Respect Your Wake/Sleep Cycle
ByMary Ann Copson
A client recently told me this revealing
story about the power of routine.
While in college she knew a young man whom
every one admired. He just seemed to do everything
"right". He excelled at his schoolwork,
was liked by everyone, had a pleasing and
peaceful energy, had many accomplishments
and many connections. She asked him what his
secret was. He said he had only one secret
to his seemingly boundless and balanced energy
- he went to bed every night at the same time
and got up every morning at the same time.
As I write that I can just hear some
of your cries of "I can't do that
- it is impossible." And "I
have too much to do." And all the
other assertions about impracticability.
But it is not practical to oppose your
biology.
Our bodies are regulated by consistent
internal rhythms - our circadian rhythms.
Sleepiness, dreaming, body temperature,
hormone secretion, digestion, heart functioning
and more are all regulated according to
our consistent daily biological rhythms.
Regular wake sleep cycles are key to
maintaining your biological rhythms. The
single most important thing that you can
do to regulate high, clean and balanced
energy levels is to have a consistent
wake and sleep time.
The key regulator for your circadian
rhythms is to go to bed and get up the
same time every day.
If you go to bed and get up at odd times
your circadian rhythms will become desynchronized
and you will feel all kinds of malaise
- fatigue, nausea, irritability, confusion,
lack of drive and inspiration- in short
low, poor mood and energy.
When you sleep in on the week- ends (or
other mornings) to make up a sleep deficit,
you let your body slip into what is called
free running. Free running is a disruption
pattern- your biological clock gets confused
and your energy plummets. Essentially,
it is like you are living in jet lag.
Every extra hour that you sleep in confuses
your biological clock by one hour. Resetting
your biological clock - and regaining
your energy potential - takes one day
for each hour that you sleep in.
Even if you have gone to bed late the
night before it is best to get up at the
regular time. Eat breakfast, do some work
and then - when your energy levels begin
to dip naturally later in the day - take
a nap.
The number one rule for maintaining your
biological clock- and therefore the quantity
and quality of your energy - is rising
at the exact same time every morning.
Mary Ann Copson is the creator of the
Evenstar Mood and Energy Management System
for Women. With Master's Degrees in Human
Development and in Psychology and Counseling,
Mary Ann is a Certified Licensed Nutritionist,
a Certified Holistic Health Practitioner,
a Brain Chemistry Profile Clinician, a
Professional Life Coach and Human Development
Consultant. For resources about reconnecting
to your natural rhythms through better
management of your physical, emotional,
mental, psychological and spiritual energy
visit http://evenstaronline.com
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