Alliance for Catholic Education
Warm winter greetings to my dear ACE teachers!
You all know how important it is to get at least seven (7) hours of sleep per night.
I know it's not easy, for a variety of reasons, but it IS important.
Trouble Sleeping? Try these easy steps:
- WHAT IS YOUR SLEEP ENVIRONMENT LIKE?
Your bedroom should be dark, quiet, and a comfortable temperature. And how's that bed? You may need to invest in a new mattress or mattress topper if you're waking up sore, sleeping better when you're away from your ACE house.
- WHAT DO YOU DO IN YOUR BEDROOM? OK — I don't want to know everything, but right now, your room should be a sanctuary reserved for only sleep. If your bedroom is also where you do homework, answer emails, call your mom, make shopping lists, and eat snacks, you'll have a harder time relaxing when you want to.
- ARE YOU WIRED?
- DO YOU HAVE A SLEEP ROUTINE?
- WHEN DO YOU EXERCISE?
You've got to unplug. If you're one to peruse Facebook, watch Letterman, or text your friends from the comfort of your own sheets, that computer screen could be disrupting your sleep. Try to ditch your electronics an hour before bedtime. Pick up an old-fashioned book or magazine instead.
Do you sometimes fall asleep in front of the TV at 9 p.m., but other times stay up working until midnight, and still other times crawl to bed at 2 a.m.? Talk about mixed signals. Choose a bedtime that's about eight hours before you want to wake up, and stick to it each night. I know this sounds unrealistic for an ACE teacher, but this is aspirational. We all need goals!
One of the roughly million benefits of regular exercise is that it can deepen your sleep. But if you're one to hit the gym or go for a run after dinner, rethink your routine. Vigorous exercise within two hours of bedtime can make it tough to fall asleep.
- WHEN DO YOU CONSUME CAFFIENE AND/OR ALCOHOL?
That after-dinner coffee or a beer or two may be wreaking havoc on your sleep routine. Shoot to avoid both caffeine and alcohol four to six hours before bedtime. And yes, a few beers or a glass of wine may send some of us right to sleep, but later, the drop in blood-alcohol levels often wakes us up.
- DO YOU EAT WITHIN AN HOUR OF BEDTIME?
Well, don't. Not only are nighttime fridge raids rough for metabolism, but they can disrupt your sleep. Spicy foods are known to wake snoozers with a bout of heartburn. If you must indulge in a pre-bed bite, opt for snacks in lieu of heavy meals.
I hope these tips are helpful to you and I wish you pleasant dreams. These sleep tips come from the National Sleep Foundation, the University of Maryland Medical Center, and Matthew Mingrone, an otolaryngologist and lead physician for EOS Sleep California centers.
I want to get info to you in the most accessible way for you and more importantly, to get helpful information into your hands. Please be in touch and let me know what other topics you'd like me to cover.
Be Well,
Judy Madden, M.A.
ACE Psychological Resource Consultant
574-344-3668