Satiating Sleep (Pillar #4)

Sleep is the 4th pillar of the Elevate Your Vibrations series. Sleep seems to be the simplest of activities, yet millions of people worldwide are dangerously deprived of serene sleep.  This is due to our shunning of nature's ways and all the artificial environments humans have created in the name of progress.  In the last 10-15 years, our proficiency in sleep has drastically declined due to using our blue light emitting cell phones in bed before we get to sleep. With that said, there are ways to reinstate our innate circadian rhythm in order to ensure deep, restful sleep.   

While it might not seem like it, so much is happening in the body during sleep that optimal health is impossible to obtain without ample sleep.  Sleep plays a crucial role in regulating hormones like melatonin, cortisol, and leptin so that they are balanced and ready for use the next day.  Sleep provides the opportunity for the nervous system to clear out toxins that accumulated in the brain during the day, allowing the brain to wake up fresh and ready to work.  Restful sleep assists the body in both repairing damaged cells as well as storing energy.  Deep sleep lowers your pulse and blood pressure giving your heart and blood vessels a much needed break from such heavy work during the waking hours. Quality sleep affects all aspects of health from your physical and mental functioning the next day to your metabolism and your immune system.  Adequate sleep, more than 7 hours a night can improve concentration and productivity, enhance memory, maximize athletic performance, and help improve heart health.  Proper sleep is essential in elevating your vibrations.  So now we know some of the ways sleep affects us, let’s talk about how we can optimize our sleeping experience. 

Consistency 

First, be consistent.  Get to sleep and wake up at more or less the same time everyday.  Being consistent encourages the pineal gland to produce adequate amounts of melatonin, which is the natural hormone that manages your circadian rhythms.  Circadian rhythms are 24 hour cycles that are part of the body’s internal clock that carry out essential functions daily.  Circadian rhythms have the critical job of preparing the body for changes in the environment, such as time for activity and time for sleep, as well as time to eat. One of the most important circadian rhythms is the sleep-wake cycle.  Irregular circadian rhythms can negatively affect the body’s functions and hormone releases causing health problems and mood disorders.  Resetting your circadian rhythms is fundamental in feeling your best physically and mentally.  

Before Bed Routine

Second, design and maintain a healthy before bed routine. Be mindful of what you are putting into your body before sleep. This includes food, drink, and whatever you are consuming on your blue light screen. Ideally you won’t eat anything for 2 to 3 hours before you sleep so that your body can work on rejuvenation and cell repairs instead of digestion while you sleep. As stated in the How To Eat article, reserve your lightest meal for dinner.  Alcohol and caffeine hinder your sleep performance.  So be mindful of this and drink a glass or two of water before you lay down to help the body flush them from the system. 

As for your device, whether you are watching horror films or scrolling the news, keep it out of your bed. Your bed is a sacred place where your body gets to rest, so there is no room for a blue screen device in your bed.  If you need to unwind before falling asleep, do some light stretching or read something spiritual.  Have your sleep be a detox from your phone.  

Sleeping Environment

Thirdly, create the perfect sleeping environment. Everyone is different and creating the perfect sleeping environment is part of the path to elevating your vibrations. For optimal melatonin production, the darker the better. Windows should be left open so that the air doesn’t get stagnant and you are continually providing fresh oxygen to the blood while sleeping.  Ideally there will be minimum noise or other forms of distractions that could disturb your sleep. And please keep all electronic devices away from the bed area.  If you are used to sleeping with an alarm clock, synchronize your circadian rhythm and it will act as a less alarming alarm clock. Everyone is different, so experiment with different environmental conditions to see what is ideal for you. 

Daytime Activities

Lastly, move your body! The more active your body is during the day, the deeper you will sleep and recover. Everything is connected, and being active through walking, dancing, or training really improves sleep quality. Also to reiterate what we talked about in How To Eat, consuming the majority of your calories during the daytime hours will also help the body reach sleep more easily. Being mindful of how you are eating mixed with physical activity and movement are excellent ways to optimize your sleep and elevate your vibrations.  

In conclusion, sleep is on the same level as breathing, eating, and drinking in importance to the best maintenance of the system. Proper restful sleep improves all aspects of your health, mental, physical, emotional, and spiritual. Making quality sleep a priority is part of the path to elevate your vibrations.