Dr. Michael Wayne • Integrative Medicine • Acupuncture • Nutrition • Chinese Medicine • Lifestyle Counseling • Quantum Thinking
Stress reduction for
Sleep
improvement by Barbara Stevens
I
t’s been a long day and an even longer week. Commitments swirl around you, worry fills your thoughts, and as exhausted as you feel, you just cannot get to sleep. Stress often impacts sleep quality and duration. When stress and lack of sleep are paired together, the results can have a severe impact on physical and mental health.
Saratoga Springs & Clifton Park www.drmichaelwayne.com mwayne2@mac.com
518-210-1557 12
Healing Springs I #107 I Spring ‘20
The newest research shows that lack of sleep can contribute to weight gain, poor performance on exams and in the workplace; relationship problems, inability of the body to heal, delayed reaction time that is equivalent to legal intoxication. Studies have also linked lack of adequate sleep to mental health complications. Every cell of the body benefits from good quality sleep. The brain is able to work through the stress of the day, memory and recall improve, there is an increase in the ability to concentrate, and decision making improves. We feel energized instead of wired, eager instead of anxious, resourceful instead of discouraged. When we reach the deepest levels of sleep, our cells regenerate, anti-aging and growth hormones are emitted that increase the body’s ability to repair injuries and heal. We all occasionally have trouble falling or staying asleep, but if poor sleep quality is allowed to go on for too long (actually for as short as 6 months), it can cause dire effects, physically and emotionally. What if you could awaken feeling refreshed, with natural energy to take you through your day? What would change if you were able to do this on a daily basis? There are skills that you can learn to achieve this state of well-being.
