Bedtimes Not Just For Babies
When we are younger, our parents give us a bedtime. We got to bed at that time every night. As we get older, we look forward to getting to stay up a little later.
Ideally, you should go to bed at the same time each night and spend about 30 minutes prior to "winding down" with activities like reading. Your bedtime is the part of your sleep time you can control. Typically the wake up time is determined by obligations.
Why Do I Need a Bedtime?
Your body, every part of it, works off what is called 'muscle memory'. This is a form of procedural memory that involves consolidating a specific motor task into memory through repetition. When a movement is repeated over time, a long-term muscle memory is created for that task, eventually allowing it to be performed without conscious effort.
This process decreases the need for attention and creates maximum efficiency within the motor and memory systems. Examples of muscle memory are found in many everyday activities that become automatic and improve with practice, such as riding a bicycle, typing on a keyboard, typing in a PIN, playing a melody or phrase on a musical instrument, or martial arts. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Muscle_memory)
This is no less true for your sleep patterns. You train your body to sleep at a certain time and for a certain length of time. The result is a better and more restful sleep.
Learn your perfect bedtime solution:
1. Determine what your typical wake up time will be.
2. Count back five 90-minute cycles or 7.5 hours. Each sleep cycle on average is 90 minutes long and the average person has five of them per night
3. Set your alarm clock or cell phone to tell you when to go to bed (but remember to reset it for your morning alarm).
4. If you wake up within 10 minutes of your morning alarm after three days of going to bed at your chosen bedtime, you've found your perfect bedtime!
5. If not, and you still need your morning alarm to wake up, then move your bedtime alarm back by 15 minutes every three days until you wake up just before your morning alarm. When you wake up before your morning alarm, you have found your perfect bedtime.
(http://www.huffingtonpost.com/dr-michael-j-breus/best-bedtime)
Need help relaxing before bed? Check out these 28 tips to help you relax instantly.
Getting good sleep is important not just for your physical health but your mental health as well. I don't know about you but I'm really short tempered when I don't get enough sleep. Not a pretty sight since, as a red head, I all ready have a hot temper. lol
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Recent Comments
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Hey Angela. I really enjoyed this. I am sooo bad about sleep. Since you are the expert here, I'm sure you know all the excuses. I'll get better one day.
On a lighter note, loved the redhead pic. I pinned it. Couldn't resist.
I was forwarded a blog today from the Huffington Post. Guess what? It was all about redheads and so much fun to read. Twittered it and put on my Google+ page. I am blessed with 3 redheaded grand kids. Yippee! The first one I all my twin. Thought you'd be interested in the Huffington piece. Here's the link: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/10/10/redheads-red-hair_n_4079296.html
Thanks! I will check it out. I am no where near the expert lol. I have trouble myself with sleep, that's why I felt I should share it. :)
Great tips, Angela! Sleep is my only peace! Fortunately, I am not a person who wakes up automatically. I set the alarm and then hit snooze for an hour before I get out of bed. Drives my husband crazy!
Oh if only it was a matter of timing...
I probably haven't REALLY had a good night's sleep in about 15 years
Interesting! I wish I could fall asleep like my husband does, just decides it's time to sleep and Zzzz. Me? My brain won't shut down so I go to bed when I'm exhausted.
Bendaryl also works. Have you tried the guided meditations yet? That reminds me, I need to recharge my iPod.
No I haven't tried them yet. I don't really have anything to play them on right now. but I haven't forgotten about them.
I have been informed by pharmacy tech daughter that I should just take straight benadryl since that is what is in tylenol PM but won't hurt my organs lol
I can't believe I forgot to mention this! Another thing that worked for the hubs, because sometimes he can't fall asleep when he *wants* to, GABA Calm and melatonin. I also had a niece who can't sleep, I gave her a GABA Calm and asked her if it worked, she said (this cracks me up): I slept like the Jesus. This isn't an affiliate link, but this is the brand we use: http://amzn.to/112jlVE.
Good article Angela.
I'm fortunate and can sleep at the drop of a hat. When I flew to Australia, a 24 marathon, I slept most of it, never got jetlag! The only time I had problems was just after hubby died, I had to sleep on the sofa to get any sleep. I actually followed some of those tips and they do work. :)
That's good for "normal" people, Angela. Those of us with severe sleep disorders would love to do that. I'm grateful for not having to go out to work anymore as I sometimes don't sleep for a few days and then I have to start napping. I'm grateful for more than 20 hours at a time. I went years sleeping 20 minutes at a time. Are you going to use this on one of your websites? It's really good. . . as I say, for normies.
Yes, it doesn't account for sleep medical issues and the like.
I hadn't planned on using it. I just came across this article last week and something clicked and thought I should share. I knew about muscle memory from taking self defense and karate but didn't think much about the other applications.
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Good advice if you can follow it. I NEED to get to bed now and keep saying "just one more blog" :-(
lol, mine is: I'll just go through one more set of swagbuck videos to get closer to my goal