Improving Your Sleep

One thing widows often lose with the death of their husbands is their sleep.  Improving your sleep needs to be a top priority as you heal.  You need at least seven hours of sleep a night to be able to focus on the things you need to do every day.

Psychologically sleep helps get rid of tension and allows you to refresh.  Bottom line is that if you get under seven hours, you are open to “widow fog” and lack of focus.

A lot of widows can’t shut their brains down and need sleeping pills.  The down side to lack of sleep is trouble concentrating and chronic fatigue that can lead to even more stress and even depression.

Here are a few tips to help give yourself a good night’s sleep:

• Eat evening meals early and not close to bed time so your body has time to start digesting.

• Keep bedroom cool and well ventilated – between 60 and 68 degrees while sleeping.

• Go to bed about the same time every night. Making sure that the hour before sleep is free of any screen time.  Promote serenity by reading, listening to music and doing your bedtime rituals.

• Keep bedroom quiet and dark. Night time exposure to artificial light (screens, signs, billboards, clock, phone charges, etc.) interfere with our sleep.  If you can’t have complete darkness consider wearing an eye mask.

• Get in the habit of turning the morning alarm off and immediately getting up. Don’t fall victim to the bad habit of shutting it off and going back to sleep.

• Snug fitting pajamas may hold in body heat, making it harder to drift off to sleep. Try looser-fitting pajamas.

• Try Masala chai tea to help get you drowsy in as little as 20 minutes.

• If you feel restless try some aromatic compounds at bedtime. Soft scent of lavender acts as a mild sedative to calm brain waves to improve sleep.

• Rub neck and shoulders with a magnesium rich lotion as it stimulates and relaxes muscles.

• Dipping your hands in a bowl of warm water for five minutes and then massaging your favorite lotion into your hands and forearms before bed will help you relax and fall asleep faster.