Stress is very sneaky. Especially right now, even though we’re a year plus into the pandemic, some of us are still ‘ figuring’ things out, from working from home when we are used to going to work, children were learning virtually, [ so parents had to watch them and probably go to school themselves].
Sometimes you don’t even know that you’re feeling it until you turn your head and your neck hurts. Maybe you feel a constant pit in your stomach, or you notice your heart is beating faster than normal.
The truth is that some stress is ok……. but chronic stress can do a real number on your body. It can wreak havoc on your hormones, making you gain weight [ especially unhealthy belly fat ].
And it can take a toll on your health, paving the way for illness and disease.
So what can you do NOW?
One way is to look into your sleep hygiene.
What is sleep hygiene?
Sleep practices that help you maintain your health. These practices can help you get to sleep easier and feel more rested.
WHY DOES IT MATTER?
Why does it matter? Sleep deprivation can cause the following–shortened life spans–increased risk of heart disease and stomach problems–irritability, depression–increased risk of automobile crashes–decreased work performance and memory lapses.
Basics of Good Sleep Hygiene
Protect your need for sleep–
- Ensure that you have 7.5-8 hours set aside for sleep every day
- Keep regular sleep hours–
- an erratic sleep schedule messes up your biological clock and can make getting a full night’s sleep more difficult–
- go to bed at the same time every night
- and get up the same time every morning
- avoid vigorous exercise before sleep
- avoid late afternoon or evening naps
- avoid eating large meals before bedtime
- do not allow yourself to lie in bed and worry
- IF YOU CAN’T SLEEP
Try not to care whether you fall asleep or not-sometimes worrying about falling asleep is enough to keep you awake.
Do something relaxing to distract yourself from your inability to sleep.