Well […], it is the middle of the night , which is a good time for going to sleep.

– Pooh, Winnie the Pooh

RECAP: Essential Habits of Adulthood

We have officially covered ALL of My Essential Habits of Adulthood listed below, as of today:

1. Skincare Routines
2. Regular Exercise
3. Healthy Eating
4. Practicing Mindfulness
5. Good Night’s Sleep

These essential habits our based on my own personal experiences as we have seen. I believe these 5 habits are important because without them, I feel like we start letting parts of ourselves dwindle into nothing.

Example: If we do not take care of our skin, we start suffering from premature aging skin or stop liking what we see in the mirror. Speaking of reflections, if we do not get regular exercise our self esteem might start to plummet, and our energy level tanks. Exercise may be our only saving grace to avoiding future illness. Eating healthy might seem self-explanatory, but there is a huge difference from home-cooked meals and eating out 3 times a week. The difference being proper nutrients, serving sizes, and money! The more we choose to discount healthy eating, the more our bodies start to decline, and our bodies stop feeling like our own. Let’s top it all off with staying constantly busy and “productive”. We start forgetting that we are human and start losing our sense of direction.

These habits are not just essential for adults, but they are essential for everyone. For us young adults specifically, they are essential to start building so we can avoid adding onto the inevitable mound of chaos and uncertainty that is likely to occur in our adult lives.

We are no longer children; we must take charge of our destinies!

The Importance of a Good Night’s Sleep!

• 

Let me start off by sharing that I am a TERRIBLE SLEEPER! I recently purchased Fitbit’s for my boyfriend and me. My morning dark circles and my aching back were enough for me to know my sleep was horrendous, but my Fitbit just put the icing on the cake! It tells you all about your sleep patterns and provides a nice scoring agent. Lets just say… if my scoring agent was a test grade in a class… I was flunking out!

My dark eyes and aching back were not my only side effects of lack of sleep. My memory has gotten worse and my ability to stay focused is long gone. Feeling exhausted all day is NOT how I want to spend the rest of my life; especially because I am only 26 years old! Sleep helps all of these ruthless side effects I was experiencing, and I needed to get started!

Steps to Getting a Good Night’s Sleep

I started following Dr. Michael Breus aka “The Sleep Doctor” on Twitter. I also follow his Sleep Blog. He provides some great insight on different forms of sleeping, causes of restlessness, and some helpful suggestions! I have been testing out some of his suggestions:

Suggestion #1: Avoid Caffeine & Alcohol Before Bed

I am a big tea drinker; green tea being my favorite! I drink about 2 to 3 cups of hot tea a day; sometimes cold depending on the weather. I know green tea has caffeine in it, but I wasn’t aware it was hindering my sleep. I could easily buy some non-caffeinated tea for before bed, but I have chosen a tall glass of water instead. This small change has helped my restless nights become a little less frequent. I have not given up wine at night, but I will keep you posted!

Suggestion #2: Watch Your Room Temperature

My boyfriend describes me as a furnace. I radiate heat all the time; especially during my sleep. I keep my fan on at night always, but sometimes that is just not enough. Living in Reno, NV, we experience some cold weather during winter seasons, and I have found that I stopped using my heater at night. I get the best sleep during those cold winter nights!

Suggestion #3: Relax

Meditation, reading a book, or just listening to some nice low volume music before bed is a great way to relax your mind and body before bed. I enjoy showering and then reading; if I haven’t shared already, I am a bookworm! Reading before bed helps me feel tired and want sleep; while taking a nice shower/bath makes me feel more comfortable and relaxed. Watching TV or movies before bed always invade my dreams and cause some serious restless night.

Your Turn

If you are struggling with a good night’s sleep, I would start paying attention to the causes! As you get older, start a family, and pile on the constant mind wondering; sleeping can be a hard concept to wrap your brain around. Start early! Figure out what helps you fall asleep and what prevents it! I promise you will not regret this experiment!

Until next time, stay safe & healthy!