How can we sleep better to improve our Wholistic Wellbeing?
The excitement and achievement I experienced while in my role as CEO of Edifecs never included sleep at the top of my agenda. At the time, the main thing was to be productive, and to show endurance.
Moving from one activity to another, from one workplace workshop to the next, even entertainment, sports, or socializing, were a mandatory part of my schedule. Doing was more important than being.
Inevitably, this hectic pace manifested itself in my nightly routine: I noticed how erratic, anxious, and light my sleep had become. Back then, I found it hard to switch off my brain, and often saw myself, eyes wide open for hours, as I reviewed the day’s activities, unable to cut through the cycles of overthinking, which drained my energy and stamina.
My profound interest in Wholistic Wellbeing has empowered me to seek help and learn how to improve my rest. I now know that sleep is as essential to survival as food and water.
A research summary from Harvard has shown that without sleep we can’t form or sustain the neuro-pathways in our brain that allow us to learn and create new memories. Chronic deprivation or poor-quality sleep make it harder to concentrate and respond quickly, and this affects the health of every organ in the body. It also increases the risk of developing high blood pressure, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and depression.
During sleep, our body stays remarkably active as our brain clears away toxins that were built up during waking hours. We need seven to eight hours of sleep to give our body enough time to engage in this process.
Sleep is also important to our creativity: while we sleep, we dream, and allow our brain to deal imaginatively with our problems and challenges. But dreams themselves can only occur when we sleep properly: indeed, there are four stages of sleep: awake, light, deep, and REM (rapid eye movement), and it’s only during REM that we begin to dream. We need, on average, ninety minutes of uninterrupted sleep to reach that point from the moment we first close our eyes: highlighting the need for a routine which facilitates sleep.
I myself have made an effort to balance my routine by avoiding any source of excitement (whether caffeine, or socializing, or even a horror movie) and by creating a mood conducive to sleep through bedroom interiors: heavy curtains and black-out shades, for instance. Indeed, taking care of my bedroom became an act of self-care. I improved my room by cutting down its noise levels and keeping it well ventilated and warm enough in the evenings. A bed with a comfortable mattress, good pillows, and a calming, soothing decor were simple elements that worked wonderfully well.
Furthermore, creating and sustaining a calming habit in the hour before bedtime really helped. Reading a few pages from a book, listening to soothing music, and turning off the phone allowed me to achieve a state of relaxation so I could fall asleep more easily.
We are all different beings, so we must discover what works for us as individuals. What my journey around sleep has taught me is the fundamental importance of rest and relaxation: to recoup and recuperate thoughts, file and tidy emotions, and soothe and appease our bodies. The intrinsic importance of good sleep enables one to find the energy and creativity needed overnight in preparation for the next day’s activities. Sleep, like wellbeing, has to be wholistic.
