Take Me to Bed With You

You won't regret it.

A long, long, long, long, long time ago, I'd fall asleep as soon as my head hit the pillow. The next thing I knew, I'd open my eyes. Voila, it was morning.

I didn't realize it when I was younger, but a full night's sleep was nothing short of a miracle. How little I appreciated the reliability of my body and the beautiful things it did for me.

Things changed in the last 20 years. Hormones, wear and tear, and aging, to name a few. 

My nights grew worse and worse. Sometimes I couldn't fall asleep; other times, I'd fall asleep but then wake up multiple times.  

Finally, I decided I had to figure it out. I was working as a yoga teacher by then. I used its ancient tools to help my body relax.  

I won't lie. Yoga was only part of the answer. I needed to do more than relax tense muscles. I studied sleep like it was my job.

I learned:

1. Alcohol will ruin your sleep. I didn't believe it at first because I couldn't keep my eyes open after drinking wine in the evening. It sounded counterintuitive. With alcohol circulating in my body, it was impossible to sleep well. If you're imbibing before bed, take note. As alcohol breaks down in the body, you will wake up dozens of times throughout the night. You may not recall it in the morning, but researchers have confirmed the ruinous effects of alcohol on your sleep cycle and body. 

2. Sleeping pills could contribute to your early demise. People who take them are setting themselves up for poor immune response and the likelihood of succumbing to infection. With the pills, you aren't reaping the benefits of sleep but are merely sedated.

3. Do you *need* the TV to fall asleep? Sorry, more bad news there, too. The light from the televisions is messing with your circadian rhythm and worsening your sleep problems. Any bright lights, including laptops, E-readers, and phones, are detrimental.

This was a major spoiler. If you flush your sleeping pills, only drink beer in the morning, and turn off the TV and all electronic devices before bed, you may not need me after all. 

But if you want to -FINALLY- do the work and get to the bottom of your crappy sleep, join us tomorrow at 7:30 p.m. on Zoom.

I will tell you more about what the sleep researchers are saying. I will challenge you to make some changes in your life. And last but not least, I will give you a sampling of yoga that will let your body know you're serious about sleeping.

We will do restorative, yin, and gentle stretches throughout three one-hour classes (11/3. 11/10, and 11/17.) The classes will be recorded and available for you to use until the end of November. You can do the practices right before sleep and measure their effectiveness.

Sign up here.