Tune In to Your Body’s Clock UNLOCKING THE SECRETS OF NATURAL REST
When we lie down and settle into sleep, our brain starts descending
If we wake up naturally from the light sleep stage, we feel refreshed and rejuvenated. A clock alarm, though, doesn’t know which sleep stage we are in, so it may wake us when we are in the deep sleep stage. Being abruptly awoken in this state leaves us disoriented and groggy. It creates sleep inertia, an uncomfortable stage that can put us in a bad mood when we first wake up. Our bodies are not designed to wake up during deep sleep. Cortisol, our natural energy hormone, is like a slow-release pill crafted by nature. Levels decrease as we get ready to go to bed and rise when it is time to wake up. If the alarm disrupts the natural sleep cycle, waking us before the cortisol surge, we feel out of sorts. Our brains and bodies are designed to balance our well-being. When we respect its natural rhythms, we enhance our mood, boost our cognitive abilities, and nurture our overall health. Each night is a new opportunity to reconnect with your body’s innate wisdom and wake up to a more vibrant and harmonious life. So tonight, when you lay your head on the pillow, listen to the whisper of your internal clock and embrace your natural sleep patterns. Sweet dreams and sweeter morning awakenings are ahead if you do.
from the conscious realm into the soothing arms of slumber. As you drift off, your brain activity decelerates, your body temperature dips, and muscles relax. This phase, known as light sleep, makes up about half of our total sleep time.
As the night progresses, we enter the deep sleep stage. Here, our body’s muscle tone and heartbeat find their calmest rhythm while the brain’s activity shifts to delta waves. It’s like a restorative elixir flowing through you, bolstering your immune system and mending the day’s wear and tear. Deep sleep is pivotal in cementing memories and contributes to creativity and insightful thinking. Then, we enter the famous REM sleep, when our brain activity escalates. It is the stage responsible for our most vivid dreams and a fountain of learning and creativity. To enter REM sleep, we must be asleep for at least 90 minutes to cycle through light to deep sleep. Once we are in it, REM can last for about 90 minutes.
YOUR 4-WEEK SPRING-CLEANING CALENDAR
Spring-cleaning can be overwhelming. From the kitchen counter to the ceiling fan, there’s a lot of ground to cover. But there’s a trick to make it easier: Breaking down the work into quick, doable tasks spread over four weeks. Week 1: The Living Room The start of every journey begins with a single step, and that step is acquiring and prepping supplies. Wash out buckets, empty vacuum bags, throw microfiber cloths in the wash, clean mops, and shake out brooms. Next, it’s time to clean the light fixtures. Use a microfiber cloth to wipe away dust and debris. Then dunk the cloth in soapy water, wring it out, and scrub the light fixture covering the bulb until it shines — just make sure you turn the lights off first. Once you’ve finished the lights, head to the bookshelves. Dust the tops and wipe down the sides. Make sure to wipe down any pictures or framed art on the wall. Lastly, move the furniture and vacuum underneath.
Week 2: The Kitchen Clean the dishwasher filter first. Devote the next two days to getting the stove to sparkle, including ridding the vent of grease. Wipe down the countertops and the cabinets. Clean out the microwave and wipe down any other countertop appliances. Congratulations, week two is over! Week 3: The Bathroom You’ll want to begin by removing the grime from the showerhead and sanitizing the
curtain. The curtain can be scrubbed and air- dried in the sun. Then clean and sanitize the shower and sink. Shine the fixtures. For the toilets, get under the rim with a toilet brush and give the much-ignored back some love, too. Now that the toilet’s shining, it is the perfect opportunity to get the floor. Take a little extra time to get the baseboards. Week 4: The Bedroom Clean the bedrooms from top to bottom. Now is a good time to wash your pillows and air-dry them. Bedroom ceiling fans can build up a lot of gunk over the winter. An easy way to clean them is by pulling a pillowcase around the blades and pulling them back. Next, polish any wood furniture. Thoroughly clean the windows with glass cleaner or a homemade mixture of vinegar and water, and remember to clean the window tracks. Lastly, test the batteries in your smoke and carbon monoxide detectors.
2 realestateplanninglaw.com
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