December 8th, 2020 

Got Sleep?

“I want to sleep but my brain won’t stop talking to itself.”

Does this sound like you? I know we have all been there at one time or another and it can be miserable.

Why does this happen?

Stress causes the release of cortisol, a hormone that stimulates alertness and causes an increase in heart rate and blood pressure. Typically, in natural preparation for sleep, your cortisol levels fall in the evening hours, but if you are stressed, your cortisol levels will be higher than normal.

High cortisol levels at night interfere with the release of melatonin, a hormone that is essential for the regulation of sleep-wake cycles. 

On top of that, POOR sleep itself can further influence your cortisol, causing levels to rise at times when they would otherwise be low and it becomes a vicious cycle. Yikes!

What to do…

If you don’t already have one, create a bedtime routine:

1. turning off electronics at least 30-60 minutes before bedtime, 
2. sticking to the same bedtime every night (within 30 minutes or so), 
3. brain dump - write down all those things bouncing around in your head, 
4.  try journaling, reading scripture, meditating, taking a warm bath, keeping the lights low in the house in the evening, reading a paperback fiction or non-fiction, play soothing music or white noise.

All these things let your brain know it is time to start slowing down and preparing for sleep. Start with ONE thing and build upon it over time.

I hope you sleep tight tonight!

 Stay strong. Stay healthy. Stay self-caring.

Hugs, Rita 🙂

Ready to dive in a little deeper and find better ways to create your moments of calm in your chaos and stress? Set up a time with me by clicking here.

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