No More Sleepless Nights

Do you realize that, in order to sleep well, one of the major factors is ensuring you get enough exercise during the week? Even walking will help.  You ought to do 20-30 minutes of physical activity several days a week (but not in the last hour before bedtime).  This will help you relax better, and be able to drift off to sleep more easily.  What is the reason?  It has to do with the fact that physical exercise releases certain chemicals which aid your body in dealing with daily stressors.  Additionally, exercise will assist you in maintaining  your emotional health.

Keeping a regular routine is rather essential. Regularly scheduled exercise will assist you not only in falling  asleep, but also maintaining a good sleep state as your sleep cycles become steady and more consistent — and the transition between them becomes more seamless.  Further on why it is essential to “do the work” (a hearty exercise routine):

Evening Workouts or Lunchtime Workouts

With respect to the workout, you should plan to do it more than 3 or 4 hours prior to bedtime.  They say the late afternoon or early evening is optimum. Aerobics activities are quite helpful to relieve sleeplessness; this is because they improve your lung capacity, your heart rate goes up, and these exercises oxygenate the blood.
(Optimum:  be physically active at least 20-30 minutes a day, 3-4 times per week).  You also can add an easy walk, or a vigorous run.  Now you’ll find that you’re on the right track!

Alternative to Aerobics:  Kids Yoga?

As an alternative to aerobics, you can consider Tai Chi or kids yoga .  Also, there are many more kinds of physical exercise you can employ to fight sleeplessness.  Tai Chi, for instance, or walking. Yoga works the  core muscles and improves the circulation.  The martial art Tai Chi incorporates breathing in conjunction with body movements, in a slow-moving style.

Definition of Tai Chi


Exercise:  To discover which sort of meditation may be right for you, I want you to read this and make a comparison against this.  Take notes.

Small Changes for Healthy Sleep

You can do other things like take the stairs rather than the elevator, or when you go to the mall purposely park far away and hike in.  Just make small changes to your daily schedule (such as these examples), and you will develop more balance to your daily existence.   There are other things you may do:  make your sleeping space more appealing (waterfall CD or gentle music) – perhaps add soft colored lights (I use a blue light bulb myself), silk sheets, proper room temperature  (a cooler temp will help you rest); lavender on your pillow.

******************************************************************

Sleep Meditation

This is one of my personal favorite techniques.  I like to sit relaxedly in my chair (feet flat on the ground) and chant my mantra.  Of course, you don’t have to use a mantra.  You could fix your focus on a particular point in the room — or you can close your eyes and do guided imagery.

Once you wind down via meditation or guided imagery, it stands to reason you likely will drift off into a state of sleep.  It is helpful to clear your mind from the day’s events, so that you can transition.  And meditating, or doing visualization can help you to do just that.

I find it especially helpful to “set the stage” — therefore, I have put in place some relaxed lighting (a blue light bulb); also, I enjoy the sounds of a rushing creek or waterfall to quiet my mind.  Sometimes I use aromatherapy, as well.  You may want to try some of these. It’s essential to quiet your mind in order to fall asleep quickly.  By using meditation you can stop thinking, worrying, or what ever else is going through your head. There are several different meditation and visualization methods that will help you relax. Try one of these meditation styles:

Meditation and Breathing

You need to find a point to focus on (focal point like a chakra).  What I mean by this is either a mantra, a visual point in the room to focus on, a chakra, or even your own breathing.

Definition of chakra

Focal Point Method

Choose a point, whether it is a mantra, chakra, or your breathing. A mantra is a phrase you chant over and over, repeatedly, whether out loud or silently, in order to focus on meditating.  I’ll warn you that you need to be disciplined in order to do this. Your mind will naturally want to wander - yet you must stay concentrated.   *Note: it does get easier as you go along

Stress Meditation

Breathing-focused meditation.  You’ll need to find a quiet place and sit on the floor (Use a pillow).  Now, with  your hands in your lap, calm yourself, then begin to breathe in through your nasal passages.  Make every effort to just focus on your breathing, counting each one of your breaths till you get to ten.

Continue counting in groups of ten. Empty your mind of everything and let yourself relax.  Let go of everything – keep counting as you inhale and exhale. If any thoughts arrive, acknowledge them & let them go.  (stretch before getting up).  *Note the Resource Websites below

These meditation techniques are only a sampling of the myriad of options  available.  Simply mix and match until you find what is satisfactory.  There is a great website which has been around a long time – research Art of Meditation

Relaxation Resources:

Chakra Balance:   Full Explanation of the Chakras

Chakra Meditation:  Balancing & the Art of Healing

Chakra Clearing:   Keeping the Mind & Body in Harmony

Chakra Cleansing:   The Art of Slow Breathing

Visualization Meditation:   Connecting with Your Angels

(The first 3 Listings above are from  http://chakra-balance.com )

2010  All Rights Reserved  HealthyKids.info-just-for-u.com<

Helpful Resources From Healthy Kids Blog

Tagged with: • • • • •

Filed under: Alternative Medicine • Exercise • Kids Lifestyle • Kids Workout • Yoga for kids

Like this post? Subscribe to my RSS feed and get loads more!