Sleep can be the most underestimated, biological, human need. It is vital for so many of our body processes and essential for maintaining our daily ‘sanity’, as we attempt to juggle the many balls that our lives present us with.
Most of us aim for a good 7-8 hours sleep, but in today’s world with all the extra stressors; fast paced speed of life and social media being on trend, the reality is a lot less than we need.
People from all walks of life; the high powered business man, the builder, the mother of three who works full time, the graduate and many more to name all suffer when sleep is reduced, and on a regular basis. If this has ever been you, cast your mind back, Do you remember moving much slower than usual, and constantly trying hard to maintain focus throughout the day? This is what happens when sleep is continuous forfeited, for whatever the reason.
All is not lost
When I am going through a period of sleepless nights knowing I still have to ‘power on’ through the next day, I tend to take a few minutes at the start of my day to look at what is on, and to prioritise. I choose the top 3 things that need to be done and I focus purely on these, and getting them done, before I attempt anything else. Please try this tip next time you are struggling. If you get all 3 done great job and if not, don’t even think about picking up that stick to beat yourself, instead congratulate yourself on making a dent on your top 3 priority list, during a very difficult day. Remember that just to ‘show up’ is amazing, when you are feeling sleep deprived.
My top tips
Below are a few of my personal tips that I use when I have to power through, and I suggest you try them for yourself:
- Give yourself permission to take breaks throughout the day.
- Make sure you ‘nourish’ your body – It is so tempting to consume snacks that are high in sugar, when you are feeling super exhausted. However, it is far better to fuel your body with some high quality foods like a boiled egg, some nuts, a banana or even some wholegrain toast.
- Don’t reach for the caffeinated drinks, like coffee and ‘red bull’, instead choose to drink more water!
- Take a walk outside during one of your breaks to revitalise your senses.
- Please delegate, if you are in a position to do so. It will help take the extra load off you, that you will be feeling after a succession of sleepless night.
I would love to hear from you and to know what helped you to ‘power on through’ any sleep deprivation. If you require any further help please do not hesitate to contact me. I have helped many people, during their battle, to restore their sleep and regain control, which has been highly successful.
In the meantime the tips above will certainly help you to regain some ‘balance’ and to get you through those difficult days.
