The Benefits of a Power Nap

Mothers get grouchy because kids keep them hopping on their feet all day. If done correctly, taking regular day-time naps will give you an enormous surge of energy and make you feel d so you can wake up earlier.

This is not such a strange concept.  In many siesta countries (such as Spain and Mexico), taking a regular mid-afternoon nap is a normal part of the culture. There is wisdom behind this approach to life.  The key is to not sleep longer than forty-five to fifty minutes as this is how long it takes for most people to accomplish one sleep cycle.

During the first sleep cycle, our body enters deep sleep for the longest period of time, it's at this point that our body temperature begins to drop really low, our respiration, heart rate and blood pressure decreases.

If you've ev er been woken up out of 'deep sleep', you know that it's almost impossible to shake ourselves out of it. Waking up during or after a major deep sleep phase makes you feel lethargic, slow, and disoriented.

It takes about 45 minutes to enter the first deep sleep phase. If you limit your nap to 45 minutes, you will sleep mainly in Stage 2 sleep, which is the stage of sleep that is primarily concerned with restoring our physical energy. If you sleep any longer and are suddenly awakened you may feel too groggy to go on as you are entering stages of sleep that more have to do with the mind.

Yet another danger of entering deep sleep during the day is putting your body temperature rhythm out of whack, it may be difficult for you to go to sleep later on in the night. You may also have difficulty sleeping deeply at night, which will have negative consequences for the day ahead, such as poor energy, headaches and nausea.

The correct way to take naps is to keep them short and to take them at the same time every day.Taking irregular naps is one way that sleeping disorders develop. If you feel tired after a nap that is your cue to shorten, not lengthen the nap by a few minutes.

 

If you have never napped before, you are in for a treat. You will be surprised at how energized you feel for the rest of the day when you do take one! Limit the nap to 45 minutes, if you still feel tired after the nap, then shorten the nap time. The amount of time required to enter deep sleep varies from person to person so once again finding your personal threshold for achieving quality sleep can take time and patience. However most people achieve great success by simply setting a gentle alarm for 50 minutes!

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Herbs For Stress Relief and Depression

The term stress is very broad and refers to any reaction to a physical, mental, or emotional stimulus that upsets the body's natural balance. Suffering stress is and always has been a necessary evil if you want to survive. The better you tolerate stress the more you will thrive.  And the more you are able to tolerate stress the better mom you will make.

 

As stress does affect many organs and systems there are quite a few herbs that can be taken to help you deal with it. Also each individual is affected by stress in their own way depending on where they have a weak disposition in their body. For instance some people are more likely to develop a stomachache and others are more likely to become anxious or dissociated when under stress.

 

The following herbs may help you deal with stress –

 

·        Bilberry – Helps prevents the destruction, mutation and premature death of cells

·        Catnip – Relieves stress and promotes sleepiness

·        Chamomile – A general relaxant that is a good nerve tonic, is soothing to the digestive tract and is a pleasant sleep aid.

·        Dong Quai – Supports the kidney and adrenal glands, which are always adversely affected by stress.

·        Ginkgo Biloba – Helps keep clarity of thought in stressful situations

·        Hops – Eases nervousness, restlessness and stress

·        Jujube Seed – Chinese herb that remedies depression

·        Kava Kava – Relaxes the mind as well as the entire body

·        Milk Thistle – Helps cleanse and protect the liver which is affected by stress

·        Passion Flower – Calming and used specifically for stress

·        Polygala root – Soothing and calming Chinese herb

·        Rehmannia – Supports the kidneys, adrenal glands and nervous system.

·        Schizandra – Supports the kidneys, adrenal glands and nervous system

·        Skullcap – Can be taken at night to promote sleep and relieve anxiety

·        Valerian – Can be taken to promote sleep and prevent panic attacks.

 

Depression is a whole body illness that has an entire host of physical symptoms that can be manifested by the mind. Symptoms include fatigue, sleep disturbances, changes in appetite, headaches, backaches, digestive disorders, restlessness, irritability and feelings of inadequacy and suicide.

 

Keep in mind too that depression can also be the body's way of letting you know that you have a serious illness so be sure to see a doctor if you encounter any of these symptoms.

 

Herbs that may help depression are

 

·        Lemon Balm – May help with the digestive disorders that occur with depression

·        Ginger – Helps with depression related digestive disorders

·        Ginkgo Biloba – Helps increase circulation to the brain and may elevate mood

·        Kava Kava – A natural antidepressant that may help elevate your mood

·        Siberian Ginseng – May elevate the mood. Don't use this if you have high blood pressure!

·        St. Johnswort – A natural antidepressant that may help elevate your mood

 

Keep in mind that you should never take any of the herbs mentioned above if you are already taking a prescribed anti-depressant.

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