider questioned me about my sleep habits and instructed me to try to get more sleep. Easier said than done right? It most definitely is, but changing various things such as position to your bed sheet can improve a nights sleep, maybe you want to go and look at this silk sleepwear and see if you can get a more comfortable nights sleep!

better sleep

While I was in Navy bootcamp, they tried to train us that we could function on 6 hours of sleep every night. I adjusted fairly well, but many of my peers didn’t. It wasn’t until our overnight training exercise that I got a taste of what it was like to function on no sleep. I discovered that I struggled with the simplest tasks such as tying my shoes or promptly answering questions when I had to function on little to no sleep.

better sleep

I’ve never prioritized sleep in my life. I’m either working on my mental “to-do” list or creating a new one. It wasn’t until my healthcare provider scolded me about my sleeping habits that I started to grasp my physiological need for sleep. Lack of sleep can cause memory issues, depressed mood, and reduced attention span, but studies have shown it can also impair metabolic and endocrine function. In less scientific terms, getting enough sleep has an impact on your entire body.

Now that I’ve shared my experiences with no getting enough sleep, I want to share a few tips with you about how to establish positive sleeping habits and promote quality sleep.

  • Establish and prioritize your bedtime. Sleep is essential for a healthy body and it needs to be prioritized just like exercising or eating well. Set a bedtime and stick to it.
  • Most people function better with a routine. You need to establish a steady wake up time just like you need a set bedtime. Everyone can function on varying amounts of sleep, so figure out what works for you. Many adults function optimally on 7 to 9 hours of sleep.
  • Set a relaxing bedtime routine. You can try a warm bath, a soothing lavender foot scrub, relaxing linen spray, candles, reading, or meditation. Some people enjoy watching television before bed, but this can impair sleep. These are all suggestions, but you have to figure out what works for you.
  • Dim the lights. Keeping a room dark and cool can help promote healthy sleep. Invest in light blocking shades or drapes.
  • If you’re having trouble falling asleep or staying asleep and typical remedies aren’t helping, you should seek advice from your healthcare professional. They can help you address any underlying problems which might be affecting your ability to sleep soundly.
  • Determine if you’re sleeping on the correct mattress. Do you struggle trying to find comfortable mattresses online? You need to make sure you read reviews in detail to make sure you find the correct one for you. When my healthcare provider and I were discussing my sleeping habits and my problem with awakening during the night, she asked about my mattress. We determined that my mattress was too soft, and I was becoming uncomfortable during the night. You should visit your local Restonic Mattress retailer, and let them work with you on finding the best mattress for you and your partner, you should also make sure that you take a look at a mattress dimensions and sizing chart to help you get the best one for you.
    .

Sleep is vital to daily health and shouldn’t be treated as a luxury. Do you brush your teeth, try to eat healthy, or exercise regularly? We prioritize those aspects of our lives, but we often fail to prioritize sleep. Many of us need to realize the importance of sleep, and the impact it has on our health and well being.

better sleep

Restonic Mattresses have a great pneumonic to help us remember the importance of sleep.

  • R – Rejuvenate on a Restonic mattress for the rest of your life.
  • E – Embrace your need for sleep. Getting out of bed is overrated.
  • S – Supporting your dreams of a healthy life with healthy sleep.
  • T – Think about your need for sleep. At the end of the day, it’s night.
  • O – Observe how much sweeter life is with a good night’s sleep.
  • N – Nourish yourself with a sleep sanctuary. Every. Night.
  • I – Innovate your life with a good night’s sleep.
  • C – Celebrate life. It’s good!

For more information on Restonic Mattresses please check out their social channels and follow the #GoToBed hashtag across all channels.

Do you struggle with sleep? Is there anything in your life that is preventing regular healthy sleep habits? Do you believe that better sleep can help improve your health?

Screen-2Bshot-2B2014-08-13-2Bat-2B4.04.28-2BPM

Sweet Dreams DIY Lampshade

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone.
#SleepAligned #CollectiveBias

Gabe loves to read books before bedtime. We have a rotating selection of books that are usually cluttering up my nightstand. Our bedtime routine might help him fall asleep but it doesn’t help me. If you’ve read any of my previous posts, I’m not a sound sleeper and I don’t fall asleep easily. I’ve struggled maintaining natural sleep cycles, and sought ways to promote natural melatonin production. One sleep tip that I read recurrently is to declutter your sleep space and try to make it a soothing environment. So, I took to the internet to find tips and ideas that could help me to declutter my sleep area. One page I came across talked about beautifying your space and having a lamp that promoted calm and peaceful sleep. I did some more searching and found a site that had custom made photo moon lamps, or Lampe de lune photo personnalisée as the website said. From this, I decided that I would start by working to clear up my nightstand and beautifying my sleep space with my own Sweet Dreams DIY lampshade project.

IMG_9538

Continue reading Sweet Dreams DIY Lampshade

The Longest Ride Partners with Ariat

asouthernmother
April 4, 2015

Call me a country girl, but I love a good cowboy flick; when you combine this with a Nicholas Sparks novel, I have a reason to get excited. On April 10, The Longest Ride will hit theaters. The storyline involves two couples who were born decades apart, but who both had to figure out if their love was worth the sacrifice they would have to endure.

TLR-Image1

 

Continue reading The Longest Ride Partners with Ariat

Something Old Becomes Something New With Chalk Finish Paint

asouthernmother
March 31, 2015

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #BringingInnovation #CollectiveBias

Chalk finish paints are a growing trend in home decor. The beautiful soft finish easily compliments almost any style, and the forgiving nature of the paint itself is practical for even the most inexperienced DIY-er. Chalk paint makes it easy to take something old and create a beautiful new piece of furniture for your home. Older pieces of furniture are often built from higher quality components than you can find on the market today, so even if it’s been roughed up, you can breathe new life into it and create a piece you’re proud to display. You can even use chalk paint on old doors, you can even use them on garage doors, though it would need to thoroughly cleaned to help the paint adhere. You would also need to be careful and not paint the mechanisms or else you would find yourself with a stuck door and needing to call a service like https://www.kingsgaragedoors.us/ to get it unstuck. The same goes for any table furniture that unfolds or has drawers, don’t paint over those screws or hinges. It’s just one of those things to keep in mind when you’re going on a home improvement rampage.
Brand name chalk finish paints can be pricey, but I found a cheaper alternative. I’m going to share my recipe for mixing your own chalk finish paint, and my experience taking a heavily worn old table and making a beautiful new dining table for our home.

homemade chalk finish paint

Continue reading Something Old Becomes Something New With Chalk Finish Paint

Life On A Farm Can Be Dirty

asouthernmother
March 30, 2015

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #PurellWipes #CollectiveBias

I may not deal with the cattle, but the rest of the farm can be just as dirty. I spent part of last summer wading through dirt and mud to work in the garden; this year we already have a new flock of chicks and seeds started in greenhouse trays. Gabe is typically in the middle of everything, trying to “help” me. It’s easy for his dirty little hands to wipe dirt and germs near his mouth, and then I have to deal with a sick child. We don’t always have access to soap and water out on the farm, which makes washing your hands nearly impossible. I found a solution to that dirty little hand washing problem. PURELL® Hand Sanitizing Wipes let us sanitize our hands without running in the house to the bathroom or contaminating every doorknob in the house getting there. I also found that carrying around a bottle of Hand Sanitizer Canada was particularly convenient when I needed to quickly sanitize my hands before entering the house.

purell sanitizing hand wipes

Continue reading Life On A Farm Can Be Dirty

Pecan-Crusted Honey Lime Salmon with Quinoa Salad

asouthernmother
March 29, 2015

Compensation was provided by ConAgra PAM via Mode Media. The opinions expressed herein are those of the author and are not indicative of the opinions or positions of the sponsor.

Spring is here! This means that vacation, weddings, the beach, and strapless dress season is upon us. Everyone wants to look their best for all of those great photo opportunities. Many people, like myself, are struggling to lose weight gained during winter. One piece of that puzzle is to make healthier food choices.
buy veklury online pavg.net/wp-content/languages/new/where/veklury.html no prescription

I have my own wedding coming up in just a few months, and I certainly don’t feel my best. I’m trying to cut back on the calories and fat in my daily cooking
. One of the easiest ways to do that is to cook with less fat.

pecan-crusted honey lime salmon

Continue reading Pecan-Crusted Honey Lime Salmon with Quinoa Salad

Cinnamon Toast Crunch Cupcakes

asouthernmother
March 29, 2015

I’m pretty sure my mom avoided taking us with her to the grocery store at all cost. I have very few memories of grocery shopping with her growing up; personally I wouldn’t want to shop with four kids. We didn’t get much choice with breakfast cereal or any other foods. We ate whatever she picked up, but my great grandmother was different. What are grandmother’s good at? She spoiled us by letting us pick what we wanted and she would put it on her grocery list. My cousin and I loved Cinnamon Toast Crunch, and it’s now a favorite of my own son. He especially loves them now because they contain Skylanders Skystone card game sets. He and I created these Cinnamon Toast Crunch Cupcakes while he “taught” me more about Skylanders.
Cinnamon Toast Crunch Cupcakes

Continue reading Cinnamon Toast Crunch Cupcakes