Sleep: The Path to Mind, Body and Soul Integration
Every day presents us with a host of new decisions about the way we want to live our lives. The integration of mind, body and spirit are essential to living a balanced life yet are difficult to achieve without proper attention. We need to connect to our mind, body and soul every day in order to feel peace, and have a sense of well-being. Unsuprisingly, sleep is the connecting factor that leads to the rejuvenation of all three.
Establish a soothing pre-sleep routine. Light reading before bed is a good way to prepare yourself for sleep. Ease the transition from wake time to sleep time with a period of relaxing activities an hour or so before bed.
How does sleep help us with this? Sleep is a time of rest which nature has provided, a time of altered consciousness in which internally driven restorative, recuperative and refreshing activities take place in and for the good of the body and mind. Upon going to sleep, the body and mind settle down from daily activity. Our eyes are closed. Consciousness drifts away from the pace of our waking lives. Our physiology and neurology begin their critical restorative processes, and for the soul, now unencumbered by the body and mind, rejuvenation can begin.
Have a daily bedtime. Pick a time to go to bed you can stick with on a consistent basis and try to avoid sleeping in on the weekends.
The mind, body, and soul are the precious components that, collectively, comprise our lives. If we are sick or suffering then we must work holistically to address each facet in order to completely heal. If we do not consider the whole human being, we will most likely work to alleviate symptoms of a problem and never address the root cause.
The first step toward integrating your mind, body, and spirit is to check-in with yourself in each of these areas. First, how is your emotional health? How have you been feeling lately? Are you in touch with your emotions? Do you have people in your life with whom you can share how you are doing on a deep level? Do you have people who support you when you are struggling?
Make your bedroom quiet and relaxing. Keep the room at a comfortable, cool temperature.
Second, how is your physical health? Are there any major health problems you need to address? How are your exercise habits? What about your eating? Are you getting enough sleep? Are you avoiding drinking too much alcohol?
Third, how is your spiritual health? Are you spending time alone in solitude in reading, meditation, or prayer? Are you involved in a community that feeds your soul? How are you serving the world in a way unique to your special talents?
Try this breathing trick to help you fall asleep in less than 1 minute: You simply breathe in through your nose for four seconds, hold your breath for seven seconds, and exhale through your mouth for eight seconds.
During sleep, the cells of the human body go through the process of eliminating all of the cellular debris/waste that has accumulated inside the cell during the day. This process is apparent on your face once you've had a good night's sleep. Just as the mind and body require sleep for proper function and cellular repair, the spirit requires rest as well. Rejuvenation refreshes your senses and organs so that you get a new perspective, invites positive energy, and expand your personal horizons. As you connect with mind, body and spirit, you experience greater success, happiness, joy and the fullness of life.
Establish a soothing pre-sleep routine. Light reading before bed is a good way to prepare yourself for sleep. Ease the transition from wake time to sleep time with a period of relaxing activities an hour or so before bed. Have a daily bedtime. Pick a time to go to bed you can stick with on a consistent basis and try to avoid sleeping in on the weekends. Make your bedroom quiet and relaxing. Keep the room at a comfortable, cool temperature. Try this breathing trick to help you fall asleep in less than 1 minute: You simply breathe in through your nose for four seconds, hold your breath for seven seconds, and exhale through your mouth for eight seconds.
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