sleep yourself happy

Lack of sleep at best can make you grumpy and irritable, making it hard to function properly, at worst it can lead to anxiety and depression.  When we suffer from sleep deprivation it affects our memories and also our abilities to use our brains effectively making us more prone to accidents.

All that’s enough to make anyone miserable, so here are a few tips to get a good night’s sleep

• Have a calming warm bath or shower – not too hot or that energises you – try some relaxing bubbles or oils such as lavender
• Turn off the TV at least half an hour before sleep time
• Play some soothing music or listen to a relaxation or meditation tape
• Read something (but not work related – don’t need to start thinking about work now)
• Avoid nicotine and caffeine close to bedtime – try a milk or herbal drink instead
• Keep a notepad by the bed, then if your mind starts racing on with worries or thinking of things you have to do, write them down to deal with the next day – then let go of them
• If you still find it hard to stop your brain racing – try visualisation – imagine you are somewhere calm and relaxing eg laid on a beach, listening  to the waves, watching a solitary cloud float across the sky, feel the warmth of the sunshine on your skin and relax.
• Try relaxing all your muscles – starting with your feet – first tensing then relaxing the muscles – continue up your body focussing on each part at a time – tensing then relaxing.
• Make sure your bedroom is a haven for rest – banish clutter, especially TV’s, computers and mobile phones, make sure your bed is comfortable, the bedroom dark and at a comfortable temperature

And if all these tricks fail check out the insomnia website on the links page

Night night sleep tight

come to your senses and be happy

we can use all of our senses to improve our moods and be happier

• sight  - what a wonderful gift to let us see amazing things all around us, in nature- a cloud or a beautiful flower or the smile on the face of someone we love – look more closely and appreciate the beauty in your surroundings
• sound – listening to music that you like can instantly make you feel more relaxed.  Whether we prefer classical or hip hop it can give us a great boost and if it inspires us to dance so much the better
• smell – aromatherapy is a whole new area – why not try lavender for a start – it's supposed to be calming and helps to reduce exhaustion
• taste – granny was right, a good cup of tea makes you feel better, it contains theanine which helps to make you calm.  There are many foods which can make us feel better – see my previous post on “good mood foods”
• touch – giving and receiving a hug can always make us feel better

Think about using all your senses to be happier each day

I can handle it

Just four little words but what a powerful thought.

When you think about most things that makes our life difficult or stressful  you find that what causes us most problems is fear itself.

We are afraid that we are not going to pass that exam, get that job, keep our kids safe, make that presentation at work, and manage our money well enough.  So many fears that it’s a wonder we make it through the day.

I used to be a terrible flyer –I would spend hours terrified on long flights, hating the moment when the stewardess closed the doors,  nervously listening for every change in engine sound, fearing the worst at the slightest turbulence, it felt as though I was single handedly keeping that plane up in the sky.  

Then one time – at the start of an eight hour flight I suddenly wondered what it would be like to not be afraid – if I just relaxed and didn’t worry, just let the pilot fly the plane instead of me.  All I had to do was sit back, enjoy the movie, enjoy the food, read my book, perhaps even sleep for a while and I suddenly realised that I could handle that.

 I have flown many times since – living a long way from home I have to – and although I don’t particularly look forward to it – I now know that I can handle it, and have never  suffered the awful fears that I used to.

Why not try it?  When you find yourself stressing over something just tell yourself that “I can handle it” and see how much stronger it makes you feel.