Day and Night, Night and Day

When was the last time you had a good night's sleep? Do you have a hard time falling asleep or do you awaken in the middle of the night?

There may be external factors, such as a thunderstorm or a child's crying (sometimes they sound amazingly similar) that may keep you up.

Otherwise, there are many internal factors to consider. Firstly, do you have any medical issues that interfere with a night's rest? Secondly, is your mind's inability to “take time off” the culprit? What is going on that you don't get the needed recuperation and renewal that is built into our systems?

When we address our nighttime issues, we also need to look at our days. One is not separate from the other. Stress from the day may remain embedded in our minds, prevent our sleeping well or coalesce into disturbing dreams. Evening schedules may likewise intrude into our sleeping patterns. We may be interacting with technology and stimulating our brains, when we need to be winding down. We cannot separate our days from our nights.

Developing healthy sleeping habits is the essence of what we call, "sleep hygiene." Seek help if you have difficulties in this area. A night's rest or lack thereof can impact significantly on your mood and functioning the next day and, if it becomes a discernible pattern, your long-term mental and physical health.