Category: sleep positions

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SLEEP SUNDAY – LET’S TALK ABOUT ACUPRESSURE POINTS TO HELP YOU SLEEP…

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If you struggle to get off to sleep and have tried lots of different techniques to help you go to sleep then give acupressure points a try. According to the tenets of traditional Chinese medicine, the human body is rife with invisible energy pathways called meridians. If the flow of this energy (also called “chi”) is blocked, it can negatively affect the body’s health.

Acupressure addresses sleep disorders both directly and indirectly. Massaging certain acupoints before bedtime can help you fall asleep faster and have a better quality of sleep without the need for sedatives.

In terms of sleep, it helps with many physical and mental aspects which can interfere with it. It can help you to fall asleep more easily and sleep better once you do, as sleep-related acupoints help to calm the mind and the body.

There are several acupoints that, when massaged, can help to fight insomnia and improve sleep. They work by addressing the physical and mental aspects which affect sleep. If your sleep disturbances are caused by pains resulting from headaches and migraines or by gastrointestinal issues, then check out Doshamat’s posts here and here to learn how acupressure can help. 

One easy one to try is – to place the tips of your index and middle fingers on the centre of your breastbone, at the acupressure point known as ‘Sea of Tranquility. Now close your eyes and apply steady pressure, not too hard, for a minute or two. You will then soon feel tension, anxiety and stress start to slip away.

You could also use your first two fingers and tap them across the top of your head from temple to temple. Then work from front to back and side to side as this can get blood and oxygen moving to ease tension and restore focus.

To destress your shoulders make a gentle half-closed fist and with a loose wrist, tap your right hand gently but firmly up your left arm, along your shoulder and up the side and back of your neck. Repeat the same process on the other side to ease tension and release endorphins.

Source: Doshamat AjnaWell Being

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SLEEP SUNDAY – LET’S TALK ABOUT THE BEST COLOURS TO HELP YOU SLEEP…

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Lack of sleep can cause stress, lack of coordination and agility, weight gain and poor judgement. They also say that we need a full night’s sleep to function correctly and even that sleeping may help you lose some weight! Now, researchers are careful to note that oversleeping has been linked to various medical problems, including diabetes and heart disease.

When we’re sleeping, our brains are actively working to process the information from the day into our long-term and short-term memory. Good sleep not only helps our bodies and minds to rest and repair, but it also allows us to perform better too. Many of us have watches that tell us how well we slept and you can become quite obsessed with how many hours of good sleep you have had.

People with pain also feel less control over their sleep, worry more about lack of sleep affecting their health and exhibit greater sleep sensitivity. They’re more likely than others to say environmental factors make it more difficult for them to get a good night’s sleep. These factors include noise, light, temperature, and their mattresses alike, suggesting that taking greater care of the bedroom environment may be particularly helpful to pain sufferers.

I have covered many different ways to help us sleep which include the best teas to drink for a good night’s sleep, vitamin d deficiencies, the best oils to help you sleep and the best type of pillow to help you sleep plus the best Sleep Aids to Help You Sleep. However, I have never covered what colour helps you sleep.

According to Homes & Gardens, sleep experts all agreed that light blue is the best colour for the bedroom to help you sleep. Light blue is associated with calmness and serenity – meaning it is the best color for promoting a peaceful night’s sleep. Studies have also shown that households with blue bedrooms sleep the best when compared to any other colour.

Blue can reduce muscle tension and pulse, it can calm the mind, and normalizes breathing. Soft and light blue colors are non-stimulating, which can help your body produce melatonin. It brings to mind visions of the sky and ocean which immediately makes you feel relaxed.

Our Sleep Guide writes that certain colors, like red for example, can increase our adrenaline and heart rate. Making us anxious and energized. Not a feeling many of us want before we try to drift off to sleep. While other colors, like blue, offer a more serene feeling that calms us and makes us feel more relaxed. Which is exactly what we would want before trying to sleep.

Yellow is the second best color to choose for sleep. And you can definitely wake up happy to yellow, sunshine walls. A light yellow is the best type to go for or a more neutral green shade, like sage. This green helps create a peaceful feeling that is airy yet tranquil. Allowing you to feel balanced and refreshed, which is great for falling asleep and waking up.

Silver is another color. Apparently sleepers in a silver room got 7 hours and 33 minutes of sleep. Silver is a great color if you like more neutral colors, but still want to get some peaceful rest. Soft, natural pinks offer a delicate wall color that is also comforting.

Source: Homes & Gardens Our Sleep Guide Back Pain Blog

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SLEEP SUNDAY – LET’S TALK ABOUT THE BEST WAY TO GET A GOOD NAP…

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The jury is out about whether a daily nap is good or bad for you but as far as I am concerned I could not cope without my little nap every afternoon.

They do say that napping can restore alertness, enhance performance and help overcome fatigue as used by Winston Churchill and Einstein, who both enjoyed an afternoon nap. It helps with a quicker reaction time and better memory.

I never get a full night’s sleep due to pain waking me up but a 30-minute nap in the afternoon can help me to catch up on one 90-minute cycle missed during the nighttime.

The nest time for a nap is supposed to be between 1pm and 3pm, but I don’t think this needs to be followed rigidly. My nap is usually between 2.30-3.0pm but never later than that. They say if you nap between 1pm and 3pm it will follow the natural cycle of your circadian rhythm.

The US company Google advocate napping at work and actually provides nap pods which block both light and sound. AMAZING…

A NASA study on sleepy military pilots and astronauts found a 40-minute nap improved performance by 34% and alertness by 100%.

According to the National Sleep Foundation, 74% of women get less sleep per night than men but women feel guiltier about taking a nap.

A power nap can also be great to awaken your fatigue which can set in after 1pm. They do say that you should keep your naps short.  Aim to nap for only 10 to 20 minutes. The longer you nap, the more likely you are to feel groggy afterwards. However, young adults might be able to tolerate longer naps.

Simply shutting your eyes for 10 minutes is all you need to feel a new you so enjoy it when you can.

Source: Dreams National Sleep Foundation