Can you believe it? The holiday season is upon us already!

 Are you like me and my friends and already losing sleep over it? Well, not really losing sleep over the holiday season itself, but the added responsibilities that come with an already busy life. It’s kind of hard to stay focused on healthier eating and lifestyle patterns when we’re busy and stressed.

The purpose of my coaching style is to help you and me be flexible in these times of celebration and stress. So, what does it look like to keep our focus on the 4 pillars of health during our celebrations?

We’ve worked hard to establish new habits, and we feel better. It may be helpful to hang onto those long-term rewards when we’re tempted to give in to the instant rewards of the holidays.

Considering lifestyle (how we sleep, deal with stress, play, interact with others, and work) alongside our intake, frame of mind, and exercise will help us balance our time, enjoy the season more, and rest in its purpose, which is gratitude.

Although we are grateful and thankful for all of God’s blessings, picturing all the chaos ahead can be overwhelming. Maybe we can take a few moments to be quiet with him a little more often.  

Battling the interruption with the time change also throws a twist in our sleeping routine and we may lay awake thinking about. . . .

“What ifs” for hours!

How am I going to do. . . what if. . . .maybe I need to. . .

Whew! Please God, help with the imagined drama already! The pillar of health you and I need most at the busiest time of the year is our sleep and here we lay, thinking about things that haven’t even happened. I personally think we do this to prepare for battle.

A better idea to calm my heart and soothe my brain for imagined spiritual battles is to memorize scripture. Another way is a little trick I learned in Nursing school many years ago. It’s a sweet way you and I can train our brains as we begin this stressful time of year that sometimes steals our sleep.

First of all, I love how Jesus calls us to calmness:

” Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.”

Mathew 11:28-29

Here is what you and see in these verses:

There is no burden he cannot carry better than you and me.

When we trust him to handle it, he gives us rest.

He is gentle and low in heart, meaning humble, and not prioritizing material things over people. He is not selfish or worried about what people think either.

Therefore, learning from him, we think like him and find rest for our souls!

HMMMM, sounds good to me! Now for the trick!

When you wake up in the middle of the night to do whatever. . . put yourself back to sleep by not letting any thought in your head but sleep.

Please do not grab your phone.

But this. . .No, sleep. What if. . . push it out with one word. . . sleep.

If you and I have to say it 1000 times, so be it. Do not let any thought enter your mind but one word. . . sleep. All the while you are taking deep breaths in and blowing out slowly as if you were sleeping.

I have been doing this little trick for many years, and it works for me, but please let me know how it goes for you!

Staying Active in Our Intentional Celebrations

Another great trick for sleeping better is exercise early in the morning, especially walking outside! Sounds crazy right?

But that is when the light enters our retina and resets our circadian rhythm. Dreading the chills and temperature changes in the weather don’t make this an appealing venture, does it? I get it, friend. Even though the crisp orange and yellow leaves drew me out of the house for morning walks over and over again in early fall, now, it’s rainy and cold.

The shortest, most spectacular blurb of the year is gone. Thel fleeting enjoyment of milder temperatures and scenery without humidity gave us a feeling of peace and rest.

Now most of the leaves are gone, and the desire to walk outside evaporates. However, it is a pillar of health you and I cannot avoid.

I mean, we have fresh baked pies and extra goodies this time of year everywhere. I don’t know about you, but usually for most people, more pie, means higher blood sugar and inflammation.

Therefore, the choice is clear for me personally and I hope it helps you, too: Eat more, move more. Plus, paying close attention to the stiffness in my joints the excess sugar causes remind me, no more sweets the rest of the week. We can count that as our cheat day.

Intentional celebrations can include a little walking after enjoying our treats. Grabbing a friend or a coworker and braving the cold gives you and me energy, focus, and strength for the rest of the day.

The alternative may be using a walking pad or treadmill while watching our favorite videos when we get home.

Either way, here are 10 reasons to include walking in our celebrations for physical and spiritual wellness this season.

• Walking increases our metabolism, especially in cold weather!
• Walking reduces stress
• It lowers blood sugar
• Walking strengthens bones and muscles.
• Walking is free and easy to do.
• Walking makes our lungs stronger.
• Fresh air is good for our mood.
• It’s a great time to pray and meditate on God’s Word.
• It’s wonderful for circulation, oxygenation of the tissues, and better lymphatic flow.
• Consistent walking strengthens our heart and helps lower blood pressure.

10 beautiful reasons to celebrate walking, my friend!

If we think physical walking has benefits, spiritual walking has at least 100 times more!

When we know God’s will, we hear his voice, and long to please him. Isaiah puts it quite simply. He assures us wherever we are walking, God is right there with us.

“Whether you turn to the right or the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you saying, ‘This is the way, walk in it.'”

Isaiah 30:20-22 ESV – And though the Lord give you the bread – Bible Gateway

So how do you find blessing in your daily walking patterns? What helps you stay focused and confident you can do this?

I look forward to hearing from you and serving you this season! You can find recipes, health tips, and encouragement here so don’t forget to subscribe to the site and take a look around.

Please share with a friend if you find these celebration reminders helpful. We’ll cover more in this series in the week to come!

Sleep & Brain Health Starts in Youth

The wisdom of God’s Word is timeless in all areas of the mind and body. When I think of “eating the bread of anxious toil” in regard to rest and sleep, it makes me think of ruminating. Thoughts of a sour conversation, or words spoken carelessly by me or to me, replays over and over in my mind as I long for slumber.

You and I are to rest in Him, because He gives his beloved sleep. Anxious toil like that is not meant for us, or our children. We’ve all been through tough nights, alongside our kids, and all suffer for it. A recent study supports the relationship of good rest and brain health for our kids. The Lancet Child and Adolescent Health journal released new findings in July for sleep patterns and brain health in children, ages 9-10.

The study compared children getting nine hours of sleep or more per day to those getting less than nine hours and found those with less sleep have more behavioral problems. Stress, acting out, impulsivity and aggressiveness were noted, in addition to difficulty with memory, conflict solving, and learning. (1)

We see distracted behavior and memory difficulty in all age groups, don’t we?

Sleep Deprivation in Adults

• Weight Control—Difficulty recalling names, forgetting why we left the room, and where we are headed are common actions, we find ourselves doing. But do we think about how slumber even affects our weight and calorie intake? A National Institute of Health study compared adults who get six hours of sleep (the control group) to those who received sleep counseling and improved their rest 1.2 hours and found the group with less sleep consumed on average, 270 extra calories. (2) Over time, this number of calories would significantly affect weight loss if participants could get some much-needed rest!
• Physical Health—According to the National Institute of Health, a good quality night’s rest is necessary for repair of blood vessels, how our bodies react to insulin, our ability to fight infection, and it promotes growth hormone that allows us to heal and repair cells. (3)
• Mental Health—Studies show that insomnia and sleep disturbances affect 50% of people with anxiety. (4) Researchers are experimenting with tools to increase slow wave sleep to help alleviate this profound disorder. It is also thought that norepinephrine and serotonin systems are affected by increased REM (rapid eye movement-a lighter sleeping state) activity and contribute to depression as well. (5)

Habits for Renewing the Body with Sleep

A restful night is so important for our brain (and overall) health; it’s worth exploring how to renew the body with its many benefits. I’ve been sharing tips for improving it on my Facebook and Instagram platforms this week. Foods that help us get that night of peace, turning off electronic devices, Wi-Fi, and laying our stress before the Lord are some of the tips shared on those platforms.

• Tryptophan Containing Foods—The wonderful amino acid provided naturally by God has many benefits. Unlike its synthetic counterpart made by man that has side effects like belching, skin rashes, and cramping; the preformed tryptophan in food plays a major role in producing:
• 1. Serotonin–mood stabilizer
• 2. Melatonin–sleep stabilizer
• 3. Kynurenine (metabolite used to produce niacin)
• 4. Niacin– essential for brain and heart health.

Although more studies are necessary, there is potential benefit in eating fresh fruits and vegetables as opposed to junk food. Sugar saturated and refined carbohydrate intake is associated with poor resting patterns, but more so is the consumption of energy drinks. (6) Large amounts of alcohol also affect poor sleep patterns.

• B Vitamin Foods—B12 has been found to increase melatonin plasma concentrations to help train the light/dark wake cycles. So, foods highest in B12 naturally, are lamb liver and veal liver. Whole foods like clams, sardines, salmon, trout, beef, and eggs follow close behind. I have several beef and egg recipes on the Strengthen Your Heart Blog.
• Fatty Fish—-Although fatty fish increases vitamin D3 and omega 3 fatty acids, both of which are important for sleep regulation, there was not sufficient proof of improved sleep in one inmate study. Incorporating fish in a daily routine can be simple and easy with Fish Tacos.
• Kiwi-–This delicious fruit given to participants before bed showed improved total sleep time and sleep efficiency in one study. Study subjects also kept a diary and reported less episodes of awakening after onset of sleep. You and I can easily incorporate this fruit in our daily routines with easy recipes like Kiwi smoothies or on morning yogurt.
• Cherries–A two-week study of drinking eight ounces of tart cherry juice twice daily showed significant improvement in overall insomnia and waking after sleep onset. Another study of athletes showed two servings of 30 ml cherry juice increased circulating melatonin, and improved sleep duration and quality. (6) It’s anti-inflammatory properties may be helpful in aiding sleep, too!

I love how God offers simple solutions for our sleep wake cycle in the foods He created. His Word is truly uplifting too, when are looking for understanding. He is with us through our stress and concerns. I’m pretty sure that is why He tells us not to toil over anxious thoughts, but to rest, beloved!

I look forward to sharing more with you in the weeks to come! If you need further ideas or help making decisions on your path to wellness, just let me know! I serve individuals through workshops, classes, individual, family, and group coaching.

God bless you,

Mysty

References:

1. Children’s sleep linked to brain development | National Institutes of Health (NIH)
2. Getting sufficient sleep reduces calorie intake | National Institutes of Health (NIH)
3. Sleep Deprivation and Deficiency – How Sleep Affects Your Health | NHLBI, NIH
4. Sleep and anxiety: From mechanisms to interventions – PubMed (nih.gov)

Doherty R, Madigan S, Warrington G, Ellis J. Sleep and Nutrition Interactions: Implications for Athletes. Nutrients. 2019 Apr 11;11(4):822. doi: 10.3390/nu11040822. PMID: 30979048; PMCID: PMC6520871.