The holidays present a time of fun, exciting get-togethers, but sleep is often unwillingly ignored throughout December into the new year. More after-work activities and rushing around buying up gifts can wear on energy levels. That being said, I’ve compiled 5 tried and true methods for snoozing better when stacking Zs can be elusive on the weekends. Make time for yourself into 2008, be good to your body and you can be sure it will return the favor in folds.

1 - Clear your mind of anxious thoughts

Anxiety is a leading cause of lack of sleep, worldwide. If there are indeed things on your mind, write them down to deal with later. Bad dreams and waking up more than once during the night are signs of not properly clearing one’s head before bed. Deal with worldly thoughts during the day and focus on your goal of rest at night; don’t let them overlap.

2 - Take deep breaths to relax

I swear by this. No matter the situation, in bed or out, deep breathing exercises will always help in calming down.

3 - Rid your bedroom of televisions

Your place of rest should be a personal sanctuary where sleep is the main and only focus. A TV set detracts from this and should be left in a room such as the living space. Orient the objects/furniture in your bedroom to create maximum relaxation and convenience. For more on this, familiarize yourself with Feng Shui.

4 - 20 minute rule in full effect

If you crawl into bed and find that 20 minutes later you’re not asleep, it’s time to read a book or visit the kitchen for a cup of decaf tea. Watching TV or surfing the ‘net on a computer will not help to relax the mental state, so avoid these. It’s all about decompressing analog, not digital.

5 - Let the sun be your alarm clock

Your body has what’s referred to as a “biological clock”. The cycle of the night and sunrise are fantastic tools to align your body’s schedule to. By waking up with the sun on Saturday and Sunday, you’ll arise more naturally and feel increasingly rested each morning. Sleeping in ’til 2pm will induce a groggy, zombie-like state, guaranteed.

No matter how hectic work and personal lives may get around holiday festivities, we need sleep, because without it we cannot properly recharge our bodies and minds. Enjoy the rest of 2007 but consistently make an effort to employ these 5 methods for resting smarter on the week’s end.

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(This post is part of an ongoing “Give Yourself a Break” series)

There was a point several years back that I was, well… maxed out. By that, I mean appointments for school/work/fun back-to-back and day-in-day-out. There’s only so long that a person can go without relaxation. I soon realized this and knew that simplifying my schedule and commitments would not only allow me peace of mind, but make me a better friend to pals and family. Here I stand on the other, sunnier side of the street, and there are a variety of things which keep me here. One of them is, television.

I’ve never been much of a movie or TV watcher, but I do thoroughly enjoy a few hours in front of the boob tube when something of high quality is playing (a rarity, I know). I was already exercising at the gym, which was (and still is) an effective sanctuary where I could decompress. I did, however, need space and time to put my mind at near-total ease. Television was the cure folks, yes television.

I made it a point to flop down on the couch (space) in front of the tv whenever I had been running at full steam during the day (time). Let me tell you, it did wonders for my mental clarity. Coupled with the exercise I had already been active with on a regular basis, I reduced my blood pressure and laughed a lot more.

I should say, that I’ve always been an avid artist and reader/researcher, so tv was added in to that mix. By no means did I replace any enriching activities with tv, but rather they compliment each other. Harmony my friends, that’s what it’s about when it comes to balancing work life with personal life. Be good to yourself, no matter what.

Which relaxing, recreational things do you partake in to wind down from an intense day?

photo credit: Flickr user pictobox

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CBS is reporting that energy drinks jack up heart heart and blood pressure, due to caffeine levels found in Red Bulls, Rockstars, etc. I’m glad to the info is being published, and it really makes me wonder what misconceptions surround these mini jolts-in-a-can.

“In a small study, they found that drinking just two cans of a popular drink increased blood pressure and heart rate within four hours.” - CBS

I’d say that within four minutes I’ve felt an increase the amount of work my heart’s doing (followed by a crash, but I’ll get into that later). I’m not a regular Red Bull slammer, but I have dabbled with the occasional 8.3 ounce aluminum packages of taurine/caffeine combo enough to decide I was better off sticking to good ol’ herbal tea. Antioxidants along are reason enough to have one or two (or five) cups a day!

Take a page from the book of common sense, let’s quickly review several questions we should be asking when contemplating an “energy drink”. Sound good? Good.

• Do I really need a temporary boost in energy?
• Will the crash (end of sugar rush) affect me during work hours?
• Do the ingredients conflict with allergies/medications?
• What alternatives do I have available?
• Is the cost-to-productivity ratio justified?

Posing these questions before cracking open a brew of heart stimulator will lead you down a healthier path.

Additionally, here’s everything you need to know about a Red Bull. Rockstar drinks and such will vary, but this is a good reference for 8.3 oz energy beverages.

Ingredients:
Carbonated water, sucrose, glucose, sodium citrate, taurine, glucuronolactone, inositol, niacin, D-pantothenol, pyridoxine HCL, vitamin B12, natural and artificial flavors, colors, caffeine

Nutrition Facts:
Serving Size: 1 can; Amount per serving: Calories: 160; Total Fat: 0g; Sodium: 290mg; Protein: less than 1g; Total Carbohydrates: 40g; Sugars: 39g; Niacin: 140%; Vitamin B6: 360%; Vitamin B12: 120%; Pantothenic acid: 70%

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Occasional pressure is part of any job, but how you deal with it is what matters most. Coworkers have shared many stress-busting tips with me over the years and I feel it’s on me now to pass them along to you. I’m a mellow guy, so I rarely have to turn to these, but they’re good to have in the arsenal of tension diffusers.

- Have a cup of water. Water is the essence of life and staying hydrated will help in calming nerves.

- Read a chapter in a book. Or if you’re not much of a novel page-flipper, turn to a favorite magazine. Reading different material other than work, helps to introduce new thoughts.

- Draw a stick figure. Think back to how much fun you had as a child drawing to your heart’s content. Acting childish through sketches boost creativity.

- Close your eyes. It’s far easier to clear one’s mind when the visual sense is shut off.

- Listen to a song. Queue your favorite Tom Jones track and drift off momentarily to a land of the imaginary.

- Eat a piece of fruit. Our bodies need simple sugars to function well. Fruit has these and so much more. The power of naturally-occurring vitamins is uber beneficial.

- Write a note to a friend. On break, take 5 minutes to take out a pen paper. Don’t turn to e-mail; make sure this will get licked, stamped, and mailed.

- Go for a walk. Exercise increases blood flow and iron levels; both of which boost energy.

- Visit a new corner of your floor. Monotony is a leading cause of frustration. Touring the neighboring department will open your eyes to something new.

- Look through a window. A different view (with natural light) will relax the mind.

Now obviously, just one or a combination of these may not completely rid your system of stress. But, you can be sure that they will always lessen the amount of immediate pressure you might be feeling during the day.

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Drinking water is a proven weight loss method that many dieters don’t tap into (pardon the pun). If you’re looking for a more shapely physique, or simply crave better health, water can be your biggest ally. The second best part about water…it’s free!

Now, I know some of you prefer coffee, soda, juices, etc. That is perfectly fine, but there is no denying the following facts about water and weight loss.

* Water cleanses the body’s system of toxins and lipids

* Water has no calories

* Water maintains hydration, which in turn provides energy (less comfort food).

* Water prepares the body for exercise/activity

I could go on and on with the benefits of drinking H2O, and those are just a few points to illustrate what a great diet tool water is.

Dr. Barbara Levine, director of the human nutrition program at the Rockefeller University in New York City has been quoted as saying, “whatever the water is, tap or bottled, we need to drink more water,” “People are drinking far too much alcohol and caffeinated beverages, which are dehydrating.”

Now, nearly every workplace is outfitted with a cooler, bottled water, or some form to get you that sweet replenishing liquid of nature. There’s no reason you can’t substitute a cup of coffee or a soda for a nice tall cup of water during the day. Make it a point to steadily increase your water daily consumption. A good indicator that you’re drinking enough water is when urine is mostly are completely clear.

If you’d like, you can easily track your water-drinking and other diet habits at Traineo. Water’s free, Traineo’s free, so get started today on the path to a healthier lifestyle without breaking the bank.

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