Better Than Counting Sheep for Sleep

Greetings!  Getting adequate sleep is one of the most important things we can do for our health. 

One of the many tools I teach students to use includes the technique below called 3, 2, 1 Sleep.  I hope you enjoy it and it brings you many blissful zzzzs!  If you need additional assistance, I offer a free 30 minute phone consult.  Call or email me today!  cheryl.dedecker@gmail.com, 607-287-7907

 

First, just listen for three things.  Any three things that you hear:  the noise of your breathing—“one”; or maybe the sound of a far-off airplane—“two”; or maybe the sound of a fan—“three”.  Any three things at all.  They can even be the same thing.  Just listen for, hear, and then count three things.  It’s that simple.

 

Next, feel three things.  Any three things.  The feeling of the sheet against the skin—one.  An interesting tingling sensation in the limbs—two.  Cool or maybe warm air on the face—three. It does not matter what they are.  Any three things will do.  They can be different or the same.  Just feel them and count them, 1, 2, 3.

 

And then, see three things.  Allow 3 pleasant images to come into the mind with your eyes closed.  Just let them appear on their own.  A rose—one.  A blue sky—two.  Some third image; it does not matter what it is, maybe a beach—three.  Any three images.  Then, after you have seen the third thing, go back and hear two things, and count them in the mind.  Then feel two things.  Then see two things.  Then hear one thing, feel one thing, and see one thing.

 

And then start again.   Hear three things, feel three things, see three things.  Then hear two things, feel two things and see two things. Then hear, feel and see one thing. 

 

And back to three.  As the mind is experiencing what it hears, feels and sees, as it starts to drift to sleep, you will likely lose count.  That is fine; just start over.  Hear, feel and see three things.  Hear, feel and see two things.  Hear, feel and see one thing.  You can uses this strategy and discover what interesting things you can experience as you drift into a deep, restful sleep.

 

More Stress = More Self-Care

Got Stress?

We all experience stress in our lives.  Some stress is actually good!  The kind of stress that increases our reflexes and mind before a performance/test/job interview to just the right level is an example.  The problem begins when we take something in our lives we find stressful and we push "play" and "repeat".   Some of this may be in the form of worrying or ruminating.  Another form is being constantly "plugged in" to our email/news/twitter/facebook, etc...   Do you find yourself checking the news and clocking more social media hours than usual?  Have you noticed how you feel after seeing pessimistic predictions or reading an opinion that is drastically different than your own? 

Never giving our mind and body a break from thinking about stress creates all kinds of negative physical responses. 

Perhaps some of these are familiar to you:

  1. Poor sleep
  2. Muscle tension
  3. Headaches
  4. Irritability
  5. Poor digestion/acid reflux
  6. Poor concentration
  7. Increased unhealthy "escape" behaviors
  8. Lower immunity functioning
  9. Stress is a contributing factor to high blood pressure, heart disease, obesity and diabetes.

One of my favorite sayings is “More stress means more self-care”.  More stress is an indicator that our level of self-care needs to be cranked up a notch or two…or three. This saying is such an important reminder because when we get stressed, we usually do the opposite.  We often turn to numbing behaviors to avoid the stress.  Eating more sweets or junk food, skipping meals, staying up late playing games or getting lost on the internet, working long hours, smoking, shopping, etc…  All of these behaviors distract us for a few moments.  They all also lead to more stress!

What does more self-care look like?  For me, I stopped checking my phone first thing in the morning.  Instead, I take some deep breaths and I go through my body, thanking it for doing an amazing job!  I found I feel profoundly more positive after doing this activity rather than my previous pattern.  I continue to make time for social supports and fun.  I take a nap when I feel tired.   These are things that work for me, but there are many other examples of good self-care.  Check out the list below:

Get adequate sleep

Practice Self-Hypnosis

Drink plenty of water

Exercise regularly

Eat more fruits and vegetables

Enjoy things in moderation

Cut back on junk foods (or as I like to call them, non-foods)

Stop smoking

Limit or eliminate alcohol use

Spend more time with positive people

Pray or engage in a spiritual practice

Meditate

Unplug from electronics on a regular basis

Practice Mindfulness

Express Creativity:  writing, music, art, dancing, coloring, etc…

 

Do you know you need to do some of the above but are having a problem incorporating them into your life?  I help people manage stress and incorporate healthy lifestyle habits as part of my hypnosis and coaching work.  Please feel free to contact me if I may be of help!  607-287-7907

Self Care--What does that mean?

1.    Tune in to Meaning
What matters most to you in your life? Where do you find meaning?  Take a moment to write it down. What would make each day more meaningful to you? (Examples may include volunteering, attending to a spiritual practice, playing with pets, taking a walk in the woods, talking to a close friend, playing music, etc)

2.    Worthiness
Make the decision that you are worthy of taking good care of yourself. Many of us are caretakers and put our own needs toward the bottom of our list. When we value and take care of ourselves, we are healthier and have more to share with others. Hypnosis and self-hypnosis are effective tools for boosting your sense of worthiness and self-esteem.

3.    Let Go
Be willing to prioritize your task list and limit yourself to having reasonable goals.  Make sure to leave time to wind down, "unplug" and get ready for rest.  At the end of the day, focus on the things you’ve accomplished, rather than what you have yet to do.

4.    Back to Basics

*Get enough sleep. Most people need 7-9 hours every night. If you are struggling with sleep, get some help. Hypnosis is an excellent tool for improving sleep. I have an excellent article on sleep on my website www.cherylscompass.com.


*Make wise choices about nutrition.
Be mindful of food choices and plan meals.
Eat a healthy breakfast every day.
Set a goal for increasing your water intake or fruits and vegetables
You can still enjoy Aunt Betty’s famous cookies but having a focus of eating to treat your body well can make a
significant positive impact.  Put quality fuel in your body and it will thank you for it through more energy and better health.


*Get social support.  Make time for friends and family! Be around people who brighten your day.  Limit time with those who are an "energy drain".


*Say what you need to say.  Express your needs rather than expecting others to read your mind.

*Move that body.  Exercise helps decrease stress and muscle tension, increase energy and improve mood.  Finding an activity you enjoy will help you stick to making it a habit.

 

 

Goal Setting for Goal Getting–Set Yourself Up for Success!

Posted on January 17, 2014 by admin

SMART goals first appeared in a November, 1981 issue of Management Review (vol. 70, issue 11), in an article titled “There’s a S.M.A.R.T. way to write management’s goals and objectives.” by George Doran, Arthur Miller, and James Cunningham. The list below is based on this article.

How to Develop SMART Goals

Goals should meet the below Criteria:

Specific and Simply Stated

Measurable and Meaningful

As if NOW

Realistic

Timely or Time Sensitive

Developing Specific Goals:
*What: What do I want to accomplish?
*Where: Identify a location.
*When: Establish a time frame.
*Which: Identify requirements and constraints.
*Why: Specific reasons, purpose or benefits of accomplishing the goal.
EXAMPLE: A general goal would be, “Get in shape.” But a specific goal would say, “Join a health club and workout 3 days a week.”

Developing Measurable Goals:
When you measure your progress, you stay on track, reach your target dates, and experience the exhilaration of achievement that spurs you on to continued effort required to reach your goal.

To determine if your goal is measurable, ask questions such as……
How much? How many?
How will I know when it is accomplished?

As if NOW
I choose to exercise 3 times per week and am enjoying feeling energized and healthy every day.
I prioritize taking 15 minutes for myself each day to visualize and I allow calmness to flow into my life.
As I practice my hypnosis each morning, every day I enjoy a greater sense of inner strength.
I enjoy my ability to truly focus on one task at a time. I am organized, disciplined and focused.
I feel more energized every day as I choose to make healthy choices for my body, mind and spirit.

Realistic

A goal must represent an objective toward which you are both willing and able to work.
Don’t set your sights too low–some of the hardest jobs you ever accomplished actually seemed easy simply because they were a labor of love.

Timely

Breaking your goals into short-term and long-term helps with immediate as well as longer-term motivation for change.

Assistance and extra support is available! HypnoCoaching® is a powerful, effective and flexible process for achieving any goal. It involves phone and/or in-person sessions depending on the client’s needs and schedule. Contact Cheryl to discuss how HypnoCoaching® or Hypnosis can help you to achieve your dreams!

Manage Stress and Make Your Holidays More Jolly

Posted on December 4, 2013 by admin

It has started. The Thanksgiving Day Parade has passed on by and the days until Christmas are ticking down….quickly. When you first catch a glimpse of the red and green sea of merchandise, what goes through your head? For many, it is not a child-like glee at the approaching holidays. Instead, we find thoughts of what needs to be done dancing in our heads.
You can make a choice now about self-care and lessening your stress during the holidays. The following are a few tips for achieving the goal of feeling more balanced during this hectic time of year.

1. Back to Basics
What does Thanksgiving mean to you? Christmas? Take a moment to write it down. What would make each of these days meaningful to you? (Examples may include giving hand crafted gifts or cards, volunteering, attending a holiday concert or particular church service, going to a tree farm to cut down your own tree, putting up ornaments that have been passed down through generations, etc) The first step in achieving a goal is defining it!

2. Worthiness
Make the decision that you are worthy of sticking to your defined goal. Many of us are caretakers and put our own needs toward the bottom of our list. When we value and take care of ourselves, we are healthier and have more to share with others. Communicate your goals with your loved ones and ask for their help with sticking to them!

3. Let Go
Be willing to prioritize your task list and limit yourself to having reasonable goals. Perhaps time catching up with an old friend or taking a nap would be more fulfilling than making that extra batch of cookies. At the end of the day, focus on the things you’ve accomplished, rather than what you have yet to do.

4. Self-care
While the term sounds like it means decadent pampering, in this case it refers to basics for functioning at our healthiest.
*Get enough sleep. Most people need 7-9 hours every night. If you are struggling with sleep, get some help. Hypnosis is an excellent tool for improving sleep. I have an excellent article on sleep on my website www.cherylscompass.com.
*Make wise choices about nutrition.
Be mindful of food choices and plan meals.
Eat a healthy breakfast every day.
Set a goal for increasing your water intake or fruits and vegetables
You can still enjoy Aunt Betty’s famous cookies but having a focus of eating to treat your body well can make a
significant positive impact.
*Get social support
Make time for friends and family! Be around people who brighten your day.
*Express your needs rather than expecting others to read your mind

5. Exercise
Helps decrease stress and muscle tension, increase energy and improve mood.
See # 2 above.

Wishing you Happy, Healthy Holidays!
Cheryl DeDecker, Compass Coaching and Hypnosis
607-287-7907

The Gift of Sleep

Posted on September 19, 2013 by admin

The Gift of Sleep
Ahh, the comfort of a good night of sleep! Many of us take sleep for granted and others struggle for years to catch enough “Z”s . Many sleep problems have to do with worrying, having repetitive thoughts, being unable to “shut down one’s brain”, having chronic discomfort or having poor sleep hygiene. Sleep hygiene refers to the routines and habits we have before sleep. Some of us may be sabotaging our sleep before we even hit the pillow.

Why is sleep of importance? Isn’t it a sign of stamina to be able to function on less sleep? (Ever hear the phrase, “I’ll sleep when I’m dead”?)

How important is adequate sleep?
You may be surprised to learn how crucial regular, adequate sleep is to your health and well-being.
The most obvious side effect of chronic poor sleep is fatigue. This experience is only one sign of how our body is negatively impacted by poor sleep.
Studies have shown sleep deprivation is related to the following:
*Increased risk of automobile accidents
*Increased risk of accidents and injuries on the job
*Impairment in attention, alertness, concentration, reasoning and problem solving
*Increased risk for heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes and stroke.
*Lower libido
*Increased risk for depression
*Aging of the skin
*Less ability to store long-term memories
*Increase in hunger and appetite—especially cravings for high-fat, high-carb foods

Enough to motivate you? The first step = Good Sleep Hygiene
1. Cut off caffeine use after 3:00 p.m.
2. Sleep in a dark room
3. Make sure your bed is comfortable.
4. Make your bedroom a “television free zone”.
5. Get in your exercise before 7 p.m.
6. End all eating/snacking by 8:00 p.m.
7. Have a consistent sleep routine—go to bed at the same time each night.
8. If you have an alarm clock next to your bed, face it away from you to avoid being a “clock watcher”.
9. Reading before bed is okay but most folks should avoid violent/graphic stories right before trying to sleep. I know this sounds obvious—but people often get engrossed in mystery novels involving violence. What you think about right before falling asleep is “mulled over” by the subconscious all night long. Choosing relaxing, peaceful thoughts is the best way to go.

After you’ve established good sleep hygiene, improve your sleep even more with this effective technique from http://skyblueriver.co.uk/blog/trouble-sleeping-try-the-3-2-1-sleep-technique/.

The 3-2-1 Technique for Sleep

First, just listen for three things. Any three things that you hear: the noise of your breathing—“one”; maybe the sound of crickets—“two”; or maybe the sound of a fan—“three”. Any three things at all. They can even be the same thing, counted more than once. Just listen for, hear, and then count three things, one at a time. It’s that simple.

Next, feel three things. Any three things. The feeling of the sheet against the skin—one. An interesting tingling sensation in the limbs—two. Cool or maybe warm air on the face—three. It does not matter what they are. Any three things will do. They can be different or the same. Just feel them and count them, 1, 2, 3.

And then, see three things. Allow 3 images to come into the mind with your eyes closed. Just let them appear on their own. A rose—”one”. A blue sky—”two”. Some third image; it does not matter what it is, maybe a beach—”three”. Any three images. Then, after you have seen the third thing, go back and hear two things, and count them in the mind. Then feel two things. Then see two things. Then hear one thing, feel one thing, and see one thing.

And then start again. Hear three things, feel three things, see three things. Then hear two things, feel two things and see two things. Then hear, feel and see one thing.

And back to three. As the mind is experiencing what it hears, feels and sees, as it starts to drift to sleep, you will likely lose count. That is fine; just start over. Hear, feel and see three things. Hear, feel and see two things. Hear, feel and see one thing. You can uses this strategy and discover what interesting things you can experience as you drift into a deep, restful sleep.

Enjoy and please share this with your friends and family!

Cheryl