Sleep Is Important For Good Mental Health

Newborn kittens can sleep about 20 hours a day. Cats and dogs from 12 - 16. Most will sleep 8 hours at night. Cats will usually live longer than dogs. Maybe due to their nine lives. Maybe their sleeping habits. Both experience rem sleep and that is a good thing as it is the most restful sleep. They need more sleep than humans though as it takes them longer to get their rem sleep and they will get about half as much rem sleep as we do, even with sleeping longer.

I was talking to a friend when she talked about thinking she was crazy and how she went to the emergency room. She had not been sleeping well. She said, from what they told her, the lack of sleep can cause a person to be effected mentally. This woman had been diagnosed with bipolar disorder earlier in her life. She said, if she isn't on her medication consistently, she is either not sleeping or sleeping too much.

I learned about the circadian rhythm and how it helps control our sleep and wake schedule. I will get 7 or 8 hours of sleep per night regularly. It used to be 8 pretty consistently. I can take a short nap as I have gotten older once in a while. Even, how when it is out of sync, it can effect our hormones, metabolism, weight and can lead to diabetes.

Some of my favorite tips are Feng shui and sleep tips. Here are some sleep tips I would often give people and some that I have used at different times in my life myself.

1) Cut back on caffeine (depends on your age and how much you are currently drinking). Especially closer to bed time. Not so that you will get a headache.

2) Eat turkey, tuna fish or drink warm milk prior to bed. (tryptophan)

3) Take a warm bath or shower, add lavender.

4) Have relations with your partner.

5) Do not exercise more than 2 hours before bed, except for number 4 above.

6) Shut electronic devices off for an hour before bed. Do not watch upsetting television programming prior to bed.

7) Go to bed at a similar time and get up at a similar time each day. Have good curtains to keep the light out. Use a fan. Turn the temperature down at night.

8) Take magnesium to help prevent leg cramps. Melatonin in small doses can help some people.

9) Take time to journal and read or either one.

10) If you know reiki, or healing touch, use that and start with your eyes.

11) Spend some time in meditation.

12) See your primary if you are not getting help by the things listed above.

So happiness you will get if you wish as we can make up our minds to be as happy as we choose to be right. Didn't someone famous say that? It's true though, we will have an easier time being happy with a good nights sleep. Just ask my husband.

I don't understand the wealth part. How does sleep give you wealth some say! Oh so many ways, but no more lists. If we are well rested we won't fall asleep during the day while we are going about the business of making money. We won't be buying an expensive bed, mattress, black out curtains, massages, acupuncture, paying for doctors and pills, drinking too much. We may sell our secrets in the form of a book or on-line program. And oh, so many other ways.

Finally, what about the lullaby? Didn't you fall asleep to a lullaby at one time? I know I did and my children did and grandchildren and now great grandchildren. Music and I prefer new age music to go to sleep to.