A Good night's sleep starts with his and hers burritos!!
Raise your hand if these scenarios sound familiar:
You are all snug in your bed, everything is perfect! You are thinking to yourself "This is it! aahhh" and then he/she climbs in and fluffs the cover sending cold air rushing over you and messing up your perfection.
You are sound asleep when suddenly he/She rolls over and takes the covers in the process, leaving you exposed and grumpy.
He/she has, um...shall we say...does a biological function that does NOT smell great and fluffs the covers and shares with you! Thankfully my husband has never done this, but my friends talk... and many suffer from this torture. People, be kind!
OMG I'm so hot!!! or OMG I'm so cold! Why are there so many/few covers???!!!! Because one of you is always cold natured and one is always hot natured! It is the law of love!
What are we to do??? My husband and I found the perfect solution!! His and Hers burritos!! OK, Duvets, but when we both snuggle in, it is like a human burrito; so in our house this what we call them. We don't use top sheets and use two twin duvets, one on each side. Just change the covers out when you wash sheets. I am building up several sets to have a rotation.
If you find this chore daunting here is another burrito reference and the answer to stuffing that duvet into it's cover.
His burrito? Tog 4 -all year i.e. puny, skinny, worthless! Her burrito? Tog 10.5 - all year long baby! i.e. warm, snugly, fluffy- Yes, go ahead "IT"SSS SOSOOOO FLLUFFFYY", perfect. Not that I have a strong opinion about it. the picture above is our arrangement. Here is a great article from Apartment Therapy about this method.
I'm being silly, but not completely; we all struggle to find the perfect night's sleep and we should! Sleep is an important part of wellness. Check out these risks and benefits:
According to the National Sleep foundation a chronic lack of good, quality sleep can put our hearts at risk. Studies show that no matter your weight, age, whether you exercise or not or smoke if you don't sleep enough you have a higher risk of cardiovascular disease. One age related study showed that those over 45 were twice as likely to have a stroke or heart attack if they slept fewer than 6 hours per night vs those who slept just 6-8 hours!
Habitually losing sleep can lead to weight gain.
Sleeping well leads to a better memory
Sleeping fewer than 6 hours a night leads to inflammation, the blood levels of inflammatory proteins increase.
A good night sleep helps us be more creative.
Sleeping well helps our mood, our attention span, productivity and more!
So, that's great you say!! But what am I supposed to do about it?
Cut back on the caffeine - yea, I know they always say that. It is true
Drink alcohol earlier in the evening; though it makes some sleepy alcohol can cause you to wake during the night.
What we eat makes a difference, choose foods with triptiphan or choose healthy carbs that can be calming. For more about "sleep foods" you can read this month's Yielding Action newsletter.
Regular exercise can help us sleep better, but be aware of your own body. If you are energized right after exercising try exercising earlier in the evening.
Turn off those devices. The light from our electric friends can disturb our normal sleep rhythms. The added benefits can be face-to-face time with your family, or re-discovering a love for reading or a hobby. Be creative as you unwind.
Going to bed and waking at the same time each day can help us sleep better over all.
Drink some chamomile tea.
Meditation/prayer before bed - as little as 10 minutes can help us sleep better.
Calcium and magnesium taken before bed may help promote calm.
Dimming the lights around your home a few hours before bed can help signal your brain to start making melatonin, which helps us sleep naturally.
Get his and her burritos. You each sleep differently and it's ok to create an environment that works for you both. Don't worry, it isn't a wall or fortress; you can still touch each other at any moment. Well, kinda- that's a different story, I have a sleeping rule "No part of you should touch any part of me when I am in my sleeping zone!" But, if it isn't a sleeping zone, they hey! touch away!
Visit the sleepfoundation.org to learn more and if you chronically struggle with sleep talk to your doctor to make sure there are no underlying issues and to help you find solutions.
Sleep well!
Lisa received her Health Coach Certification from the Dr. Sears Wellness Institute, founded by world-renowned physician and author, Dr. William Sears. The Institute is a leader in science-based health and wellness education that focuses on the four pillars of health; Lifestyle, Exercise, Attitude and Nutrition (L.E.A.N.). A certification by the Dr. Sears Wellness Institute is obtained only after completing the extensive course work and meeting all requirements. Once certified, a Health Coach possesses the knowledge, tools and resources to make a positive difference in the health of others.
The information in this blog is educational and not meant to diagnose, treat, or mitigate symptoms.
I offer individual coaching sessions and online health coach sessions through Zoom, if you are not local, as well as group sessions, workshops, and special events. I would love to help you on your journey towards health and wellness. Contact me for more information.
All photos are by me, Lisa Wright Burbach – Feel free to share, but please give credit to the source. Thank you.
This article has been reposted from bringingbackdinner.com which has merged with Yieldingaction.com