Sleep is the Cornerstone of Healthy Habits

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Today we have a guest post from Christine Fraser, my wife, my partner, a fantastic massage therapist, and someone who embraces with her clients the interrelatedness of mind and body for health.

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It all starts with sleep. How you finish your day determines how you start your day. A good night’s sleep is the cornerstone of healthy habits, and healthy habits are the foundation of self-care.

No matter what your objectives are, it is difficult to implement new routines when we are tired. I have discovered through trial and error that having an evening routine helps me get to sleep. My routine begins much earlier in the day.

Evening Sleep Routine:

• Avoid caffeine after 12 pm

• 1 hour before bed, if I still feel awake, I drink a relaxing cup of herbal tea

• Preview the coming day – make a list of appointments, organize items needed, and plan wardrobe

• 30 minutes before sleep, put away all electronics

• Hygiene and ready for bed

• Contemplative reading of a physical book or meditation

• Sleep

At a sleep seminar I attended, the professor encouraged us not to drink coffee after 12, because its half-life was 5.7 hours. Caffeine interferes with our sleep cycles and prevents us from entering deep, restorative sleep.

It has been shown a a drop in body temperature happens before sleep, so if you still feel awake, a cup of herbal tea may help. Use this time to preview your upcoming day, so that your sleep will not be disturbed by thoughts of things you may forget.

I avoid external stimulation at least 30 minutes before bed, such as TV, exercise, or a book I can’t put down (reading is one of my obsessions), because when I get caught up in a book, game, or show, all my good intentions fly out the window. It is much easier to avoid temptation than to interrupt it.

Creating a consistent way of getting ready for bed will send your brain the signal that it is time to slow down; include skin care and other hygiene practices.

Once I am in bed, I mentally think of what I am grateful for, I may read some contemplative book, one with short entries, or meditate for 10 minutes. Then I’m asleep, ready to embrace the adventure of a new day.

What steps can you take to improve your sleep and build the cornerstone of your healthy habits?

Loving wholeness,

Christine

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