During chemo, my sleep quality was like a roller coaster because of the various medications I was taking. This created the opportunity for my doctor to walk me through a few strategies to help me sleep better. These sleep strategies will work for anybody- whether you have sleep issues that you are trying to resolve, or you would just like to improve your overall sleep quality. The strategies described below, all of which I practiced and still practice today, were highly effective and will prepare your whole person-spirit, soul, and body for sweet sleep.
- Spirit
- Praying before bedtime enables you to reconnect with God, recognizing that he is the one who grants you sweet sleep and sustains you while you sleep.
- Praise and show gratitude to God for the activities of the completed day and the privilege he gave you to live for his purposes and for his glory.
- Commit all your anxieties to God so that your mind truly rests as you sleep.
- Soul (mind)
- Prepare your mind for rest and sleep by:
- replacing the noisy thoughts from the day with calming and peaceful thoughts
- reading and meditating on bible verses that remind you of God’s love for you
- leaving the next day’s anxieties outside your bedroom door because “sufficient for the day is the trouble thereof”
- Journal your thoughts from the completed day and/or for the next day:
- to relieve any stress that you may be carrying inside you
- to promote more wholesome emotions that contribute to a restful mind
- Prepare your mind for rest and sleep by:
- Body
- Nutrition & Hydration
- Avoid eating about 3 hours before your bedtime to allow enough time for your digestive system to rest before you sleep
- Do not drink too much water at least two hours before bedtime, otherwise you may need to visit the restroom at night
- Avoid caffeine no later than 4 pm daily, so that it does not disturb your sleep cycle
- Exercise
- Exercising regularly generally helps you sleep better, however, try not to exercise up to 3 hours before bedtime, because your body may become overactive
- Practice bedtime routines that relax your body, such as having a warm bath or shower, washing your face with warm water, brushing your teeth, or drinking your favorite tea
- Physical Environment
- Dimming the lights around you when its close to your bedtime, increases your natural melatonin levels, which signals your body to start shutting down
- Reducing noise in your environment including your bedroom
- Playing soft and calming music
- Eliminating TVs or computers from the bedroom so that it is strictly for sleep and sex
- Using scents that are derived from essential oils, such as lavender, chamomile and geranium; these are known to reduce stress and can be combined with water to be sprayed around your bedroom
- Avoiding electronics, including cell phones and computers, at least an hour before bedtime
- Nutrition & Hydration
- General
- Go to bed and wake up around the same time each day– if you are a night owl like me, this might be tough at first but as you keep up this discipline, your body will form a rhythm that works for you.
- Try not to nap later in the day
- This might prevent you from sleeping at night and mess up your bedtime routine
- If you must, try to nap much earlier in the day and for not more than 30 minutes
- If you cannot sleep within 30 mins of going to bed, get up and go read a book or do something else that will not stimulate your brain; when you start feeling sleepy again, try going back to bed.
- With these sleep routines, if at first you don’t succeed, try and try again until your body begins to recognize these as bedtime cues and starts to shut down when you practice them.
- Do not hesitate to go see your doctor immediately if you have tried these routines and not succeeded but suspect you have a sleep disorder, which may include common ones like insomnia (difficulty falling asleep and staying asleep throughout the night), sleep apnea (abnormal breathing patterns), restless leg syndrome (the urge to move your legs as you try to fall asleep, due to an uncomfortable sensation), and narcolepsy (extreme sleepiness during the day and falling asleep suddenly during the day)
- It’s what you do 90% of the time that matters. The one-off times you do not follow your sleep routine are not a big deal. Sometimes, you might need to attend a late-night event or get together with friends or family or pray all night- like Jesus did- That’s okay!
- You can find other useful sleep strategies at the Canadian Sleep Society
As you implement these sleep strategies, remember to treat them as act of worship to God because you are taking care of his temple. Adequate sleep positively affects your mind, ability to exercise and ability to choose healthier foods. Sleeping well also enables you to have the physical and mental energy to do God’s ultimate work of loving others.
Are there any specific sleep strategies that have worked for you which you would like to share? I look forward to hearing them!
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