Late Nights and Early Mornings

I'm tired. I've had a week of late nights and early mornings and it really doesn't agree with me. I should know better. After all, the yogic path promotes self-compassion and non-harming (Ahimsa) and I'm always reminding my students to take care of themselves. But somehow life just took over and before I knew it I'd committed myself to following through on a project and said yes to one too many social engagements. I was busy at both ends of the day and just not getting enough sleep. 

Although the remedy of going to bed earlier is simple, it's not always easy to implement. However, having read the following articles I've already made some adjustments to my bedtime and morning routines and have set some intentions for better self-care this week. 

If you're burning the candle at both ends maybe these practical tips will help you make sleep a higher priority in your life too.

7 Ways to Get to Bed Earlier

via Huffington Post

We know that there are many health benefits of getting enough shuteye, and that the negative impacts of sleep deprivation can be severe. When it comes to turning off the TV or iPad, setting aside our work, and tucking in at 10 p.m., though, many of us have a tough time actually making it happen.

But when the morning alarm clock time is finite, shifting your night time routine to head to bed earlier can benefit your overall health and well-being by improving sleep quality and ensuring you get the recommended seven to eight hours you need. It could also have implications for your heart health: A 2009 Japanese study found that male workers who consistently went to bed before midnight had healthier coronary arteries than those who went to be after midnight, according to an ABC News report. Although the exact reasons are not yet exactly understood, sleep specialist Michael Breus, Ph.D., tells the Huffington Post that an earlier-to-bed schedule could be healthier.

"We do know that people who are night owls and shift workers do have more medical and mental health problems, but we do not know if this is just the genetic makeup of night owls or that those who stay up late have these issues," Breus says. "One reason that works for everyone is early risers get more sunlight and that helps for Vitamin D, and resetting the biological clock."

1. Set An Electronic Curfew

A National Sleep Foundation poll found that 95 percent of Americans use electronic devices within an hour of going to sleep at least a few nights a week -- and their sleep may be suffering because of it. Make a rule to keep technology out of your bed, and turn off all devices at least an hour before bedtime, Breus suggests. Exposure to bright artificial lighting can make it more difficult to fall asleep, and you may spend more time on the devices than you intended, thereby pushing back your bedtime. "Artificial light exposure between dusk and the time we go to bed at night suppresses release of the sleep-promoting hormone melatonin, enhances alertness and shifts circadian rhythms to a later hour, making it more difficult to fall asleep," Charles Czeisler, Ph.D., M.D., told Reuters in 2011. "Light-emitting screens are in heavy use within the pivotal hour before sleep." 

2. Keep a Worry Journal 

Many of us lie in bed tossing and turning because our minds are still very much awake, tallying all the things we still need to do. Set aside time during the evening to create a to-do list, fill in your calendar with upcoming events, or write down any thoughts that are causing you worry, Breus suggests. Clearing your mind of clutter before bed can help you ease into sleep. "I call this technique a worry journal," Breus says. "It is very effective."

3. Set An Alarm -- At Night

Bedtimes aren't just for kids! Decide on and stick to a regular bedtime -- one that will allow you as much sleep as you need to feel your best. If it helps, set an alarm clock in your bedroom or an alert on your phone to remind you 15 minutes prior to your tuck-in time. "Setting an alarm to remind you when to go to bed is very helpful," says Dr. Breus.

  

4. Leave Work At The Office

Unsurprisingly, the use of communication technology before bedtime can lead to inadequate sleep during the week, according to a National Sleep Foundation survey. With the growth of 24/7 connectivity, increasing numbers of American workers are working into their evenings and weekends, completing unfinished projects and sending emails from their smartphones. According to a survey by Harvard Business School professor Leslie Perlow, 90 percent of managers put in 50 or more hours of work per week, and 62 percent check their smartphone before going to bed. Set a time in the evening to power off -- and leave your email for the next morning. You may even find that it boosts your productivity.

5. Exercise Earlier In The Day

Exercise and sleep are two pillars of health that go hand-in-hand. According to a National Sleep Foundation poll, exercisers report better sleep than non-exercisers. And those who exercise early in the day rather than at night may enjoy the best quality sleep -- and find it easier to shift their bedtime and waking times earlier. Working out at least four hours before you hit the hay can help you to feel naturally tired at the end of the day, and to fall asleep faster. Moving your workout to the morning or afternoon, instead of after work or dinner, will also free up time in the evening.

6. Start A Routine

Getting ready for bed earlier in the evening -- washing up, putting on pajamas, and unwinding with restful activities -- could help put the body into a state of calm. "It is amazing to me how many parents will have set patterns for their children (e.g. bath, pajamas, three picture books, a quick back scratch and then lights out/parents exit), but none for themselves," Chris Winter, M.D., medical director of the Martha Jefferson Hospital Sleep Medicine Center, told HuffPost. Setting up a routine and sticking to it every night will train your body to anticipate sleep at that time.

7. Go To Bed When You're Tired

Pushing yourself to stay up later when the body feels tired might result in a temporary energy boost, but you won't feel so good the next day if you wait for a late-night burst of energy. "Go to bed when you are tired," Breus says. "Do not push through and catch your second wind -- it will keep you up for three hours."

Creating a Lovely Morning

by Leo Babauta from zenhabits.net 

‘When you arise in the morning, think of what a precious privilege it is to be alive – to breathe, to think, to enjoy, to love.’ ~Marcus Aurelius

When I wake in the morning, my mind slowly gathers, and I begin to move, the early morning light just starting to seep in. I have a glass of water, start the coffee, then meditate. Then I enjoy the coffee, a good book, and the quiet before the dust and din and steam of the day begins. Then I write. This is my Lovely Morning, and I get an inordinate amount of pleasure from it.

It wasn’t always this way: I used to wake later, rush through a grumpy routine before diving into email and work and errands and meetings. It was frenetic and dreadful, but that was my life, and I didn’t think it would change. I was wrong. I’ve changed my mornings for the better, with a few simple ideas. I’ll share them with you here, and if you begin to enjoy the peace of your mornings more, send a smile my in my general direction.

1. Wake a little earlier. If your mornings are rushed, the simple solution is to get up a bit earlier. This means going to bed a bit earlier too. Do it gradually, just 10 minutes earlier a week, and you’ll barely notice the change.

2. Keep things simple. One of my early mistakes was trying to fit too much into the mornings — I wanted to meditate and work out and read and write and journal, and it turns out I couldn’t do all those things. It felt too rigid, too packed. What’s helped me is having a couple things I do early on but not having a lot on my morning agenda, so that I can have space and flexibility. That makes the time much more peaceful and enjoyable. So the meditation and reading and writing are the only things that I do almost every morning, but I let myself be flexible with those too.

3. Have something to look forward to. Don’t pack your mornings full of things you need to do … but do have something you can’t wait to get up and do. For me, that’s reading and writing. For others, morning yoga or painting or reading the paper with coffee might be better. Don’t just have things you think you should do but don’t really want to do.

4. Practice mindfulness. I like to start with meditation (though I do miss some days), because it sets the tone for my morning — one of mindfulness. I then drink my coffee and write and do everything else with a more mindful attitude, noticing when I start to rush and feel stressed, noticing small things that I might miss if I were distracted.

5. Don’t dive into email or little things. Consider this early morning time your sacred space — don’t fill it with junk. Junk includes TV, news, email, social media, apps, etc. Instead, put meaningful things in this sacred space, things that you won’t have time for later. You can always dive into email after an hour (or more) of lovely morning peace.

6. Enjoy the spaces, and pace yourself. This time isn’t just something you fill with things to do … it’s open space. That means the space itself is something to be treasured, not just what you put in it. For example, if you do yoga and read, the morning isn’t just valuable because of the yoga and reading … the space around those two things is also wonderful. The time you’re putting your yoga mat away, getting a cup of coffee, walking to where your book is, sitting and staring at the morning light … these little spaces are just as amazing as anything else. Pace yourself so that you’re not rushing from one thing to the next, but enjoying the spaces.

A Lovely Morning isn’t something that just falls into your lap — it’s created consciously. You don’t have to implement all these ideas at once, but try one or two out and see if your mornings improve. I think you’ll enjoy them as much as I do.

‘Waking up this morning, I smile. Twenty-four brand new hours are before me. I vow to live fully in each moment.’ ~Thich Nhat Hanh


This Week I am Making...a Simple Green Smoothie

Looks weird but tastes great - and it's an easy way to eat an extra portion of oh-so-healthy leafy greens which are so good for the immune system.  

Green smoothies are the latest big thing in the US and the website Simple Green Smoothies tells you everything you need to know about the health benefits, which ingredients work best for smoothies and how to make them.

I've been making green smoothies for a while now and find them nice and filling (they've usually got a banana in them which makes the consistency thicker and differentiates them from a juice). I often have one for breakfast and am now getting quite experimental with my ingredients.  The one I made today was spinach, banana, mango and strawberry. 

Take a look at the website www.simplegreensmoothies.com and then give a green smoothie a try -  I think you'll be pleasantly surprised.

From this....

...to this!

This Week I'm Visiting... My Local Garden Centre and This Week I'm Growing... My Half-hardy Annuals in the Garden

The time has finally come to plant out my half-hardy plants! Hooray! The danger of frost has passed (at least here in the south-east of the UK) so all the plants which originate from warmer climes and would die if they got frosted can now go into the garden.

This means a trip to the garden centre to buy many bags of potting compost and many trays of half-hardy annuals to make my garden colourful this summer.

I might have got a little carried away...

These half-hardy annuals are brilliant for filling pots and hanging baskets which, if you water them every day and feed them once a week, will reward you with flowers right through to November. Even one pot by your front door (where you're much less likely to forget to water it) will brighten up your garden and make it feel summery.

I'm going to be really disciplined this year and get these babies into the ground within a week! There! I'm committed now I've told you! I have been known, on many occasions, to go mad at the garden centre and then not get round to planting everything for ages. This poor time management leads to anxiety about knowing you really should be out there planting, extra watering because the little pots dry out really quickly and less flowers as the plants can't put down their roots and grow into sturdy, healthy plants if they're stuck in little pots. So for my peace of mind and the plants' wellbeing I'll be spending a lot of time in the garden this week getting them planted out.

The dahlias that I planted as tubers are ready to go into the ground now too. If you have grown a tall variety they will need some support in the form of a stout stake pushed into the ground next to them. You can then tie the dahlia to the stake with twine to prevent it flopping over if it rains heavily or we have strong winds. 

The chillies that I sowed back in March are ready to go into the garden now too. They'll need a sunny, warm, protected spot and lots of water to give the best crop of chillies at the end of the summer.

There's lots to do at this time of the year, but it's very rewarding. Even if you only have one little pot in your garden this year, it can bring you simple pleasures as you look at the different shapes and textures of the flowers, enjoy their scent and watch the insects using your garden as a welcome source of nectar.