This Magic Monday, we talk about the importance of sleep for improved mental and physical well-being, particularly during a stressful season.
In the last few months, our world has inspired a full range of human emotions in response to the many curveballs thrown one after the other.
Without downplaying current affairs, a focus on our physical and mental health can be crucial to ensuring we have the physical and mental capacity to deal with and work through everything.
On are to consider — an important question that may not be on the top of everyone’s mind right now — “How have you been sleeping?”
Sleep is a skill. And like most skills, it may require some practice. Our guest speakers at our company’s Spring Meeting this year, Positive Foundry, shared some benefits of a good night’s sleep, including:
- Increased cognitive function – helping us navigate stressful times better in the short term
- Lowered chance of developing persistent sleep problems in the long term
- Strengthens our immune system
- Increases energy
- Makes it easier to eat healthy and exercise
This short video from the Algonquin College Library helps explain these benefits even further.
A few things you can start doing today improve sleep:
- Start tracking your sleep length and quality to help identify opportunities for improvement
- Keep a consistent sleep routine/time that you sleep which will help your body’s natural rhythms become accustomed to the pattern and respond accordingly
- Make your bedroom quiet and relaxing, perhaps by cooling the temperature or getting comfortable pillows & blankets
- Turn off any electronic devices at least 30 minutes before going to bed
- Avoid large meals or caffeine before bedtime
As most any runner could likely tell you, it’s sometimes necessary to slow down so you can speed up and make the end goal.