I participated in an Ambassador program on behalf of Influence Central for Pernix Therapeutics. I received a promotional item to thank me for my participation.
Over the past few months I’ve challenged myself to Get a Better Night’s Sleep. Getting a good night’s sleep was something I really didn’t take time to think about and I thought I was sleeping just fine. The more I thought about it though, the more I realized that I could do better. There had been days when I had felt sluggish, tired and unable to focus. I no longer wanted to feel that way, even if it was only for a few days a week. With my children back at school and everyone nicely settling into a good routine again, I’ve really been able to focus on a good night time routine for myself too.
One of the biggest challenges for me at night was to “unplug”. Because my business is my blog, I have to stay connected here at Cozy Country Living and up to date with all social media as well. I love responding to emails and having conversations with the really great people I’ve met through this awesome job of mine. If someone has a recipe question, I like to get back to them right away. I want all of you to feel like you matter, because you do! 🙂
To make getting back to people easier, I am able to access my email and of course all social media accounts on my phone. It’s so convenient, but that poses a problem as well. It can easily get out of control. Even at the end of the day, picking up that phone and checking my email had become second nature. I wasn’t even thinking about doing it, it had just become a habit every time I touched my phone. A very distracting habit. Can you relate? Not only was my mind not able to relax and unwind in the evening, preparing me for a restful night’s sleep, but I was distracted from conversations with my husband too.  Not good! It had to stop.
Over the past month I set a time to put my phone away and it stays away. I handle my emails and all other correspondence until a certain time and that’s it. The rest has to wait until the next day. I do take my phone with me upstairs at night, but I turn it over on my nightstand and forget about it. I’ve even forgot about it a few mornings as I was headed out the door. To be completely honest, that’s not such a bad thing either! Just making that one change in my night time routine has completely changed the sleep I get at night. I can’t believe how rested I feel and how nice it is to feel focused. I think it’s just a decision you have to make and stick to it. Phones today are addicting…just look around you. If you’ve got a sleep problem, and you can’t put that darn phone down, try it. It will be hard, but you can do it and your body will thank you!
Along with unplugging each night, I’ve got rid of the nightlight that was in our room and I’ve been sleeping with the windows open so I can hear the crickets and feel the cool breeze at night. It helps me relax and unwind and I haven’t tossed and turned or had a sleepless night in over a month. I am so glad that I set some boundaries for myself. It’s the best thing I have done for myself in a long time and it makes me a better wife and mother too. I pretty sure I’m a little more pleasant to be around as well!
There are however some circumstances where even practicing a healthy good night routine and shut-eye strategies to make a change in your sleeping pattern just may not work. Sometimes you need help. Sleep is so important! While most of us know how important a good night’s sleep is, I don’t think many of us are taking an active role in trying to achieve a good night’s sleep! Not getting enough rest for an extended period of time is unhealthy and can even be dangerous. If you have given it your all and you still can’t manage to get a good night’s sleep, please talk to your doctor. You can get help!
The good news is, is that there are effective treatment options available for those suffering with insomnia, including SILENOR®, a prescription sleep aid that is used to treat people with insomnia who have trouble staying asleep. While most sleep medications work on the “sleep-promoting system” to help people fall asleep, SILENOR® works with the “wake-promoting mechanism” of the body’s natural sleep-wake cycle, which helps people stay asleep throughout the night and early morning giving their mind and body the rest they need.
You owe it to yourself to feel rested and be the best you can be! Start this week out with a sleep plan and stick to it! You might be surprised with your results! Come back and let me know what you did this week to get a Good Night’s Sleep!
Full SILENOR® ISI: SILENOR® is a prescription sleep medicine that is used to treat people with insomnia who have trouble staying asleep. Call your doctor if your insomnia worsens or is not better within 7 to 10 days. This may mean that there is another condition causing your sleep problem. Be sure that you are able to devote 7 to 8 hours to sleep before being active again. SILENOR® should be taken within 30 minutes of bedtime. Do not take with alcohol or with other medicines that can make you sleepy. If you are on a monoamine oxidase inhibitor (MAOI) or have taken a MAOI within the past two weeks, you should not take SILENOR®. You should not take SILENOR® if you have an eye problem called narrow angle glaucoma that is not being treated, if you have severe urinary retention, or if you are allergic to any of the ingredients in SILENOR®. You should not drive or operate machinery at night after taking SILENOR®. Until you know how you will react to SILENOR®, you should be careful in performing such activities during the day following taking SILENOR®. Before you take SILENOR®, tell your doctor if you have a history of depression, mental illness or suicidal thoughts. You should call your doctor right away if after taking SILENOR® you walk, drive, eat or engage in other activities while asleep. Drowsiness is the most common adverse event observed in clinical trials. For more information, please see the complete Prescribing Information, including the Medication Guide, at https://www.silenor.com/Content/pdf/prescribing-information.pdf. You are encouraged to report negative side effects of prescription drugs to the FDA. Visit www.fda.gov/medwatch or call 1-800-FDA-1088.
To learn more about how to achieve a full, uninterrupted night’s sleep visit Wanttosleepmore.com
