Beauty Sleep (Valentines Beauty)

Why sleep is so important? People have known for ages that sleep is good for general health. An old Irish proverb states "A good laugh and a long sleep are the best cures in the doctor's book." Research has proved that sleep heals and repairs the body. New studies are currently looking at the roll sleep plays in memory and learning.  The idea of beauty sleep has long been an old wives tale, but proper sleep is widely thought to lesson the severity of wrinkles, at least temporarily, refresh the face especially under the eyes, and help to keep you from looking haggard as you age. Good sleep habits help to make you feel refreshed, full of energy, mentally awake and ready for the day. And most importantly it affects our moods. A good mood is in itself one of the most beautiful ways to bless our loved ones and ourselves. 

So for valentines I thought it would be good to look at sleep habits. Is there anything you can improve? I know there is a bit I will be changing.

Here are a few tips I picked up while researching this topic:

• Avoid large meals before bedtime - our stomachs empty about every 2.5 hours. So, a good rule is not to eat at least 2 hours before bed.

• Make a comfy bedroom - a properly made bed, comfortable sheets, a fluffy bedspread, a pillow that is just right for you, and maybe a drop of your favorite essential oil on the underside of your pillow, are just a few ways to be comfortable.
  

• No screen time before bed - television, computers, movies all of these things stimulate the mind. Something that relaxes you instead such as a bubble bath, listening to music, watching a fire die down will help to prepare you for sleep. The recommended time is a half hour of relaxation before bed, but I am betting even 15 minutes would do some good.
  

• No coffee before bed! - You already knew that though.
  

• And if you really have trouble sleeping take a moment to google "sleep hygiene" new information is coming out all the time on how to get a better nights sleep.
  

Here is a fun link to a test on DiscoveryHealth.com to see how your sleep hygiene rates.

Without enough sleep, we all become tall two-year-olds.  ~JoJo Jensen, Dirt Farmer Wisdom, 2002

The best bridge between despair and hope is a good night's sleep.  ~E. Joseph Cossman