Falling Asleep to Black Girl In Om

Healing Circle Discussion questions for our month on Rest:

As you move through the week, how often do you feel tired? When?
How do you respond to feeling tired? Do you make time for rest?
Do you think you could use better sleep? Do you feel well-rested when you wake up most mornings?
Who modeled rest and sleep behaviors for you when you were growing up? What did you learn from watching them?
Who is watching your rest and sleep behaviors? Before now, did you realize that person was paying attention? What are they learning from you about the value of sleep and rest?

Why Sleep

This is for that uncle who says “I’ll sleep when I’m dead”…

That time might come sooner than you think if you’re chronically sleep deprived.

Our bodies need sleep. It’s regenerative psychologically- you know how you feel more relaxed and more optimistic about the world after a good night’s rest? It’s also rejuvenating at the most granular molecular level. It turns out that high-quality sleep is anti-inflammatory. You read that right. All the turmeric lattes in the world can’t make up for the pro-inflammatory surge of chronic sleep deprivation. It’s no wonder, then, that research studies show people who get quality sleep have a lower risk of gaining weight, developing type 2 diabetes, and suffering from severe symptoms of anxiety and depression- all conditions that have chronic inflammation as one of their causes.

So, we need quality sleep in order to function at our best every day. But we also need to build a habit of getting quality sleep in order to prevent painful and costly chronic conditions in the long run. That’s where sleep hygiene comes into play.

How to Get to Sleep

Byte Wellness Sleep Hygiene Checklist.png

Sleep Hygiene sounds like it’s about keeping your bedsheets clean, but it’s not. Sleep hygiene is a set of habits that position your body and brain to get the best sleep possible. And they’re pretty basic. You can read some general principles of sleep hygiene in the pic above. (Go ahead and take a screenshot for later). Or you can scroll down.

Principles of Sleep Hygiene

Train your brain: Avoid doing anything other than sleeping in bed.
*If you find yourself lying awake in bed struggling to fall asleep for more than 30 minutes, get out of bed and do something else (fold clothes, read, until you’re ready to sleep)
Get strategic with substances: Be careful not to drink coffee/caffeinated drinks or alcohol within 6 hours of bedtime to avoid sleep disruptions. Pro-tip: Avoid high-sugar meals or drinks in the 1 hour before bed to prevent that sleep-killing sugar rush.
Get regular: Try to get on a regular sleep and wake schedule as much as possible. Create a bedtime ritual with tea or meditation or journaling to wind down your brain and body before sleep.
Keep in touch: Make sure you touch base with your healthcare provider if you have any complaints about your sleep. There are medical and psychological conditions that can make it hard for you to fall asleep and stay asleep (like sleep apnea and anxiety). You don’t want to overlook these.

Sleep Meditation from Black Girl in Om

You can find Lauren Ash, founder of Black Girl In Om, all over the internet. See her pics and motivational messages @blackgirlinom on Instagram and listen to the life wisdom she pulls from interviewees in the Black Girl In Om Podcast. For our #FridayFind, we sent our Daily Wellness Text members a link to this transformative Black Girl in Om meditation track on Spotify. It’s aptly called “Divine Rest and Ease (Meditations and Affirmations)” and it will relax every bit of you. Listen to a preview below, or go to Spotify to listen to the entire 7-minute meditation here: https://bit.ly/BGIOsleep