by Taru Fisher on December 4, 2010
I recently had an “ah ha” moment. For the past six months I’ve had one upper respiratory infection after another as well as some other troubling symptoms. I didn’t understand it; I’d never been ill like this. I had Rheumatoid Arthritis, but somehow that overactive immune system of mine had always taken care of other invaders. What had changed?
I realized that for years I’ve been treating my body like it could handle anything I threw at it. Rushing from here to nowhere, pushing myself to succeed, ignoring my inner voice, and most importantly, my body’s voice.
First it was just a whisper, than somewhat conversational, then a shout, and finally, a scream. Don’t let your body’s voice turn into a scream…that takes a huge effort, pain, and lots of regret to fix. Listen to the whisper, and honor your body’s wisdom immediately.
If you are coming down with something (and we all know when that’s happening), rest and take care of yourself. If you already have a cold, flu or any other health challenge, STOP doing, find out what your body needs to help it heal, and take care of yourself. Be present, aware, alert, and tuned in to your body. It will reward you with a quick recovery and a longer, healthier life.
How do you honor your body’s voice? If you’re not, what will it take for that to happen?
Tagged as:
Aging,
health,
presence,
rest
by Taru Fisher on July 18, 2009
Sleep: the fundamental way we rejuvenate ourselves.
Sleep is a lifesaver, especially as we age. It is during sleep that the body repairs itself and the mind resolves issues left over from the day’s activities.
So, how much sleep is enough? We’ve been told 7 to 8 hours a night is necessary, but one size doesn’t fit all. How do you know if you are getting the right amount for you?
There are several ways:
- Do you feel rested and refreshed when you get out of bed in the morning?
- Are you able to stay awake later in the day while reading a book or watching TV?
- Do you feel sleepy when driving during the day?
If you answered “no” to any of these questions, here are some suggestions to help you get the sleep you need.
- Establish a routine sleep schedule.
- Avoid using the bed for activities other than sleep or intimacy.
- Avoid substances that disturb sleep, such as caffeine and alcohol.
- Take a 20-minute power nap during the day. Do it no later than 3 p.m. While this seems counter-intuitive, it really helps rejuvenate you for the rest of the day and helps you stay awake in the evening. I use a wonderful software program on my iPod called Pzziz. It uses NLP and hypnosis to put me in a restorative sleep and wakes me up in 20 minutes rested and ready to take on the world again.
- Develop pre-sleep rituals that help you relax, such as a warm bath, a light snack or a few minutes of reading.
- Bedtime is a time to relax, not replay the stresses of the day. Leave worries behind.
- Keep your bedroom dark, quiet and a little cool.
- If you can’t fall asleep, leave the bedroom and do a quiet activity. Go back to bed only when you’re tired.
For the best sleep, no TV or computer right before going to bed. Try reading a book until your eyes feel heavy, your comprehension drops and you start to nod off.
If your mind races, take a deep breath through your nose to a count of 6, hold briefly and exhale through your mouth for a count of 4. Repeat until you fall asleep.
Tagged as:
naps,
Pzziz,
rest,
Sleep
