Seven Tips For a Deep, Restful Sleep _ Peacefulmindbody

Sleep is a basic human need just like air, food and water. Nobody can deny the advantages of sound ,restful sleep, it recharges your energy levels, improves your immune system, your mood ,concentration and productivity.
It's a well-deserved break for your mind and body to repair, recharge and relax.Lack of sleep can make you feel miserable, grumpy and fatigued, it causes significant reduction in performance.


Chronic sleep deprivation can impair your thinking ability, memory, alertness and overall well-being and increases the risk of heart diseases, diabetes, obesity etc. 
If you are having difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep then you may find the following tips helpful. They will not only make you sleep peacefully but also help you wake up refreshed.


1.GO TO BED AT THE SAME TIME DAILY:


Make a habit of going to bed at the same time daily ,avoid sleeping for long hours during daytime as it can make your mind alert at night, causing difficulty falling asleep.
By scheduling your sleep time you are resetting your sleep cycle which helps you to wake up at your desired time in the morning.


2.KEEP YOUR ROOM COOL AND CLUTTER FREE:


For a good night sleep you should keep your room temperature comfortably low. Make sure your bed, sheets and pillows are comfortable. Tidy up your room and remove all the unnecessary stuff from your bed side. Dim the lights of  room as bright lights impair the production of melatonin ,a hormone that regulates your sleep cycle and helps you fall asleep.


3.POWER OFF YOUR GADGETS:


Again light emitting from screen of cell phone ,tabs, laptops and television interfere with melatonin production keeping you alert and attentive. It stimulates your mind making it hard to relax. It is better to switch them off an hour before your bed time so you can have ample time to unwind and relax.


4.JOURNALING:


Pen down your worries, thoughts and suppressed emotions on a piece of paper ,it is a way to declutter your mind. It helps to turn your brain off at night by reducing your racing thoughts.
Make it a ritual to write down your problems and concerns so you can return to them later and dedicate this time for deep ,peaceful sleep.


5.DRINK HOT MILK OR HERBAL TEA:


Grab a cup of hot milk or herbal tea like chamomile or green tea before bedtime .Herbal tea is famous for its sedative and calming effects. Warm milk is also known to release stress and induce sleep.


6.KEEP YOURSELF ACTIVE DURING THE DAY:


The quality of your sleep much depends on the amount of physical activity during the day. Try to keep your body in motion throughout the day, walk to the nearby cafe for lunch rather then using office cafeteria ,get off the bus at some distance from your destination or park your car a bit far from your workplace.


7.AVOID CAFFEINATED BEVERAGES LATE IN EVENING:


Caffeinated drinks like coffee, tea ,cola drinks etc have stimulating effects on your mind and body ,it activates your sympathetic nervous system making it tough to slow down and rest .Caffeine takes many hours to drain out of your entire system so avoid consuming it late in the evening.
By following these simple yet effective tips you can enjoy sound slumber and refreshed morning.
...All the best

Seven Secrets of a Happy Life _ Peacefulmindbody

Happiness is something we all desire,we try to do whatever we can in order to become happy but still why it seems so hard to attain happiness ? The reason behind our unhappy state is that we are looking for happiness in the wrong places, we think that we will be happier when we own a big house, get a highly paid job, go on a long vacation, having a fulfilling relationship etc, these all things do matter to increase joy in life to some extent but they can't give you everlasting happiness.



They can uplift your mood temporarily but for long term , deep, happy and peaceful state you can't rely on external conditions, you have to look inside of you to gain true happiness.
Happiness is something which is  embedded inside you ,it depends on your way of thinking ,how you respond to life circumstances, how you embrace life as it is rather than get caught up in the trap of could have or should have.


Do you ever wonder why some people seem so happy and peaceful regardless of what they are going through in life. It seems happiness is so natural to them ,they don't even have to struggle for it. The truth is you don't have to struggle for being happy too. When you stop seeking it you will get it naturally. There are certain traits which are common among happy people.


THEY TAKE FULL RESPONSIBILITY OF THEIR LIFE:


They take full responsibility of their life and don't blame others for their feelings and setbacks in life. They know they are responsible for their response to life events and they have the power to choose a happy life for themselves ,only they can make choices to move forward in life ,they have to take a step, they know who they are and what is better for them. They embrace their failures and weaknesses and acknowledge that mistakes are a part of journey to success. They have a deeper sense of what they want in life and how to get that. They are not afraid of taking decisions for their life.


They realize that they can't make right choices every time and they try to learn from their experiences.
They own their feelings , they don't try to disregard their emotions .They understand that feeling all emotions, whether negative or positive, is a part of common human experience so they don't try to suppress them nor do they over-indulge in them rather they allow themselves to feel what they are feeling at the given moment.


THEY DON'T COMPLAIN:


Complain makes you focus on things which you don't have rather than what you have. It can steal your peace of mind and decrease your happiness level. By complaining you feel disempowered and helpless, you want a desired change but you feel incapable of doing that ,you feel others are obliged to do things for you.


Happy people know well that complain is not the solution to their problems .They act proactively and take the necessary steps to work towards things which are need to be done. They don't wait for others to do things for them. They don't complain for things which are beyond their control. They respect their limits and capacity, they accept that they can't control each and every aspect of their life.


THEY ARE GRATEFUL FOR WHAT THEY HAVE:


They show gratitude for every blessing they have. By being thankful they train their mind to focus on positive things in life which boosts their happiness level. They count their blessings and don't miss an opportunity to make the most of their inborn talents.


Each one of us is born with certain gifts ,innate capabilities and unique qualities to offer to the world. Happy people figure out their deep passion and talent and utilize efforts in the right direction. They are grateful for what they are giving to the world .They consider their uniqueness and individuality valuable. They know they are playing their part by serving the world with their exclusive talents and abilities. They don't degrade or devalue their contribution. They excel in their concerned field as they are exactly doing what they are capable of .


PEACEFUL LIFE IS THEIR PRIORITY:


Happy people are well-aware of the fact that nothing is as precious as a peaceful life. They keep peace as a priority in their life and every other thing falls secondary to it. They live within their means, they keep realistic goals. They don't overdo. They take good care of their physical and mental health.


They believe that by cultivating peace in their life they can achieve much more. Whenever they find themselves off-track they try to revert back to a peaceful state .They are self-reflective and are aware of their inner world ,can sense slight disruption in inner peace. They never trade their mental peace in running after unrealistic goals.



THEY DON'T SEEK APPROVAL OF OTHERS:


Happy people accept both their strengths and weaknesses. They know the art of self-compassion, they console themselves when facing failure or difficult situation. They accept that they are trying their best and trust their instincts. They don't beat themselves up for making human errors. They show kindness towards them as well as to others. As they are already aware of their flaws and consider them a part of being human, they don't internalize criticism and judgement from outside world neither they are in need of external validation ,they appreciate themselves for their achievements no matter how small they are.


They know their self-worth. They don't mould their decisions to please others in order to feel loved, they do what they feel is right.They are capable of loving themselves and whenever they find themselves deviating from the right path they know how to rectify it with compassion and kindness.


They don't deny their mistakes and don't feel egoistic to apologize when someone gets offended by them. They are their best teachers, they know what they are doing, why they are doing and how to work on their less desirable attributes.


THEY ENJOY SUCCESS OF OTHERS AS WELL:


Happy people don't compare their life with others. They don't feel jealous, they understand that everyone is going through different pathways in life ,nobody can escape the twists and turns of life. They know we all have something to celebrate. We all are blessed in some ways. They appreciate others for their success and efforts while acknowledging their own strengths. Their positive attitude towards life uplift their happy state, enabling them to get more from life as they don't deplete their energy by envying others.


They don't have space for negativity in their hearts, they don't feel threatened by helping others and making them climb up the ladder of success, instead they feel capable of contributing and making a difference in lives of others.


THEY APPRECIATE SIMPLE THINGS IN LIFE:


Happy people don't miss a chance to enjoy simple things of day to day life. They know that by focusing on small beautiful things in life they can maintain their happiness. They like to smell the blooming flowers, walk on the lush green grass, sip a hot coffee, watch their favourite movie, enjoy their favourite ice cream flavour, play with the pet or noticing beauty around.


They don't wait for things to happen, they fully enjoy each moment and embrace it. They try to find joy in little things. They are quick to find goodness in others .They show warmth to others by appreciating their talents and qualities.


Happy people are not born lucky, they keep a healthy perspective towards life. They believe in motto, live and let others live. They are pro-life. They are nurturing and don't hinder growth of others. They try to focus on brighter side of life while accepting the unavoidable suffering in life. They are the realistic people with positive mindset.


We can adopt these traits of happy people and can bring a pleasant change in our lives. Its never too late to start living according to the principles which keep you happy and peaceful. All the best!

Five Morning Rituals for Better Health and Mood _ Peacefulmindbody

When you wake-up in the morning there are certain things you can do to give a good start to your day.
Following five tips are easy to follow so you need to do very little but can benefit a lot from doing them on regular basis.
Neuroscience suggests that we need 21 days to develop a new habit.So why not giving these five rituals a try for 21 days and experience the uplift in your mood and life in general. 



1...Take a few deep breaths before leaving the bed :  
       


Its not a rocket science but it can do wonders .Inhaling air deeply through your nose up to the count of seven in a way that your belly comes out then hold your breath up to the count of three now exhale it fully through your mouth up to the count of ten .
This is not a fixed rule and you can adjust your breathing according to your comfort but exhalation should be longer than inhalation with a pause in between.
The mechanism behind this simple exercise is that by taking deep breaths you are actually stimulating your parasympathetic nervous system which is normally activated during rest and sleep. It counteracts the effects of sympathetic nervous system ( sympathetic system gives you fight or flight response) .



This is most beneficial to people suffering from morning anxiety as it neutralizes the effects of catecholamines (i.e hormones release in blood in response to stimulation of sympathetic nervous system)



2...Do some workout:



It can be anything from a brisk walk to some kind of exercise for about 20 minutes (more beneficial if you exercise in natural environment).
The main purpose is to move your body to release neurotransmitters ,endorphins and serotonin, commonly known as happy hormones. Exercise is really beneficial to those having depressive mood as they can feel joyful by releasing their own happy hormones during exercise. (In case you are suffering from clinical depression consult your doctor for proper medication as well)



3...Maintain a gratitude list:



What's more enjoyable than maintaining a list of all the things you are blessed with. This technique shifts your attention from the things you are lacking in your life to those you are grateful for.
By doing this simple exercise you are developing a habit which moves your mind from the emptiness in life to the fullness of life. I myself often stuck in a habit of complaining instead of focusing on all blessing which I m having on a daily basis.



You can be thankful for a thing as simple as having food to eat, a place to sleep comfortably ,having a healthy body etc. By making this habit a part of your routine you can boost your mood within seconds. Keep practising it throughout your day as well and notice the difference in your life and well-being.



4...Take a healthy breakfast :



No one can deny the benefits of healthy breakfast. Never ever skip your morning meal.After so many hours of fasting you definitely need something to energize yourself in the morning otherwise low sugar levels i.e hypoglycemia can make you feel lethargic ,exhausted and anxious, you can't be your best when you are not energized so do yourself a favour and eat healthy breakfast which includes eggs ,cereals ,milk ,butter ,fresh juice etc.



I am not in favour of tea or coffee although these caffeinated drinks can boost your energy levels for a short time and later make you craving for more of them .Beside this caffeine can worsen your anxiety by stimulating your sympathetic nervous system .



If you find it difficult to resist then you can take it but on full stomach ,never take it on empty stomach as it can cause acidity symptoms and heartburn. Try to slowly cut down your caffeine intake.



5...Positive mindset:



Your mind start believing what you feed in it so do some nice motivational self-talk .Focus on today's task ,don't try to control the outcome of your task ,just do your best with your best intention and enjoy the experience.



When people try to control the result of a particular task they feel anxious and tensed .Often we become so focused on the result that we forget to do certain things which can improve the outcome ,so instead of overburdening yourself with something which is out of your control pay attention to things which you can do right at this moment to get the desired outcome.



Stop worrying and live this moment. In this way you can free yourself from unnecessary stress and distractions.
I hope these simple but proven tips can give your day a good start ,key is to make them a part of your routine.
...All the best