Sleep Hygiene

PThe other part of my talk was on sleep hygiene. Sleep is when our brains and bodies rest and repair. Adults need 6.5-8 hours a night. More is not good either, unless it's catch-up, because the lymphatic system becomes sluggish and this can increase the risk of certain cancers. 

Before sleeping: 

Get up at the same time every day.

Get outside during the day and get some exercise. Let your body know it's daytime.

Go to bed at the same time each night - and with a soothing routine beforehand, if possible. Dim the lights, listen to soft music, or read.

The bedroom should be for sex and sleep only. Keep it cool and dark.

Avoid:

Bright lights before bed. This includes computers, phones, TVs and actual lights. They confuse the brain into thinking it's daytime.

No drinking two hours before bed. This seems self-explanatory, but I'll also add no alcohol to this rule. It may help sleep come on but it dehydrates the body and that can wake you up.

Meditation can help if you have trouble falling asleep, and it can be as simple as counting your breath.

Sweet dreams!

Are you ready?

Okay, so it's been awhile. And I'll tell you why. My mother, who was bipolar all her life, committed suicide by stepping in front of a train over a month ago. 

It's sad, tragic, and has been very stressful on my family. But I like to try to put a positive spin on things, so in pointing out the positive aspect, I'll say this - I won't go out like that.

Two weeks after I heard the news, I gave a talk on the importance of exercise and sleep in terms of mental health. It was hard, but I wanted to help. Exercise, for me, has literally been a life saver. I had a few episodes in my late 20s when I didn't want to live. It's not that I wanted to die - it was just that living held only pain for me  and I needed a way out. 

I've done the medication thing, which proved to be disastrous for me, but what helped me cope daily was using my body for work, feeding myself good food and getting my rest. 

Nearly a third of mental health patients (bipolar, anxiety, depression) don't respond to medication. Exercise can be as effective as meds as they change brain chemistry by stimulating the pituitary gland to release endorphins - that's right, the feel good hormones. You're also taking an active role in your own recovery, which further boosts self-esteem. Cardio - the term we apply to steady-state exercise where the heart rate remains elevated - is the fastest producer of the runners' high, but any moderately intense excercise counts. Riding a bike, using the elliptical, walking the stairs or just walking, are all examples. Weight training, which I think everyone should do, can also give that high feeling. For me, there's something very cathartic about abusing inanimate iron. 

What about yoga? Well, in a word, perfect! It combines strength and flexibility and the meditative aspect cannot be beat for calming and entering a frazzled mind.

What I learned through this group meeting, and through my recent loss, is that stuff can happen at any time, and you have to be ready. If you have certain tools in place - like nutrition, exercise, rest, support - you'll be better able to cope when things happen.