Tag: rest

Gimmie A Break

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“Rest is not idleness, and to lie sometimes on the grass under trees on a summer’s day, listening to the murmur of the water, or watching the clouds float across the sky, is by no means a waste of time.” – John Lubbock

Our relaxing November

Ahh, November. How I have loved you! This year, November has been a pretty relaxing month for us. After a crazy, busy summer and a fall full of kids sports, we have had a much-needed break. No softball practice for Emily, reduced practices for Lainie, and only a couple of gymnastics meets. For us, this meant free time on the weekends. Say what?! Too bad my sleep cycle didn’t get the memo.  Most mornings I was still up by 6:00 am but it sure was nice to stay in bed and relax, instead of rushing off somewhere.

We had a few days at home. Home all day. Literally didn’t leave the house.

Heaven on Earth…

We spent a couple of days doing fun stuff together as a family: Michigan football and basketball game, target practice in the backyard, movies.

Anthony and I had a dinner date night and went Christmas shopping.  The 5 of us went to church together. I had a girls’ night away with my bestie. Thursday yoga finally made it on the calendar. We took a trip to the library and I read a whole book and relaxed in the hot tub with a glass of wine. The kids built entire Minecraft villages (whatever that means) It was amazing to do one thing at a time. Heck, sometimes I did nothing! At first, this took some practice. After months of being busy, it is hard to just be! Thanksgiving weekend was a great mix of fun and relaxation, which I am super thankful for.

The importance of breaks

Breaks are important. This seems like a no-brainer.  But how many people do you know that NEVER SLOW DOWN? I know a few. Sometimes I am that person. My theory – if God himself needed rest, then I do too! On Sunday, God rested. He created the whole world and everything in it, which sounds pretty exhausting.

Rest allows us to rest, recharge, and renew our mind, body, and soul. Think about your car. You can only go so far on a tank of gas, then it’s time to stop and refuel your empty tank. We are no different. Eventually, we need to stop and refuel. I have felt the effects of running on empty and let me tell ya, it ain’t pretty! Taking a few minutes to rest is well worth it.

God’s word about rest

The Bible talks a lot about rest.  If it’s in the Bible, it’s important! And, things we think are hard today were A LOT harder back in bible days. No technology, cars, or fast food restaurants. You get the idea! So if rest was important back then, it’s even MORE important now!

Matthew 11:28 Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 

Genesis 2:2-3 By the seventh day God had finished the work he had been doing; so on the seventh day he rested from all his work. Then God blessed the seventh day and made it holy because on it he rested from all the work of creating that he had done. 

Psalm 55:6 I said, “Oh, that I had wings of a dove! I would fly away and be at rest.”

Mark 6:31 Then, because so many people were coming and going that they did not even have a chance to eat, he said to them, “Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest.

Exodus 33:14 The Lord replied, “My presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.” 

Hebrews 4:9-11 There remains, then, a Sabbath-rest for the people of God for anyone who enters God’s rest also rests from their works, just as God did from his. Let us, therefore, make every effort to enter that rest, so that no one will perish by following their example of disobedience.

Jesus knew what it was like to be busy. People needed his time and attention, and after a while, he went away to rest. If you are struggling with a fast pace, take a break! Find a few minutes to unwind. Take a few days off. This might mean saying “No” once in a while. Whatever it takes, relax, recharge, and renew your mind, body, and soul. I PROMISE you will be glad you did!

 

Let’s talk about sleep

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Let’s talk about sleep baby. Let’s talk about getting those zzzz’s. Let’s talk about all the good things and the bad things that we dream. Let’s talk about sleep.

Break it down Emily (and a short cameo by Bo who is fake sleeping)


Isn’t it ironic that the worst sleeper in the house (Emily) is talking about sleep. We all struggle with that from time to time. Some days I am jonesin’ for an afternoon nap about 2:00. Unfortunately my work peeps would be annoyed! When I steer clear of sugar and drink a lot of water, my energy levels are good. But sometimes no matter what I do, I am

Just. Plain. Tired.

According to my smart watch, I average around 7 hours of sleep each night, despite the bathroom breaks and kids coming into our bed. Studies show the average person needs 8 hours of sleep per night. How do we make that happen? I haven’t quite reached the 8 hour goal, but I’m close, and here’s what works for me:

      • Avoid caffeine late in the day. I drink an iced tea for lunch. If I’m feeling a little crazy I might have one with dinner. On a rare occasion I drink pop. Alcohol is a real killer because I often mix with something caffeinated. It seems as though I sleep better after a few drinks, but studies show negative long-term effects on your sleep after drinking alcohol.
      • Don’t nap during the day. Yea, well if I had this luxury, it might interfere but I don’t. However, my kids are living proof though that late day naps do not help out the night-time cause!
      • Put down your electronics. This is a toughy. We no longer have a home phone. So if someone decides to break in and try to kill us, I like to have my cell phone nearby. It is also the only way for my family to get ahold of us in the event of an emergency (anyone else freak out when you see a call from your parents come in late at night?) I have started turning down my ringer and silencing unnecessary notifications before bed.
      • Sleep and wake at consistent times. This one just happens automatically over time if you’re lucky like me. “Sleeping in” means staying in bed until 7:30 at my house. Long gone are my days of sleeping until 10:00am because I was out late the night before. So even though I hate it, I know it is better for my body. I will say that even though I wake up early, it is nice to lay around in bed if I don’t have to rush off anywhere.
      • Oil or soak. I have a few essential oils I use topically or diffuse (until my husband notices the diffuser and turns it off because he thinks it stinks.) Peace and Calming and Lavendar are a few of my Young Living favorites. I just bought Doterra Serenity blend to try as well. Baths are also a good way for my girls to wind down before bed too.
      • Take some herbs. I take 2 Tranquil Mind herbs before bed. I really love these as a night-time supplement.I also take a Melatonin as needed on nights I know I will need the extra help. Valerian Root is another good bedtime herb which you can find in herbal tea. There is some in this Schiff Melatonin Ultra as well!
      • Find a good temperature. When it is too hot or too cold in our bedroom, I do not sleep well. Being too cold isn’t as bad for me as being too hot. If it’s too warm in our room, I always wake up a few times in the night.
      • Breathe! This is an easy one. When I use my Resperate  before bed, I fall asleep so much easier and faster. Take some time for deep breathing or meditation when you get in bed. You can find apps that work as well if you don’t want to buy a fancy contraption. My 2 favorites are Stop Think Breath and Calm.
      • Don’t exercise late at night. One of my favorite workouts is a kickboxing class near my work. I don’t go as often as I would like, but when I do, I am up so late! The class is from 8:00-9:00pm. By the time I get home, shower, and get in bed it’s after 9:30 (which I realize is not that late) but by this point I am WIDE awake! My endorphins are flowing and sleep is the last thing on my mind. I wish I could bottle that energy and pull some out in the am.
      • Have the right amount of noise. For me, that is the TV on a low volume, which I know is a terrible habit! But I cannot sleep without the TV on. I also keep it on a show that I don’t like so I’m not tempted to keep watching TV. For some, a fan or white noise or music works too!20180815_091217_00013810722484128994978.png

      This is what works for me, but everyone is different. Beside my bad TV habit, studies back most of these suggestions. When I stick to my list, I sleep pretty good and wake feeling rested. Drinking a lot of water (about 50-60 ounces per day) helps me wake up easier in the morning. When I don’t drink enough water, I have a much harder time getting out of bed. What works for you?