Relaxation and Meditation Moment: Sleep

🙶Sleep deprivation can affect your mental health.🙷

Source: Harvard Health Publishing, Harvard Medical School 

When a cell phone shows low battery, an indicator blinks on and off that it is time to quickly find a charger or charging station to get that battery back up to 100%.  Human minds and bodies also need that kind of attention.  The difference is that a phone will die as soon as it hits 0%.  Much more than affecting mental health, sleep deprivation can affect weight, mood, physical performance, and memory, among many others.  Here are a few considerations to take into account to achieve better sleep.

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Mattress

photo credit: Amazon

When creating a sleep-friendly bedroom, a good mattress is a huge factor.  Some things to consider are the type of mattress, the firmness level, sleep position, body weight, medical conditions, and sleep temperature.

Sheets

photo credit: Red Land Cotton Luxury Sheet Set

Just as important as the mattress is the material in between you and it.  Sheets made of all-natural fibers are ideal for sleep.  Examples include cotton, linen, bamboo and silk.

Pillows

photo credit: puredown® Goose Feathers and Down Pillow

Pillows align the head and neck with the spinal curvature during sleep.  Having a pillow suited for your sleep preference (side sleeper, back sleeper) plays an important role in keeping your head and back properly supported.

Sleep Mask

photo credit: Dream Essentials Organic Sleep Mask

For optimal sleep conditions, limit the light.  A sleep mask offers the convenience of darkness while not having to change the decor in your room to keep out the light.  Organic cotton and dyes in the eye mask reduce the amount of chemicals that come in contact with your skin, namely your face.

White Noise Machine

photo credit: Marpac Dohm White Noise Machine (hand-assembled in the USA)

White noise machines help limit noise and distractions from your bedroom during sleep.  Whether it's too much noise, or not enough, they offer just the right amount to encourage relaxing sleep.

With lifestyles that insist on always moving and doing and going and scrolling and, and, and....the list goes on, reducing stress consists of simply stopping and being.  Take that in, and then sleep on it - 7 to 9 hours to be specific.