It’s last Friday.
Note: It’s not, I’m setting the scene.
I’ve just dropped my two older sons off at school in Bakewell.
When we set off from Macclesfield, it was lovely and sunny (kinda).
We didn’t have to get far up the Cat and Fiddle for the snow to start.
It got pretty hairy by the top.
I dropped them at school eventually, the journey taking twice as long as usual.
I’ve just tried to get back to Macc.
Not happening.
Lorries and cars stuck on the roads I’ve tried and comments on Buxton Weather Watch page suggest I’m not getting through even if I get that far.
So I’ve returned to Bakewell.
I’m in the Upstairs Cafe.
I used to come here every Thursday for many years, around helping out in school when they were at Primary.
I’ll be here for a few hours writing blogs, etc.
But I’d made an error.
My phone was nearly flat.
I had a charging lead in the car.
But no plug.
So I’ve just popped to the Spa to buy one.
£14.99 it was.
A waste of money as we have loads at home.
Starting the day not fully charged was the error.
Because the day is always easier on a full charge isn’t it?
Both of our phones and our bodies.
When I talk to people about their mental health and mood not being where they’d like it to be, if often quickly becomes clear that, at least part of it, is that they’re tired (and bored – I’ll come to that tomorrow).
I’ve had many people over the years improve their sleep and found that what they’d being considering as their depression (I’ll cover the ‘owning’ of emotional states in two days) has, at least, got somewhat better.
I know it’s not the entirety of the conversation about mental health and not always relevant.
But that doesn’t mean it isn’t part of the conversation (an often overlooked part) and that it isn’t sometimes / often relevant.
And I know improving our sleep is “easier said than done”.
Because everything is harder to do that to say.
But here’s a few things that, if your sleep isn’t where you’d like it to be, will probably help that (and, quite, possibly your mood / mental health).
– Consistency of bed and wake up times
– Minimising exposure to screens in the hour or so before bed
– Reducing afternoon caffeine
– Completely darkening sleeping area (blackout blinds, covering LEDs, etc)
– Journaling to help somewhat ‘wrap up’ those thoughts that reverberate around our head
– Planning and scheduling to get that “to do list” out of our heads and into a trusted system
– Supplementing with magnesium
Now maybe not all these things are doable and / or will help.
But some (or most) are and probably will.
Give them a go, for a consistent period of time, and let me know if your sleep and how you feeling doesn’t improve (and pretty much everything will improve if you go here —> www.myrise.co.uk/apply/. I literally guarantee it. What do you have to lose?)
Much love,
Jon ‘16,047.48 Argentine Pesos’ Hall
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RISE in Macclesfield was established in 2012 and specialise in Group Personal Training weight loss programmes for those that don’t like the gym and find diets boring and restrictive!
