Have you ever questioned why we sleep for over a third of our lives? Adequate sleep is essential for our body to heal, learn new skills and remember them later. Poor quality sleep, affects our daily performance, mood, and judgement. Chances are if you have gone without a night of sleep, you will feel the negative affects during the day.
Sleep, like running, is self-taught! As young children, we had a bedtime routine enforced by our parents. We bathed, brushed our teeth, read, and turned our lights out at a given hour. We ate an early dinner with no sweets. Coffee and alcohol were for adults only.
“Adulthood changes everything”, say, qualified Sleep Specialists, “routine, sleep hygiene, and eating habits are long-forgotten childhood memories. Parents are to blame for not teaching the WHY or the IMPORTANCE of a bed and dietary routine”
Over half of USA adults are in a sleep recession and their performance, health and relationships are being impacted negatively. Specialists recommend that we go back to basics and re-learn the fundamentals, to achieve a good night’s sleep.
- Go to bed and wake up at a regular time
- Don’t eat sweets, drink coffee or alcohol before bed
- Check your sleep environment, no light, noise and keep your room clean and cool
- Watch what you eat and the time you eat it
- Exercise every day
We can work to accomplish the points recommended above. But maybe more difficult, especially with our complex lifestyles, to conquer the intangible schedules, responsibilities, and stress levels, that also impact our sleep. A bad diet is primarily responsible for sleep disorders (snoring and sleep apnea), and these have a rippling affect throughout a family home.
Parents, teach your children the WHY of their sleep routine, and don’t discount the importance of sleep by telling them they have a choice when they are adults.