All about the sleep!

Living healthy doesn't have to just do with food. Living healthy has to do with many things. It's a whole package that together creates abundant life. One of those things is rest. Rest is so important as I got reminded of recently.

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Well, after spending about 5 summers in Alaska, my body has finally let me know that it doesn't like certain spring items. I guess I have seasonal allergies which is something fairly new to me. At first I thought I was coming down with a cold, but after almost 4 weeks with this "cold", I finally decided to see a doctor. Actually, what truly made me go see the doctor was the fact that I was so tired I noticed I wasn't as alert while driving. Not being able to breathe well makes sleeping difficult, and after so many nights of just a few hours of sleep or interrupted sleep, it finally caught up to me.

Lack of sleep can have several effects in our life. It doesn't just affect our driving, although that's pretty bad. Lack of sleep affects our mood, we can get more irritable, more impatient. We get more forgetful and less productive. Energy level goes way down. I was listening a doctor say how lack of sleep is even a risk factor for diabetes.

This time my lack of sleep was caused by a health issue, but how many times do we get few hours of sleep at night because of choices we make? It may be because we stay up late cleaning the house, or watching TV, or checking the facebook statuses of our friends. Or could be because we get lost on pinterest or checking all the info on new software or new apps.

Good sleep keeps our memory sharp, it helps us live longer, improves blood pressure and promotes cardiac health. Sleep helps us focus better, be more creative, and perform better at work or school. A good night of sleep can even help with weight loss.(2) There are way too many benefits of sleeping to not get serious about it.

So I came home from the doctor with a new medication and a plan to avoid allergies next spring. I'm also going to turn the computer off, take in some evening fresh air, read a calming book and spend some one-on-one time with God. A good night of sleep awaits me...

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(1) http://www.fyiliving.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/allergyfyi-400x265.jpg
(2) http://www.health.com/health/gallery/0,,20459221,00.html
(3) https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3Gr4p6eiNVoJ5ES2MOQzb1aN8iEH3pIDsiSwYdd6pC-l7_Bfrb-dqrHZzrLttr70dDQbmOmCllvZDjjWxJFxeg4cE3tg12CSXafDgEg9rPUSRd4tTmWU4xdpz-8Phdo1NJxyzFmU4MxE/s1600/photo_baby_sleepng.jpg