Midlife in Dreamland is not like before
Just can't sleep?
Or is it constantly interrupted?
Or do you wake up after 8 hours or more, feeling not refreshed?
In my practice, as a herbalist and an acupuncturist, I see such problems all the time. We all deserve a good night, but this fundamental answer can be painful for people over 50 years old.
I work with people who deal with middle-aged changes that affect their bodies, their minds, their relationships, and even their mood. In the middle of life, we try to live as we always do, but do not get the same results. For example, this is a complaint that I so often hear from people who work hard and are very loaded:
“I slept so well, but these days, it seems, I can't do it.
Mustache observations were observed in mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians and fish. Nevertheless, homo sapiens is the only animal that is known to shorten, interrupt, or otherwise disrupt its normal resting cycle intentionally. Whereas a bear hibernates until its internal clock drives it, men and women will reduce their sleep based on external criteria - a business meeting or medical appointment, family requirements, an exciting novel that stops or the movie is too exciting to disconnect.
This is a common misperception that less sleep is a sign of a more productive person, or that when we grow old, we need less.
I have to admit that in the past I bought this way of thinking. Instead of trying to live for 16 hours, I tried to shove more life, cutting off my rest to do more; A sample very similar to New York Times writer Jane Brody. Read her recent article, “Sleeping for a good night is not a luxury, but a necessity.”
I dozed off in movies, performances and even in public events. Sometimes it was awkward. Although my friends, classmates and family, who were forced by my elbow, I woke up, I find it funny and occasionally annoying.
I was lucky. At least, while I was deceiving myself on vacation, I did not do it while driving, although, unfortunately, many do it.
While the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration admits that it is difficult to attribute drowsiness accidents, the agency estimates that up to 100,000 accidents are due to driver fatigue every year. NHTSA also claims that these accidents cause about 1,550 deaths, 71,000 people were injured and $ 12.5 billion. USA - economic losses. And this is just a guess. Who knows the full picture?
Reducing sleep time is also dangerous for those who work in dangerous conditions or with machines. Or innocent people who were in the wrong place at the wrong time.
These days I see how valuable my “zzzzs” are, and I want to be sure that I am getting as much as I need; it turns out that in the middle of life we tend to need a deeper nourishing sleep, not less, so let's learn how to do it.
So, how much do you really need?
Here's how to determine how much rest you need for your body:
Go to bed at the same time every night and watch when you usually wake up without anxiety.
Or, if you had prolonged insomnia, the next time you have two days off in a row, sometimes weekends or holidays, sleep as much as possible during the first few days. As soon as you hear, write down how often you wake up without alarm, plus minus fifteen minutes. If you need to get up early for work the next day, you may have to go to bed early so that you can see when you naturally wake up.
Formula rest "Good night" Midlife:
We all need restful sleep. In fact, getting eight hours every night is one of my main recommendations for good health. If you find that your spirit needs to be soothed or that you¡¯re having trouble getting out at night or sleeping, try some or all of the following strategies:
1. Feed yourself to promote health and sleep - what and when you eat makes a difference.
- Eat every 2 - 3 hours during the day
- Breakfast is required. Ideally, this includes proteins and vegetables.
- A snack with protein will pick you up at the end of the day, say, around 4 pm.
- A light dinner, which starts with a soup, warms up your digestive process and may include steamed vegetables and some proteins. You can add foods that are high in l-tryptophan to your dinner, such as brown rice, cottage cheese, turkey, peanuts, or soy protein, because tryptophan promotes sleep.
2. Reducing the effects of daily stressors through exercise and relaxation — minimizing the effects of stress on your body, mind, and spirit are more important during middle age than ever before.
“Under stress, our brain, pituitary, and adrenal glands produce stress hormones, especially cortisol. Continued exacerbation of cortisol levels can cause emotional / mental difficulties, such as depression and psychosis.
- Regular exercise, meditation, and behavioral modifications are among the helpful remedies. Exercises release endorphins, which: block pain, reduce appetite and create a feeling of euphoria, which reduces tension and anxiety
- Yoga, tai-chi and chi-gong are the ideal types of exercises for relieving stress. Their methods of slow breathing and stretching weaken the muscles that we squeezed due to our work, anxiety and tension
- Acupuncture for stress relief: this ancient healing modality can increase the level of endorphins and promote deeper breathing.
3. Create an insurmountable, sleep-defiant bedroom - your bedroom should offer a harmonious, calm and even sensual setting that promotes deep relaxation and pleasure, both pleasant and soothing.
- Subdued, soothing colors are recommended for your decor
- If your mattress needs replacing, now may be a good time.
- Use your bedroom only for sleep or sex
- Remove all electronic devices and simulators from your bedroom
- The lighting must be suppressed, so pay attention to the dimmer switch or (without toxins) candles
- Free fresh air required - break windows
- If the noise in your house or outside regularly violates your sleep abnormally, consider the white noise. A monotonous stream of harmless, repetitive sounds can prevent your mind from resting.
4. Develop a bedtime routine that promotes deepest sleep - what you do during the day and before you really matter.
- Use an hour before bedtime to do what nourishes your soul and allows you to relax
- Excuse yourself from everyday worries so you can calmly relax.
- Remind yourself that this is your well-earned time for pleasure and relaxation.
5. Take herbs and supplements to help your rest — to complete everything else you do, you may want to use non-pharmaceutical drugs to help you fall and stay in bed or after waking up, more refreshed.
Below are a few medicinal herbs used in several traditions, as well as vitamins, minerals, amino acids and other natural ingredients that may be helpful. I need to warn you that if you are pregnant or nursing, you should consult your doctor before taking any herbs or supplements.
Problems with going to sleep:
The blue turtle soothes nerves and beats the symptoms of emotional excess. It is used for insomnia caused by anxiety, nervous irritability, anxiety and restlessness.
California poppy is a mild sedative that relaxes and causes nervous tension, anxiety and insomnia.
Chamomile treats nervousness, headaches, anxiety, cramps, and cramps. It is also good for febrile diseases (cold and flu) and minor digestive problems. Chamomile tea is pleasant and soothing. Note: If you are allergic to ambrosia or the Asteraceae family (chamomile), for example, blessed thistle, calendula, echinacea, safflower or yarrow, you should avoid chamomile.
Calm your spirit so you can sleep:
Biota Seed (bai zi ren) counteracts bad memory, relieves nervousness. It is good for calming the heartbeat with anxiety and night terrors.
Polygala (yuan zhi) treats insomnia, anxiety, heart palpitations and anxiety. It promotes positive feelings.
Polygonum multiflorum (ye jiao teng) soothes irritability, restless dreams and insomnia.
Vitamins, minerals, amino acids and other natural substances that will help:
Calcium is a natural relaxant with a calming effect. Use calcium lactate (if you are not allergic to dairy products) or calcium chelate. (1500-2000 mg daily in divided doses after meals and at bedtime)
Magnesium is also a natural relaxant that helps relax muscles. (1000 mg per day)
It is good to combine calcium and magnesium, because they balance each other and complement each other. Ideally, you should take them in a ratio of 2 parts calcium to 1 part magnesium.
Zinc helps in restoring the tissues of the body at rest. (15 mg per day).
I wish you a better sleep and middle age without a crisis!
