5.22
No matter what the season, there is value in calming our mind and being still. Now that the holidays are here, it is certainly a great time to practice some mindfulness in the midst of the festivities. Mindfulness and meditation have existed since ancient times, and with modern science to back up the value and add to the techniques, there is no time like the present to get started.
Have you heard of neuroplasticity? This rather recent field of study is proving the positive effects of mindfulness and meditation. Fundamentally, it is finding a quiet time to rest our minds and disconnect from whatever may be mentally pressing on us. More than just a time of prayer or a time of quiet, it is detaching from the present to experience something pure and simple and different from our normal day (like the sound of our breathing.)
The ways that can lead to worthwhile meditation and mindfulness are numerous. With apps and websites galore, we have all kinds of resources at our disposal. The key is to start, even if starting small, to make quieting our minds part of our wellness lifestyle.
The benefits of meditation? Reduction of cortisol, stress and inflammatory triggers in our metabolism to yield peace, calm, clearer thinking, and more resolved self-control. And who wouldn't benefit from all of these over the holidays? (and all year long for that matter.)
Check out this great article from Dr. Josh Axe's website with substantial content on what meditation and mindfulness is, and a simple (beginner's) approach to guided meditation:
The 5-Step Approach to Guided Meditation
The pace of western culture isn't getting any slower, so we won't see relief from the busyness anytime soon. Find some time to explore mindfulness and meditation a bit further, and consider adding to your wellness lifestyle. Your body, mind and spirit will likely thank you.
By the Way
Watch for great apps to support meditation and mindfulness if you want a simple way to start. One is Headspace, available on Apple iOS and Android. Founded by Andy Puddicombe and Rich Pierson, Headspace is a tool for bringing successful meditation into our daily lives and backing up the lifestyle value with science.
3.14
For years I've set modest goals in a number of areas in life, and one of those involves sleep. I'm sort of a night-owl and early-bird combined, so I stay up kind of late and get up kind of early, consistently. I've learned that 6 hours a night isn't enough shut-eye for me, and 7 hours in bed finds me staring at the ceiling. The result is that about 6 1/2 hours a night has been my goal.
Problem is, I rarely achieve it. Regardless of setting and genuinely pursuing the goal of 6 1/2 hours of sleep a night, I would regularly stay up too late, knowing I had to get up at 5am or so. And about 3pm the next day I would crater.
So, when I recently got a new Fitbit device which tracks sleep, I thought this is my chance to take my humble sleep goal more seriously. Long story short is that it's working! I think it's kind of goofy that I couldn't control my late-night behavior enough to get a good nights' sleep before the tracker, but since I have a goal set with little reminders and dashboard popups, I'm getting more sleep.
Now, instead putting a documentary on Netflix (which I fall asleep in the middle of anyway) or grinding through my gmail account to keep things cleaned up, I just go to bed. By 10pm, the kids are mostly in bed (our oldest teens have a tendency to do homework late into the night), I'm not into Facebook, so that's not keeping me up, and anything else can wait.
The result? I log about 6 hours and 20 minutes to 6 hours and 40 minutes of sleep a night, I wake more rested, and I do significantly better the next afternoon - no thick, sleepy feeling after lunch or in the middle of afternoon meetings. I'm also certain I'm thinking more clearly and more creatively with a better nights' sleep. Go figure.
We all know the value of a good nights' sleep. All we have to do is do it. If you tend to short your nightly slumber, maybe it's time to be more proactive about it so your wellness can benefit too.
By the Way
Studies consistently show that young adults through the elderly need about 7-9 hours of sleep a night. Of course, individual needs vary, but to function ideally day after day, that's the right amount. Check out this great article and video from the National Sleep Foundation on their recommendations for a good nights' sleep at any age.
