It’s 3 AM and You’re Wide Awake?

You’re Awake and You Are Not Alone

It’s 3 AM. Are you still awake? Don’t worry you’re not alone. Over half the adult population has sleep problems or aren’t getting enough sleep. Fortunately, there are many natural sleep remedies that you can use for a peaceful night sleep. What’s the best solution? Self care, great tips, and stress management!

Insomnia is associated with dangerous stress levels. There are serious health risks associated with chronic insomnia and the stress associated with insomnia according to the National Institute for Health.

Insomnia Increases Your Risk for Mental Health Problems as Well as Overall Health Concerns

1. Increased risk for medical conditions

Lack of sleep causes many diseases and conditions. These include obesity, high blood pressure, heart disease, weakened  immune system, gastrointestinal diseases, endocrine disorders, inflammation and stroke.

2. Increased risk for mental health disorders

Research shows lack of sleep causes many mental health disorders that include anxiety, depression, chronic anger and fear, memory loss and more.

3. Shortened life expectancy

Research shows insomnia can shorten your life expectancy. An analysis of studies found that sleeping less increased risk for death by 12 percent, compared to those who slept seven to eight hours per night. Recent studies show chronic insomnia had a 97 percent increased risk of death.

4. Increased risk for accidents

Insomnia can affect your memory, and judgement doing daily chores including driving.

Take Our Stress Awareness Test

If you’re suffering from sleep problems, it’s time to learn some simple sleep tips, and stress management practices. Is your mental and physical health in danger from the stress in your life? Take this simple quick stress awareness test to find out.

1. Do you chronically say, “I’m exhausted” and are concerned about your health?
2. Do you find you can’t remember things or are you having memory loss?
3. Are you feeling worried, frustrated, or angry?
4. Have you experienced recent weight gain or weight loss out of the ordinary?
5. Have you had trouble sleeping through the night?

These Simple Tips Can Stop Insomnia

There are three keys to recognizing stress in your life and solving your sleep problems. Just remember the acronym A.C.E. It stands for Awareness, Choice, and Energy.  When you become aware of these three key windows, you can begin to navigate them and practice self care.

A=AWARENESS

To solve your sleep problems, start reducing your stress right now. Stress resilience begins by developing your Awareness(A) of your daily experiences. Become aware of what ignites your passion, energy, and love. What drains you, worries you, distracts you, and irritates you? These are clues to becoming more aware of what you love and what stresses you. Write down what you are becoming aware of in your life. When you write things down it gives you a greater focus on your goals.

1. Write It Down. Take a piece of paper and draw a line down the center with a plus sign on the left and a minus sign on the right.
2. Credit. (+Plus) Every day, under the plus sign, write the things that give you energy and bring joy to your life like your job, dog, spouse or your garden. Think back to your day and recall moments that made you happy.
3. Debit. (-Minus) On the minus side of the paper ask yourself, “what drains your energy in your life?” Write things that sap your energy and make you irritable. These are your stress triggers. Learn stress reduction practices to become resilient to these stressors.
4. Do this for at least a week. Become aware of what you love, what is important to you, and also what is draining your energy and the stressors affecting your life.

Awareness Checklist:

Put each of these on credit and debit sides of the line.

• Persons that affect your life such as family members, friends, and coworkers.
• Tasks that affect your life such as meetings, work, carpool, meals, and family time.
• Emotions that affect your life such as guilt, shame, worry, expectations, excuses, fear, anger, self-image, or complaining.
• Money affects your life. Your financial status, wage earners, problems, challenges, and blessings.
• Time is the holy grail in life. Time has a purpose. What are the positive or happiness ways you spend your time? What are the negative or draining ways you spend your time?

C=CHOICE

Now that you have become more aware of your stressors it is time to realize the power of Choice (C) in your life. Your current life is a result of the choices you have made and your responses to the challenging events in your life. Victim mentality ends when you understand the power of your choices. You may not control many of the circumstances in your life, but you can practice self care. You can choose your attitude, responses, and mindfulness in response to these circumstances.

1. Triggers. To practice self care you must first know how to respond to your stress triggers. Choose something from the energy draining side of your list, your stress triggers, to begin to create a more mindful life. Choose something simple. Focus your attention on this trigger.
2. Stress Management. Stress relief techniques are natural sleep remedies. When you know you will be in a stressful situation, make a conscious effort to practice stress-reducing practices such as taking deep breaths, doing a type of meditation you like or repeating a positive affirmation; “I am calm,” or “I am relaxed.” Choose a practice you enjoy doing and feel it works for you.
3. Follow Your Joy. Take a look at the positive side of your list, too. Choose one or two things that nourish you and bring you joy. Commit to doing those things more often. Is it playing a sport with friends, returning to a hobby or visiting a place you have always enjoyed?

E=ENERGY

Energy From This Experience

Developing your awareness and living more mindfully creates new Energy (E) power, freedom, and sleep in your life. When you begin practicing awareness and listening to your life, you become more mindful of what you are eating, who you are living with, and why you are not sleeping. You will begin to notice less insomnia and lethargy. You will begin experiencing an energy swelling within you as you become more aware.

If you choose to stay in a challenging job or relationship, you can choose to practice self care and change your attitude. You can make new and different choices because you now know that the situations in life are your choice, and you are the hero of your life, not the victim. You will radiate confidence, a new sense of your own power, and enjoy a good night’s sleep.

The more you become aware of this life-giving energy, you can begin to plant and nourish mindfulness in your life. Now that you have the tools, you can progress forward. Your energy will fuel your passion and as a result, you will experience the joy of Mindful Living.