The Keys to Unlocking Sweet Sleep: 4 Ways to Achieve A Good Night's Rest

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 By: Ayana Bryant-Weekes

Too many of us are losing sleep. We set “bedtimes” for ourselves and laugh because we know we’ll see that time come and go before we even begin to feel sleepy, we calculate and re-calculate the maximum amount of sleep we’ll get if we fall asleep within ten minutes, we lay awake at night, exhausted in our bodies, wishing we could fall asleep while our minds are wide awake. I started to think about what actually happens to my mind and body when I find myself unable to sleep; my legs tense causing me to toss and turn, my mind goes in a million directions, and when I should be resting and recharging my body, I’m awake and worrying. Vamping (staying up all night) became a commonality among people of my age group, which is apparently chalked-full of self-diagnosed Insomniacs.

So what is it about the night? What is it about the time dedicated to rest, that rest seems to be the one thing we can’t do? I remembered seeing a post on Instagram that said ‘Worry is just a tool of the enemy to take your mind off of God’s power’. How is something as simple as sleep used an attack of the enemy? One of the most important parts of living a healthy life is the time you spend letting your body recharge—sleeping. In the past I’ve always heard you need at least 8 hours of sleep. Since then, I’ve learned that the recommended amount of sleep varies based on a bunch of things like age, lifestyle and health. This chart from sleepfoundation.org has a really great breakdown of the actual amount of sleep each age range needs. Nevertheless, most 20-somethings will admit we don’t get anywhere near 10-11 hours of sleep.

With so much on our minds and hearts its easy to spend countless hours agonizing over the details of our daily lives, trying to escape anxieties and scrolling aimlessly through social media to find entertainment and before we know it, the sun is coming up! The next day we’re tired, cranky, and living for the Lord is the last thing we feel like doing (I hope I wasn’t too honest there).  But that’s the exact mind frame that leaves us vulnerable for an attack.

The author of Lamentations counsels us to cry out to the Lord in the midst of everything that’s weighing us down in chapter 2:19 and Jesus tells us to come to Him if we’re burdened or weary so He can give us rest [Matthew 11:28]. Losing sleep draws us further away from Christ by affecting our physical health and dispositions. Proverbs 3:24 promises us sweet sleep if we use wisdom and discretion so here are 3 non-medical sleep methods I found on nationalsleepfoundation.org  (and one method I came up with) to walk in faith and achieve a good night’s rest.

           

1.     Cognitive Behavioral Therapy – This method addresses unhealthy beliefs and fears about sleep, and encourages rational positive thinking. I requires behavioral changes like setting a bedtime and wake time (and sticking to it), getting out of bed after 20 minutes (I’m notorious for lounging after I wake up), and cutting out naps!

2.     Relaxation Training – Involves progressive muscle relaxation, where you steadily tense and relax muscles in your body, breathing exercises and meditation, and listening to audio sleep aids.

3.     Stimulus Control – This method requires you to build an association between the bedroom and sleep by limiting what you do in your bed/bedroom. Limit your activities to ones that promote rest and cut out things like eating and doing work in your bed.

4.     My favorite method is a combination of music, deep breathing, and a chilled glass of water. Thanks to Spotify I’ve started listening to jazz, classical, and even worship songs at night when I can’t sleep and sooner than I think I’ve been lulled to sleep.  I like to keep a chilled glass of water on my night s keep my body at a comfortable temperature, especially in the summer. Lastly,  I slow my breathing to trigger by body into sleep mode. It helps my muscles relax and eases me right into a sweet sleep, free of stress and worry.

Psalm 4:8 echoes the faith we should exercise when we trust God for sweet sleep, it declares, “In peace I will lie down and sleep, for you alone, O Lord, will keep me safe.” And by faith, we believe what Psalm 3:5 says, “I laid me down to sleep; I awakened; for the Lord sustained me.” I’ve been searching for night devotionals to incorporate into my nightly routine, it’s necessary to remind yourself to cast your cares on God and that in Him there is rest.

           

Bedtime Snack 101

By: Ayana Bryant-Weekes 

I’ve heard from fitness experts, friends and family that a great way to lose weight is to not eat after a certain time. But if you’re a food lover like me, then this sounds like sheer torture! I LOVE a good bedtime snack and I’ve tried (and failed) to resist my urge to binge at bedtime many times. Trying not to eat AGAIN after dinner probably means you do one of these 3 things:

1.          SNACK SEARCH! You leave no cabinet unturned searching for the perfect snack especially for something sweet or salty, which can be satisfying to the pallet but let’s face it; we usually go for the unhealthy choices like cakes, cookies and chips.

2.          HANGRY! You let yourself get so hungry that you’re angry and become irritated with not getting to eat more. You just give up on finding something to eat and just go to sleep with a loud, angry tummy.

3.          MORNING MUNCHIES! You wake up starving with no energy start your day let alone to exercise – or worse, you wake up to a rumbling stomach at 3am that wont let you rest until you feed it!

I definitely have gone through each of these Nighttime No No’s and if we’re all on the same page, then we must agree that it’s plain crazy to deprive yourself of food just to avoid eating anything at night! If you’re hungry, EAT! But you must feed your body smart foods that wont counteract your fitness goals. 

How do I choose the right bedtime snack?

 It’s easy to feel guilty eating a late snack feeling like you’re about to cancel out all your good food choices for the day or that every bite is going to be stored as fat and end up in the wrong place. As long as you eat the right things, snacks before bed wont do any harm (but don’t get carried away).

·      If you’re trying to lose weight, avoid eating carbs at night. Since you won’t be burning off any carbs while you’re sleeping, your body is more likely to store these as fat.

·      If you’re working out first thing in the morning, some carbs will help give you energy for your workout. Carbs give you energy, but since you’re not working out until the morning, you have to give them to your body the night before rather than the morning of.

·      Eating healthy fats at night is a great way to feel satisfied. You won’t wake up in the middle of the night starving.

·      Protein of any sort is always a good late night snack choice. Gentlemen, this is great if you’re trying to buff up or slim down and keep the build.

Remember, food is fuel! Acts 27:34a  ^“Therefore I urge you to take some food. For it will give you strength…”

Now that you have all your info, here are some quick and easy bedtime snack that are good for you and good to you.

I’m usually sweet snacker, but if you like more savory snacks, then an egg is a great last minute mini meal. They have both protein and fat to keep you full through the night. 

If you like to crunch and munch, try whole-grain crackers instead. They’re high in carbs, but they are also believed to help prevent insomnia. Pair them with something high in protein or calcium like a serving of string cheese. 

Popcorn is actually not that bad for you! The whole grain kind is pretty satisfying and since popcorn is a snack that takes a while to eat you’ll feel fuller over time.

It’s as simple as bread and butter. A slice of whole-grain bread topped with a tablespoon of almond butter since almonds which promote muscle relaxation. To add a twist to this classic treat, substitute bread for an English muffin and butter for yogurt cheese spread or peanut butter and fruit.

Top Greek yogurt with some fruit, a crumbled nut (of your choice) and cinnamon and it’s your own personal parfait. Or spread it over cucumber rounds or Rice Crackers to cool you off for the night.

Trade yogurt or cool whip for cottage cheese topped with a fruit of your choice. Cottage cheese will keep you full and rebuild your muscles through the night.

Milkshake! More like a protein shake but you can dress it up real nice and pretend it’s a milkshake if you want! You can add toppings like cocoa powder or nut butter to give it that milkshake vibe.

Who doesn’t love breakfast for dinner? Especially a bowl of cereal! A bowl of whole grain cereal and chilled milk will ease you right into a good night’s sleep with no guilt.

Cherries have the good carbohydrates and they're one of the only natural sources of melatonin. Each cup is just 100 calories (for all the calorie counters out there).

Last, but not least; STAY AWAY from these foods at night:

• Caffeine products (coffee, tea, cola, chocolate)
• Sugary products
• Nicotine
• Alcohol
• Food high in fat or too much protein (anything hard for the body to digest)
• Spicy Food or Big portions (to avoid heartburn)
  

To make the most of your Bedtime treat, snack 45 minutes to 1 hour before bedtime and keep the snack small!  Don’t try to sneak in a whole meal, just a snack to tackle that midnight munchie feeling. Give your body enough time for the food to settle and don’t over feed it.  If you make healthy food choices at night, you’ll get better sleep, which adds to being in good health! 

-Ayana