Day Four- Energize!

Hello Moms! If you were looking for this post yesterday, I apologize. I should have let you know that I intend to take Sundays off, as it is my time with my whole family all together. So let's pick it up where we left off! And the topic today is perfect for a Monday!

Today's topic is upping your energy. Now, I have not done this yet today, as I got a really crappy nights sleep on the couch. My husband was snoring (he has a cold) and is too big a man to wake up, much less kick out of bed! ;) So here I sit in my bathrobe at noon trying to peruse this chapter in the book and find what I need to do, as well as what you need to hear. It should come as no surprise then that the first thing Hannah lists is getting enough sleep! And the best way to do that is to make your room a true sanctuary. A peaceful place to rest and relax. Keep it as clutter free as possible. A clutter free room is a clutter free mind. A mind that rests much more easily and gets to sleep much faster. Second, get rid of the tv. We used to have a tv in our room and if my husband was home, (he often works graveyards) he wanted to watch the late show, and then surf for reruns. I used to joke that if he wanted sex he had to make his move before the Simpsons came on. After that I would be too tired. When he wasn't home I found myself staying up until well after midnight watching all kinds of crap. I would take a sleeping pill at night, stay up too late so then I would need some caffiene in the morning to keep up with my kids! I expected a fight when I told him I didn't want it in our room anymore, but surprisingly he agreed and going to bed has gotten more peaceful (not to mention more romantic, but more on that tomorrow ;0). I also have a scentsy candle in there that makes the room smell good and relaxes me. My room is my sanctuary and there are no kids allowed in unless invited! Now, I know that at least one of you has a new baby (Hi, Breezy!). Hannah addresses that too. She says that if you use your room as a nursery or an office, to try to compartmentalize as much as possible. Maybe put the baby in the corner and then use a dresser as a divider. You'll still have him/her in the room with you, but when you lay down, it still feels like your room. We kept my son as a baby in a basinet just outside the door in the hall. Sounds mean or cruel, but we were only in a two bedroom house, and that is what worked for us! NEVER let your kids sleep in the same bed as you! Even when my husband was in Iraq for a year and I was lonely, my kids still slept in their own beds. The dog however was a different story!

Next, she says to get moving and stay hydrated! One of the leading symptoms of dehydration is lethargy, and lethargy breeds lethargy, and procrastination breeds lazy and it goes on and on. I refer you back to Day Three's steps to taking action to get up and get moving! I recently bought a handy little water bottle that is easy to carry around with me (my doctor told me I needed to drink more water). It's 18 oz. and I just sip from it all day. Yesterday I drank three bottles full without really realizing it!

If the energy drain is too bad and you feel like you really need a nap, (especially new moms!) Hannah says to limit it to only 20-30 minutes. Any longer and your body starts trying to sleep a night schedule and you end up feeling groggier than when you lay down! Some other options might be to go outside for a few minutes. Soak up some vitamin D, and breathe some fresh air. Even (Or maybe especially) in the winter this can be really invigorating. Maybe taking a vitamin supplement heavy in the B vitamins will also help. I have a hard time with this one too, though. Vitamins usually make me nauseous. If any of you have some suggestions on how to remedy that, let me know! Put on some feel good music and dance around as you do the dishes, or vacuum the floor. Keeping your body fueled (fed) will also help. I am really bad at this one, as I never feel like eating. But Hannah suggests instead of eating three big meals, to just graze throughout the day. Grab a piece of fruit first thing in the morning. Have some juice or milk an hour later. Have a handful of whole grain cereal an hour after that. Keep cut up veggies in the fridge to just grab for a quick snack. She says that grazing not only keeps your energy up, but keeps your metabolizm working all day so your burning off more and can maintain a healthy weight. I intend to try this, as I sometimes find it overwhelming to have to sit and find something to fix for breakfast or lunch. Do fix a big dinner, though. This is precious time with your family to touch base with what is going on in eachothers lives.

One of her suggestions, and one that I use almost constantly, is breathing. I use this not only for energy (actually rarely for energy, but it is a pleasant side effect) but for relaxation, or give myself a timeout to calm myself down if the kids are doing something to misbehave, or my husband is on my nerves. Hers is to sit on the floor (either cross-legged or in lotus) with your back straight and breathe in for seven seconds, hold for seven seconds, and then breathe out for seven seconds. You can sit straight in a chair if the floor is too uncomfortable. Consciously tell yourself to breathe in energy and to breathe out fatigue. After about five reps, push down on your knees with your hands and arch your back as you breathe in, and then straighten as you breathe out. This feels so good, as I just tried it and love it!! I also have a plethera of other breathing techniques given to me by my therapist that have many other suggestions. Let me know if you want some.

Lastly, you need to tune in to your own body. Pay attention to those times during the day when you feel the most energized. Take note of those times when the fatigue starts to creep in. Once you are in tune to your body, you can take advantage of the high energy times and get more done, and then let yourself chill and do some of these exercises to gain your energy back during the low energy times. She says to schedule your low energy tasks when you are at your highest point. You don't want to be falling asleep while you are paying your bills or checking your email. You also want to be moving during your low energy times, so schedule your high activity tasks then. This is her suggestion, and it doesn't work for me, but it may do miracles for you!

So, journal assignment. Write down the things and times during your day that drain your energy. Whether it be that new baby, stress, kids, or just the midafternoon blues, get it all out on paper. Isn't it amazing how freeing that is? Then write down some of todays tips for getting your energy up that may work for you, or come up with your own!! Writing it down, not only solidifies it in your head, but also helps to remind you of other alternatives to that high sugar snack or caffeinated drink. Also, take some time to go in your bedroom and see what needs done to make it your own sanctuary. Do some decluttering, change the sheets if necessary. Make your bed!  Put a few drops of fabric softener in a spray bottle of water and lightly spray the sheets with that good, clean smell! Now get off the computer and  Do It Now! Tee-hee.