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Posts Tagged ‘Sleep’

Combating Exhaustion: The Power of Rest

Tuesday, August 31st, 2010

By Guest Blogger Dr. Matthew Edlund

I bet you never thought of resting up on the job! I bet some of you think you require little rest to function. Or even still, some of you acknowledge the importance of rest, but can’t seem the find the time to do so. I’m here to tell you…NONSENSE!  Rest is the original transformative technology.  Rest is like food; without it you can’t rebuild and renew your body, absolutely required for your energy, health, and productivity.  And like food, you want to dine, not feed!

Which is what you do when you actively rest.  Unlike the passive rest of vegging out or sleeping, active rest is conscious, directed, and entirely under your control.  Active rest allows you, in as little as 30-60 seconds, to revive yourself when exhausted or relax when you’re under stress.  In fact, I’ve even written a book on the The Power of Rest, and it has dozens of active rest techniques you can use to enjoy and prosper throughout the days (and nights – oh yes, sex too is a form of social rest).

the power of rest

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8 Quick Tips For Staying Fit During The Winter Months

Sunday, November 15th, 2009

If you’re like me, then getting to the gym can be a real chore. Especially now that I’m blogging, I have come up with nearly every excuse in the book to avoid the gym. “I haven’t written a blog in a couple of days, so I want to write this morning. I have no time for the gym today!” Now I’m in pretty decent shape. I won’t lie. I’ve been active my entire life, from ballet as a little girl through to late teens, and then fitness after that.  Being fit and eating healthy have always been a part of my life. But, honestly, I’m just not one of those people who “love the gym.” Obviously, there is no better feeling once you’re finished, and I never regret going once I’m all done, but it’s always a miracle that I make it there. Every time.

I don’t think I’m alone either. We seem to find time to work and play just fine, but eating right and staying fit often take a back seat. Well, we’re coming into the “cozy” months. The “couch potato” months if you live in a city as cold as mine in the winter. The metabolism seems to slow down, we drink some full-bodied reds, and enjoy that yummy mac and cheese and shepherd’s pie that our kids seem to love. Sounds good to me. Except that these are the months that many have a tendency to put weight on. The physical outdoor activities of walking, jogging, swimming, golfing, and many others become literally a “cease and desist.”

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Off The Fence

Saturday, October 3rd, 2009

Hi Ladies,

Anyone home now? I am!

It’s Saturday night, and our babysitter wasn’t able to sit. Just put the last child to bed and am gonna watch the Hockey Game on TV. I’m totally wiped.

The good news… we had our FIRST double sleep-out last night. My kids slept at my parents’ house. Woo hoo!! I dropped them both off at 4PM. My mom took them downtown for dinner, and they all slept in her bed. It was great fun for them. My hubby and I went for dinner at 6PM, were home by 7:30PM, and asleep by 9:30PM! LOSERS! We slept until 8:30AM this morning. It was heaven!  The last time I slept 11 straight hours I was a teenager with a hangover. It was AWESOME!

http://www.imajlar.com/free_clipart/kid_clipart/kid_clipart_skating.gif

Today, my two year old FINALLY got his first pair of ice skates. He has been waiting since the ripe old age of ten months. No joke! Those who know him, know he has been begging to play ice hockey for the past eighteen months. He is seriously obsessed.  So, lessons start Monday, and he’s ready to go. He’s worn his  skates around the house ALL DAY. I kid you not. And now, they sleep on the floor beside his crib. He cried for 30 minutes tonight to sleep with them in his crib, but my husband said he would Edward Scissorhands himself during the night. Based on last week’s drama, that’s the last thing we need right now!!! He’s utterly delicious.

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Shutting your brain off for a good night sleep

Friday, September 18th, 2009

tired_woman

How many of you lay awake at night, tossing and turning, unable to sleep? How many of you flip flop around like a fish out of water, and check that clock… 1:17Am, 3:27Am, 4:49Am, 6:30AM…..BEEP BEEP BEEP. Your alarm is ringing, time to wake up!! I am getting tired just writing about it!

The truth is for many, sleep deprivation is a major issue.  We all know how it feels when you’re lying awake in bed trying to fall asleep, and your mind is racing. Thoughts are coming from everywhere, and although your body is lying quite still, your mind is running an iron man marathon.  It’s almost as if you’re thinking 100 times faster at night than you do during the day.

This is the way it may play out for you. You’re laying in bed, frustrated, forcing your mind to not think. “I just need to get to sleep… If I fall asleep in 10 minutes, I’ll have 4 hours left… I better get to sleep now… Tomorrow I can’t forget to make a haircut appointment for the three kids… I hate my job… How I’m going to tell my girlfriend she disappointed me…” and the list of worries goes on and on. So how do you stop it?

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