Sleep is the best meditation.

~ Dalai Lama There are some people who just seem to have it all figured out. They manage their families, careers and responsibilities with graceful ease, and clean shirts. Have you ever wondered how these types manage to juggle so effortlessly, while your balls are seemingly crashing down around you! These types of people always get the promotion, win the race, don t ever seem stressed, and eyes just follow them. "hat s their secret! How are they #eeping it all together! $ #now, and $ m going to tell you. $t s about getting the proper sleep. %eople who get enough sleep are successful, focused and happy. "e need sleep to recharge our brains and bodies. "hen we are tired, we can aimlessly jump from tas# to tas# without any real clarity. "e end up treading a tiring circle of never&ending tas#s. "e all want to be the best version of ourselves, whether it be a good mother, top e'ecutive or an ama(ing athlete. $n our busy society, sleep has become somewhat of a lu'ury. $f you own your own business or have #ids, you might relate to the phrase) *$ ll sleep when $ m dead.+ ,uess what! -ou couldn t be further from the truth. -ou are forgoing the one thing that can help you achieve your success. .ad sleep habits cause our bodies to become worn. Li#e an engine without an oil change, we start to brea# down.

"e become irritable and moody, and if sleep deprivation continues we can e'perience hallucinations and an'iety. "e become emotionally flattened and our relationships suffer. "e lose our ability to remember and suffer many cognitive delays. "e can even fall prey to substance abuse.

"hat s even worse is that we can fall into micro&sleeps /0&12 seconds3 that cause lapses in attention, which could lead us to nod off while doing an activity li#e driving. 4ot getting enough sleep is downright dangerous.

So as# yourself this) are you starting to resemble a (ombie from "orld "ar 5! That s not going to bring you success or happiness. Let s get you bac# to being human, o#ay! -ou may also be interested in) How To ,et 6 .etter 4ight7s Sleep

Sleep No-Nos:
1. Dont eat right before bed
Have your final meal about 8 hours before bedtime. 9ating too close to bed will leave your digestive system wor#ing very hard and might cause an upset stomach throughout the night.

2. Avoid caffeine and alcohol

:affeine is a stimulant and it #eeps the body alert and energi(ed. 6lcohol may initially calm you or ma#e you feel drowsy, but it actually increases the amount of times you will wa#e up during the night.

3. Reserve yo r bed for sleeping! thats it.

$f you read, watch T; or do wor# in bed, it will be hard to wind down. -ou want to associate your bed with sleep, and sleep only /well, maybe intimacy too, but we won t get into that now3.

". Sh t o t the lights

.right lights actually repress melatonin, which is responsible for regulating our sleep cycles. $t is also recommended to avoid reading from bac#&lit devices late at night. The dar#er the room, the better. Try using heavy curtains or a sleep mas#.

#. Dont sleep too $ ch

"hen it comes to sleep, there is too much of a good thing. <versleeping can lead to heart disease, diabetes and depression. The average adult will need = hours sleep. This can vary from person to person, but use this as a guideline. "e also recommend) Save 8 Hours a Day. -ou "ill Have 9'tra 12>0 Hours a -ear.

%hat &o Sho ld do:

1. 'editate.
The number one cause of being unable to sleep is stress. "e stress about wor#, relationships or health. ?editation will open a whole new world. -ou need to turn off your mind, especially if you are struggling with sleep. <ur mind does a lot of thin#ing, and we usually aren t even aware that it s happening. .ut these thoughts are powerful, and sometimes thoughts can spiral into stressful, negative thoughts and control us. ?editation will give you powerful tools to be the watcher of your mind. .y watching your mind, you can prevent urges and negative thoughts, and you can lead a stress& lesslife. $n addition to meditation, practice rela'ation techni@ues such as)

Deep breathing. $nhale into the bottom of your stomach and e'hale deeply. %rogressive muscle rela'ation. Stay out of your head and focus on the sensations in your body. $magery and visuali(ation of peaceful, restful place. Ase a sound machine. The sounds of the ocean can be very rela'ing and ta#e you miles away from your troubles.

2. (he po)er of organi*ation and positive thin+ing.

.efore bed, ma#e a list of all the ama(ing things about your day. 9'pressing gratitude is #nown to improve sleep. 6lso, ma#e a list about what you plan to accomplish tomorrow. Staying focused will guarantee success.

3. ,-ercise.
-ou need to e'pend energy. 9'ercise will ma#e you feel better throughout your day and is wonderful for aiding in sleep. $ recommend yoga in particular. 9'ercise early in the morning or late afternoon to avoid stimulating the body before bed.

". Stay hydrated.

Staying hydrated is important all the time) during wa#ing hours and sleep time.

#. Drin+ rela-ation tea.

$ love having a calming decaffeinated Sleepytime tea before bed. The aroma itself puts me into a rela'ed state.

.. /et p early.
This is the secret ingredient of success. $f you want to accomplish big things and stay organi(ed, get up early. $ try to get up every day at 0)82B $ write for an hour, meditate for half an hour, wal# my dogs, ma#e brea#fast and then get ready for wor#. $ can t stress enough the benefits of this habit.

0. /o to bed at the sa$e ti$e every night and )a+e p at the sa$e ti$e every $orning.
-es, that s right, even on the wee#ends. Do you ever have trouble falling asleep on Sunday nights! :hances are you ve fallen out of your sleep routine. Do your best to maintain your sleep schedule.

1. 2eep a cool roo$.

Cesearch suggests that we sleep the best if our room is #ept at D0EF.

3. Re$e$ber that life goes on.

"hy not postpone your worrying until tomorrow! 6nd then tomorrow, postpone it to the ne't day. $f you can solve the problem, then solve itB if you can t solve it, then what is the point of worrying about it!

14. 5a gh a lot.
Laughter and humor will push stress out and ma#e you more li#able. Stop ta#ing life so seriously.

11. (ape yo r goals to yo r night side table.

That way the first thing you will see is your list. $f you want to get a promotion, write it down in big letters and read it every morning. $t s the oldSecret mentality) what you put out into the universe will come bac# to you. $ ve tried it, and it s wor#ed for me. The benefits of sleep go way beyond banishing your dar# circles. Sleep habits are an essential part of your lifestyle as a whole. -our best self is thereGit might just be hidden underneath a sleep&deprived fog. "hy not start refining your habits tonight! $ d love to hear about your secrets to successful sleep, so leave a comment belowH