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Do these 15 things to receive the gift of a good night sleep
Published December 30, 2011 | 
To sleep well in 2012 and beyond, do these 15 things:
1. Be active during your day.
2. Take frequent time outs/mental health breaks during a busy work day.
3. Spend time doing things that are important to you.
4. Say no to anything that does not serve you well.
5. Say yes when your heart wants you to.
6. Invest in high quality mattress, pillows, and linens: your back and a good night sleep are worth every penny!!
7. Keep your bedroom uncluttered and aesthetically pleasing.
8. Keep electronics and work out of your bedroom.
9. Stretch well through out your day and especially before bed.
10. Write in your journal any worries that you have, any questions that you have, or anything that gives you comfort.
11. Read something that spiritually inspires you right before bedtime. Poetry is excellent.
12. If you have a partner who snores, gently explore options on dealing with the issue. Wax earplugs work pretty well and they do not hurt the ears.
13. Limit caffeine, heavy foods, and liquids a few hours before bedtime
14. Wear socks
15. Turn off the light and think about all the things you are thankful for.
Good night!
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Benefits of a good night sleep and… please write in and share your advice on ways to deal with insomnia!
Published December 3, 2011 | 
A good night sleep is a worthy cause.
Restful sleep on a regular basis provides us many benefits including:
1. Improved memory and cognitive abilities
2. Weight control (we tend to over eat when we are sleep deprived)
3. Better mood
4. Our immune system works better
I know I really notice a difference in how I feel if I don’t get a good night sleep. It is not a subtle thing. I really feel terrible if I don’t sleep well. I am sure many of you can relate.
If we don’t feel well after losing just one night of sleep, think what chronic sleep deprivation does to us if insomnia is a regular occurrence in our lives?
If you have found ways that help you sleep better at night, I encourage you to write and comment here at The Warm Milk Journal so that other readers may benefit from your experience.
We can help each other and offer support to live a well balanced life by day and sleep restfully at night.
In peace,
Debra
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Pushing our edge will keep us young and help us sleep at night!
Published November 30, 2011 | 
Ah, but a man’s reach should exceed his grasp–or what’s a heaven for?
- Robert Browning
Reaching, stretching, pushing our edge, and going for it is the stuff that our dreams are made of…
What are you reaching for?
On a regular basis I like to challenge myself and “push my edge” a bit. Last summer I wrote a post about pushing my edge while trying Bikram (hot) yoga.
Last week, my husband and I spent the Thanksgiving holiday in the Asheville, North Carolina area. I pushed my edge once again by trying ziplining with Navitat.com
I was scared to death at first, but it did not take me long before I was coasting and soaring among the tree tops in the North Carolina mountains. Simply awesome!
When we were younger many of us were pretty fearless. Think about all of the things you did as a child that you might hesitate to do now…
Over time we tend to become more cautious, more inhibited. We lose that childhood “recklessness”, that “go for it” spirit of energetic, exuberant, and unapologetic youth.
I am 45 years old and I intend to reverse that trend!
I intend to stay young by:
1. not getting too stuck in my ways,
2. learning new things often,
3. and stretching myself, “push my edge”- so to speak..
What can you do to stretch your self?
What would challenge you?
What would excite you?
What fear, if you faced it, would leave you feeling pretty darned great about yourself? Hmm….???
I challenge you to challenge yourself on a regular basis. You can do it! (If I ziplined, you can do anything- trust me!)
Pushing our edge is good for our health, self esteem, and for getting a good night sleep. Anxiety issues? Do some things you thought you could never do and see how that old anxiety just might go poof! ( you will feel so proud and good about yourself)
Why not go out on a limb? Isn’t that where the fruit is? ~Frank Scully
In Peace,
Debra
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Eight ways to keep your bedroom as dark as possible for a good night sleep
Published November 23, 2011 | 
If you are not sleeping your best you may be letting too much light into your bedroom at night. We need complete darkness in order for our bodies to properly manufacture and release the sleep hormone melatonin. Being exposed to light will give our bodies the wrong message. Our bodies may think it is daylight and actually release cortisol and wake us up instead.
Here are eight ways to get your bedroom dark:
1. No night lights. If you must have one, make it a red one.
2. If you have a television in your bedroom, keep it put away in a cabinet or armoire when not in use.
3. turn off cell phones
4. Turn off laptops. Better yet, keep all of these electronics out of the bedroom all together when not in use.
5. If you use an alarm clock, use a non digital one.
6. Invest in quality shades or blinds
7. If you live with other people, keep your door closed
8. An hour before bedtime, make your living quarters progressively dimmer. Start turning off lights and take a bath, stretch, and read in lower lighting to give your body a hint that it is getting near sleepy time.
Goodnight!
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Imagining a blanket made of love enveloping you: resting in child’s pose at bedtime for a good night sleep
Published November 15, 2011 |
I just love this idea from yoga therapist Kate Vogt (found in the December issue of Yoga Journal, p. 28)
Get in child’s pose either on the floor, yoga mat, or on your bed. Child’s pose is having your knees wide apart and forehead resting on your hands.
Now, imagine a blanket made of infinite love covering you.
Let your head relax onto your hands.
Tell your skin, muscles, and organs that they are free from the demands of the day (no more multi-tasking or the need to be on the alert).
Now it is time for rest.
Settle into this cocoon and rest for at least a minute.
Good night!
Debra
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Seven things that enable me to slip into blessed restful sleep as soon as my head hits the pillow…
Published November 2, 2011 | 
Counting sheep, peaceful creatures going by…one by one… that should be enough to put us right out, don’t you think? ; )
What really enables us to slip deep into a restful night of sleep, ideally soon after our heads hit the pillow?
Nights when this happens for me are when:
1. I am at peace with myself.
2. I am centered in love.
3. I know I did my best during the day.
4. I am not working at trying to change something or somebody (acceptance is peace and good sleep).
5. I am tired because I engaged my mind with meaningful tasks and I moved my body during the day.
6. I am not worried because I practice non judgment and being in the NOW.
7. Knowing tomorrow is another day. A clean slate. Let this day go, and be…. (blessedly asleep)!
Good night,
Debra
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What is keeping you awake at night?
Published October 24, 2011 | 
If you have challenges with insomnia, what is causing it? It is often helpful to get some insight as to what is keeping us awake at night. If you have a journal I encourage you to write in it nightly and see if any patterns are there.
There are many different reasons for not getting a good night of sleep. For the longest time I had serious challenges with anxiety and worry. Nowadays, I sleep pretty well except for the fact that I have a snoring partner.
Here is a list of common reasons for insomnia:
1. anxiety
2. Worrying: about finances, health, children, job related issues
3. parents with babies and young children who have sleep issues
4. being pregnant
5. back pain
6. restless leg syndrome
7. stressful life events: marital troubles, divorce, job loss, unemployment, aging parents, death, a move
This is not meant to be an exhaustive list. If you are having trouble sleeping at night I do encourage you as mentioned before to:
1. write in your journal
2. talk to your doctor
3. get some support
Please know that you are not alone. You can get help. For years I did not think I would ever sleep well again and then for many years when I got on an anti-anxiety medication I did not think I would be able to sleep well without the help of that drug.
I have been off the medication for five years now. Most nights I sleep soundly. You can too.
Sometimes it helps to share our experiences. Not getting enough sleep can be so frustrating because you end up feeling irritated and physically and emotionally drained.
You are welcome to write in and comment here at The Warm Milk Journal. You may also write in at our Facebook page
Have a blessed day and restful night,
Debra
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We will get a good night of sleep if we do these twelve things.
Published October 16, 2011 | 
We will sleep well if we do these twelve things:
1. Believe in ourselves
2. Do not take anything personally
3. Give important tasks at hand our best and then let the rest go
4. Love unconditionally
5. Focus on the good in our lives
6. Spend our time with positive and supportive people
7. Drink good wine (I just had to put that in there!)
8. Do what we love to do
9. Take mental breaks as needed
10.Pamper ourselves frequently
11. Help others
12. Cultivate a sense of gratitude
To a blessed night of sleep tonight and every night,
Debra
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Five benefits to getting a good night sleep
Published October 9, 2011 | 
Here are five benefits of a good night sleep:
1. Improved energy
2. You will get along with your spouse better.
3. You will look good (yes, there is something to that whole “beauty sleep” thing.
4. Better cognitive abilities such as memory for daily tasks and taking tests.
5. You will be a safer driver.
Have a blessed day and restful sleep tonight and every night!
Debra
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Insomnia keeping you awake? Here are six tips to help you sleep better tonight.
Published October 8, 2011 | 
Six tips to help you sleep better:
1. Take calcium and magnesium supplements a half hour before bedtime (please see doctor before taking any new supplements)
2. Snack on cheese and crackers
3. Increase your light exposure during the day.
4. Go to bed earlier. The hours we can sleep before midnight are good quality sleep.
5. Sip on a cup of lemon verbena tea
6. Take a bath or find other ways to pamper yourself
Source: Woman’s World October 3, 2011
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