Cher here!
This is Hailey’s rainy day blog post. That means I wrote this, NOT today. Past Cher wrote this. I might be a lot smarter by now, or taller! Or RICHER!
Yup – I’m shaking my head too.
Maybe COVID is done?? Pfft.
So, this might be random, but I wanted to write about dreaming! I am an active dreamer. I dream nearly every night and remember it. When traumatic events take place in my life, I tend to have bad dreams that lead to sleep paralysis. When I watch too much stressful TV or listen to negative music, or spend time with pessimists, my dreams get creepy and harder to ignore during the day.
I wanted to share a little bit about how I cope with that, because it might be helpful to some of you.
1. Take note of what you are listening to and watching during the day. If you struggle with turning your brain off at night, or have anxiety before bed, there is a huge link to what you have been hearing and seeing that your body is trying to process. If you don’t process it properly, it will affect your sleep quality, and/or your dreams.
2. I promise you that not getting enough nutrients in your day plays a huge roll in sleep. I started to drink boost in the morning just so I can get the proper nutrients but taking magnesium supplements has calmed my heart rate and my muscles a lot and I sleep much better. I wish I knew this in my early 20s. It takes about 90 days to build up in your system, but it is worth it. It also helps me to be way less cranky during the day which is a bonus. Right, Hailey?
3. Every night around the same time, Hailey and I text goodnight. We sort of generalize the day and thank each other and God for the day and end the day on a positive note. It’s especially good because we talk so much and are so close that sometimes there is a little awkwardness in the day (girls be girls) so we always end the evening with love, grace, and forgiveness. If you have someone or something that frustrates you or worries you, take the time to fix it before you go to bed. I promise you will sleep WAY better.
4. Pray. I know some of you don’t believe in God, and I am not here to judge you. I am here to tell you that you have nothing to lose by praying. Some people pray out loud without ever believing in more than just the moon. But if you do need someone, and you feel like no one is there for you, God will always be there for you no matter what, and he will take your burdens if you ask Him to.
5. Dehydration is unhealthy for the brain and the body. Consider that every organ in your whole body needs water every day to just perform. If it doesn’t get water, it will die in less than a week. Your brain uses water more than any other organ, and your brain oversees your sleep and your dreams.
I didn’t list anything else because these are the 5 most important things for me to have a good sleep. Watching Netflix shows that move too fast (the flash, not even kidding) gives me active dreams. Medications can also trigger very graphic dreams. Too much caffeine or sugar before bed. But mostly, the five things I listed. Sleep is so important. Take care of yourself. You are worth the effort to problem solve any sleep or dream issues you might have. If anyone has terrifying dreams and has tried it all, there are medications you can try for those too. I urge you to investigate them if your sleep is being affected that much.
For anyone with children who are active dreamers or sleepwalkers (medicated or not) from my time studying childhood psychology and children’s health, there is a strong link to the worries they think about in the day. They could have reoccurring thoughts that need sorting through. This can explain SOME outbursts, impulsive behaviours, sleep anxiety and sleepwalking. As most of you know, Rowan has tried magnesium too, and it has helped him like it has helped me. I would also encourage you to end the day with good discussion about any worries, just like adults need sometimes.
Thank you for joining me Ted Talk.