One of the questions I ask just about every one of my coaching clients is “How are you sleeping?” I also ask if they awaken refreshed and ready for their day. Those are great questions you should be asking yourself too. As a woman in her mid-fifties, I encounter far too many of my peers lamenting about how the menopause years are robbing them of sleep. In spite of having more time to sleep now that the kids are grown, they can’t seem to get those extended hours of rest when everyone else is sleeping. There can be reasons for sleep changes and I encourage everyone to be very curious about what their unique reasons might be. Here’s what I recommend.
- Schedule a visit with your doctor to check on your overall health. Be vigilant about asking your health care providers to look for the underlying cause. Be especially careful. Your condition should not be deemed a deficiency of sleeping medication.
- Ensure daily exercise. Pumping up your body with movement and increased heart rate is good for you and helps you sleep when the day ends. Personally, I get my best sleep benefits from a workout that brings about a heavy sweat. This kind of exercise lowers cortisol levels to help the body sleep even better.
- Avoid caffeine and products containing caffeine after 2 pm, including chocolate, energy drinks, sodas, coffee and tea. Some over the counter medications also have caffeine as ingredients, so read your labels.
- Mind your stress. If worries are what awaken you in the middle of the night, that’s a call for action. Emotional Freedom Techniques (also known as tapping or EFT) works amazingly well for neutralizing many stressful memories and events that fuel those sleepless times. Journal writing is another scientifically proven tool to help you witness and process stress in a healthy way.
- Wind down the day peacefully. Having a routine and a set time for bedtime each evening can set you up for better sleep. Some choose a hot bath or shower and a little reading before bed. Others may enjoy yoga stretches, listening to music or meditation. Begin experimenting and see what works.
I’m so curious about sleep that I am the new owner of the new Weight Watcher’s ActiveLink fitness and sleep monitor. My husband always tells me I could win the sleep Olympics (if there was such a thing) and spend about 8 hours in my bed every night. Still, I wonder how much of that is really spent sleeping. I’ll let you know what I learn with an updated blog post next week.
I’ve coached dozens of people, and business professionals in particular, to achieve more restful nights and there’s always potential to do a better job for them as I learn. If you would like to learn more about how I help with sleep, stress, creativity and business productivity, schedule a complimentary consultation with me to learn more. Sweet dreams!
