Sleeping is not a luxury, it is a necessity! A good night’s sleep is just as crucial to maintaining health, a beautiful appearance and overall wellness as is a healthy diet and proper exercise.

The Importance of Sleep

The reason why sleep is so important is because it is a restorative process.  While we sleep, our brain cycles through the 3 stages of sleep: light, deep and REM. Sleep restores, rejuvenates and energizes the body and brain.  Our immune systems recharge during this time, cells grow and repair themselves, and our bodies conserve energy.

Dangers of Sleep Deprivation

Unfortunately, to many women and men, sleep is not valued. In our “open all night” society we now live in, studies show that 4 our of 10 Americans are trading in much-needed sleep hours for longer hours at the office, gym, club and other activities which seem more important or interesting. What they may not realize is that lack of sleep takes a toll on our mental and physical well being.

 

Studies performed by the National Sleep Foundation show that even minimal sleep loss has a profoundly detrimental impact on mood, cognition, performance, productivity, communication skills, accident rates and general health.  For optimal functioning throughout the day, the average adult needs between seven to nine hours sleep a night.  According to the NSF, the American adult population functions on about six and a half hours of sleep per night.

Don’t Sleep?

For some, lack of sleep is not a choice, but a condition. Millions of Americans suffer from insomnia.  According to the NSF, a third of Americans are using over the counter or prescription sleep aids at night.  If you suffer from insomnia, here are a few tips to help you get some shut eye:

• If you are a spiritual person, pray before bedtime.  “Don’t go to bed with a heavy load. Give it to God.”
• Avoid caffeinated food and beverages like coffee, teas, soft drinks and chocolate 3 to 4 hours before bedtime.
• Exercise regularly, but complete your workout at least three hours before bedtime. Keeping your body calm in the evening hours helps you sleep when its time to sleep.
• Make sure your mattress is the right one for you. Flip your mattress over periodically to maintain it.
• Develop a bedtime ritual. Taking a warm bath before bedtime will relax your body and usually make you feel sleepy.
• Make sure your bedroom is quiet, dark and comfortable.
• Have a warm drink.
• Play relaxing music.
• Go to bed and wake up the same time every day. When your sleep cycle has a regular rhythm you will feel better.

More on Sleeping Pretty

A cute little study showed that wives preferred their hubbys wear only boxers to bed. Whatever your personal sleepwear preference, make sure you are comfortable and that you allow bedtime to serve as an opportunity to prepare your mind and body for the rest it deserves. Here are a few more tips to help you sleep pretty:

• Most women should remove makeup and cleanse the face thoroughly before bed. If your skin is extremely dry, you might prefer to not wash your face more than once per day.  For example, my skin is severely dry so I only wash my face in the morning, I wear high-quality mineral makeup and sleep with my makeup on so long as I have not sweat much during the day or encountered much environmental debris.  For most women, though, going to bed without washing your face not only leads to mascara-stained sheets and for some women, the dirt picked up during the day can clog pores and lead to acne. Andrea Eye Q’s Eye Makeup Remover Pads were voted the best makeup remover by Allure Magazine).
• Brush and floss your teeth.
• Vaseline works wonders on rough spots while you sleep. Try it on feet, elbows, and knees and dab a little on your lips too.
• There are several night creams on the market now claiming to be more effective if applied at bedtime.  Some of the most popular based on results are Olay Total Effects Night Firming Cream, Neutrogena Light Night Cream, Murad Resurgence Age-Balancing Night Cream, 3: Hydrate/Protect, Porcelana Skin Lightening Cream, Fade Dark Spots, Nighttime Treatment, Porcelana Skin Lightening Cream, Fade Dark Spots, Nighttime Treatment, Eucerin Redness Relief Soothing Night Crème, Peter Thomas Roth Un-Wrinkle Night.  (The links above all contain significant discounting including a 41% discounton the Peter Thomas Roth Un-Wrinkle Night!)
• If you wrap your hair in a scarf at bedtime, remember to wash it regularly.
• Wear your fancy nighties to bed. Don’t save them for a special occasion. YOU are a special occasion.
• After your bath or shower ritual slather on a lotion that relaxes you and helps you fall asleep like Bath and Body Works Sleep Night Time Tea Dream Away, Dove Regenerating Night Lotion or Booth Shea Butter Nighttime Dream Cream.
• Marilyn Monroe is said to only have worn Chanel No.5 to bed.  That one is up to you!.

Here’s wishing you brighter days and more restful nights!

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Sometimes we look around at our lives and think that there is not enough to be grateful for. Sometimes we think of our relationships or health challenges and it seems that giving thanks borders on the absurd. Yet, if we look around us, we can see that we are not alone.  A friend said to me the other day “It seems like I can never get away from stuff.  It’s always one thing and then another and then another.”  My response, “It’s always going to be there.  It’s what makes you better and what makes you stronger.” Read: Grateful Every Single Day on Positivity Toolbox!

Grateful Quotes

“And I reminded myself that it’s easy to be grateful for the obvious blessings in life, much harder to be grateful for the tough moments and the lessons they teach.” ~You Can’t Drink All Day If You Don’t Start in the Morning by Celia Rivenbark

 

“ThanksGiving is good but ThanksLiving is better.” ~Matthew Henry

 

“She was always like that: grateful for life itself. Her glass was not only half full, it was gold plated with a permanent refill.” ~When God Was a Rabbit by Sarah Winman

 

“If you want to turn your life around, try thankfulness.  It will change your life mightily.” ~Gerald Good

 

“A simple grateful thought turned heavenwards is the most perfect prayer.” ~Doris Lessing

 

“Like opening a can of mushroom soup and finding tomato instead; be grateful and eat it anyway.” ~Garden Spells by Sarah Addison Allen

 

“Darkness deserves gratitude. It is the alleluia point at which we learn to understand that all growth does not take place in the sunlight.” ~Joan Chittister

 

“Whatever we are waiting for – peace of mind, contentment, grace, the inner awareness of simple abundance – it will surely come to us, but only when we are ready to receive it with an open and grateful heart.” ~Sarah Ban Breathnach

 

“The more grateful we feel, the more things we receive to feel grateful for. The more loved we feel, the more love we receive. The more beautiful we feel, the more attractive we become.” ~Feel It Real! by Denise Coates

 

“I am very grateful to make my living doing what I would do for free.” ~Judd Nelson

 

“Gratitude is the memory of the heart.” ~Jean Baptiste Massieu

 

“The Universe loves a grateful person. The more you thank Life, the more Life will give you to be thankful for.” ~Empowering Women: Every Woman’s Guide to Successful Living by Louise L. Hay

 

“Let us be grateful to people who make us happy; they are the charming gardeners who make our souls blossom.” ~Marcel Prous

 

“A grateful perspective brings happiness and abundance into a person’s life.” ~The Noticer: Sometimes, all a person needs is a little perspective by Andy Andrews

 

“After all, the seeds of depression cannot take root in a grateful heart.” ~The Noticer: Sometimes, all a person needs is a little perspective by Andy Andrews

 

“The trick is to be grateful when your mood is high and graceful when it is low.” ~Richard Carlson

 

“That which you have received, you should be grateful for it. And the most beautiful phenomenon is that when you are grateful, existence starts pouring more and more over you. It becomes a circle: the more you get, the more you become grateful; the more you become grateful, the more you get… And there is no end to it, it is an infinite process.” ~The Magic of Self-Respect: Awakening to your Own Awareness (Authentic Living) by Osho

 

“Give thanks for unknown blessings already on their way.” ~Native American Prayer

 

“The gratitude that we encounter helps us believe in the goodness of the world, and strengthens us thereby to do what’s good.” ~Dr. Albert Schweitzer

 

“Be grateful for the love you have to share—share it, and it will return to you ten times over.” ~Looking Beyond by James Van Praagh

 

“Gratitude is not only the greatest of virtues, but the parent of all the others.” ~Cicero

 

“It is not happiness that makes us grateful, but gratefulness that makes us happy.” ~Life Gets Better: The Unexpected Pleasures of Growing Older by Wendy Lustbater

 

“If the only prayer you ever say in your entire life is thank you, it will be enough.” ~Meister Eckhart

 

“A central truth of life is that we always find what we look for, so if we look for things we appreciate and for things we’re grateful for, we’re likely to find more of this good stuff.” ~Focus on the Good Stuff: The Power of Appreciation by Mike Robbins

 

“If we stop and find something to be grateful for in the midst of a challenge, we gain an important perspective that helps us not only “get through” the problem but also learn and grow in the process.” ~Focus on the Good Stuff: The Power of Appreciation by Mike Robbins

 

“Gratitude for the present moment and the fullness of life now is the true prosperity.” ~Eckhart Tolle

 

“The ability to relax and be mindfully present in the moment comes naturally when we are grateful.” ~Gratitude: A Way of Life by Lousie L. Hay

 

“When we give cheerfully and accept gratefully, everyone is blessed.” ~Maya Angelou

 

“As each day comes to us refreshed and anew, so does my gratitude renew itself daily.  The breaking of the sun over the horizon is my grateful heart dawning upon a blessed world.”  ~Terri Guillemets

 

“To become grateful, I must learn that I can handle disappointment and delayed gratification with grace and perseverance.This is why practices such as fasting and simplicity are such powerful tools for transformation. The experience of frustration and disappointment is irreplaceable in the development of a grateful heart.” ~Love Beyond Reason by John Ortberg

 

“Let us be grateful to the mirror for revealing to us our appearance only.” ~Erewhon by Samuel Butler

 

“Be grateful for luck. Pay the thunder no mind – listen to the birds. And don’t hate nobody.” ~Eubie Blake

 

“Yes, there is a “secret to happiness”—and it is gratitude. All happy people are grateful, and ungrateful people cannot be happy. We tend to think that it is being unhappy that leads people to complain, but it is truer to say that it is complaining that leads to people becoming unhappy. Become grateful and you will become a much happier person.” ~Happiness Is a Serious Problem by Dennis Prager

 

“Gratitude is riches. Complaint is poverty.” ~Doris Day

 

“I’ve loved. I’ve lost. I’ve grieved. I’ve gained. And for this, I am grateful.” ~Color Me Butterfly: A Novel Inspired by One Family’s Journey from Tragedy to Triumph by L. Y. Marlow

 

“Joy is the simplest form of gratitude.” ~Karl Barth

 

“The very first step toward giving to others is grateful recognition of our own assets.” ~Promise Me: How a Sister’s Love Launched the Global Movement to End Breast Cancer by Nancy G. Brinker

 

“The hardest arithmetic to master is that which enables us to count our blessings.” Eric Hoffer

 

“One quality of most grateful people is that they don’t focus so much on pain and problems. They don’t dwell on their losses and are quicker to realize the blessings in even the toughest times. They tap into their families and friends during times of need, and they step back and ask themselves how they can help others in distress as well.” ~Living Life as a Thank You: The Transformative Power of Daily Gratitude by Nina Lesowitz, Mary Beth Sammons

 

“I would maintain that thanks are the highest form of thought; and that gratitude is happiness doubled by wonder.” ~G.K. Chesterton

 

“Practice being grateful for everything that life has blessed you with.” ~The Master-Key to Riches by Napoleon Hill

 

“Be grateful for the home you have, knowing that at this moment, all you have is all you need.” ~Sarah Ban Breathnach

 

If you like these Grateful Quotes, take a peek at our more Positivity Quotes by Positivity Toolbox!

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Stressed?  With our busy lifestyles it is no wonder that so many of us are on the hunt for stress relief tips. Stress is something that is almost impossible to avoid completely due to the way that we are wired as well as our day-to-day lifestyles but, with that said stress can be easily dealt with and minimized. Here is Positively Beautiful’s Top 31 Stress Relief Tips for Simply Living Well.

Remember: The worst thing you can do is nothing. Don’t delay. Start on these recommendations right away. Do something today!

 

31 Stress Relief Tips

 

Stress Relief Tips #1: Exercise.

Exercise seems to always creep into articles like this: But that is because it is so totally foundational. Exercise has the ability to relax both your mind and your body. In addition to so many benefits, one of the big advantages is that exercise provides stress release. Exercise does not have to be a chore. It can easily be incorporated into your daily activities. It may be difficult to begin an exercise program but almost anyone who does it will say that it becomes easier after you get started. Of course talk to your physician before beginning an exercise program. Clear your mind, increase your health and relieve your stress with exercise. A perfect form of exercise for almost anyone in almost any health condition is yoga.

 

Stress Relief Tips #2: Nutrition.

Another foundation to stress relief is wellbeing. A healthy diet with the proper nutrition keeps you at your optimal physically, mentally and emotionally. Frozen TV dinners or Big Macs are not good choices. Consuming unprocessed food is key. Eating organic whenever possible enables you to avoid unnecessary excess toxins in your diet. Eat plenty of fresh vegetables, raw if possible, and fruit too. Nutritional eating habits and eating small meals helps to keep your blood sugar stabilized. Many people reach for something high in sugar content when feeling stressed which compounds the problem.

Stress Relief Tips #3: Hydrate!

Drink lots of water! Again, this one is also foundational. Drinking plenty of clean water to keep those brain neurons communicating and able to function at their best! A hydrated body is a healthy body. Bring water with you everywhere!

 

Stress Relief Tip #4: Get The Right Sleep.

Getting enough sleep at nigh as well as the right sleep – meaning restful, uninterrupted sleep, t is crucial to keeping stress at bay. Try to relax the best you can in the evening prior to bedtime. If you watch television in the evenings ensure it is not violent or exciting so that your rest is not disturbed. Better than television, however, is to read something soothing or listen to soft pleasant music. There are several factors when it comes to getting the right sleep: (1) Not too much. (2) Not too little. (3) Good quality. If sleep is an issue for you, take a look at Brainwave Entrainment to aid with sleep.

 

 

Stress Relief Tips #5: Relax.

Yes it is hard to relax when you are experiencing stress. There are so many relaxation tips though. Too many to mention here. They include deep slow breathing with visualization. For example, as you breathe out picture all the stress leaving you. Other relaxation techniques include meditation, yoga, EFT, biofeedback or brainwave entrainment, listening to soothing music, prayer, asking for help, and joining a support network to name just a few.

 

 

Stress Relief Tips #6: Reward Yourself.

Too often we get into patterns where we work too much, sleep to little, and run our body into the ground. Take breaks daily, weekly, monthly, yearly. Get up during the day from your work and take a brief walk. Stretch throughout your day. Take a weekend get away to freshen up your mind from your work. Take a yearly trip to experience something different from the 9-5. Even just an evening or a Saturday morning rewarding yourself with some “me” time will do the trick!

 

 

Stress Relief Tips #7: Balance.

Living a balanced life is very important to maintain limited stress. Balance does not mean trying to do too many things at once. Balance means not living all work and no play or no rest. Create a balance of work, family, friends, exercise, hobbies, and other things that are important to you. It means doing your best in all areas of your life and then letting go.

 

Stress Relief Tips #8: Get Rid Of Emotional Vampires.

It may seem harsh to some, but eliminating people from your life that cause you stress, negative emotions and that drain your energy are not worth it. They’re called “Emotional Vampires.” If you feel you cannot eliminate these people, at least keep their presence in your life to a minimum and seek lifestyle changes to avoid them entirely. Last, if it is someone you cannot get rid of, such as a boss, parent, child or teacher, seek healthy ways to process their role in your life.

 

 

Stress Relief Tips #9: Plan.

Who ever said “Fail to plan, plan to fail” was on the ball! There is also an element of stress in unplanned situations. Unknowns cause us to worry, and to get stressed out about situations that we could have taken a little time to plan ahead is something we can avoid.

 

 

Stress Relief Tips #10: Practice Mindfulness.

Sit quietly for five, ten, twenty minutes a day, following your breath, is a good way to begin creating a personal practice of what is called mindfulness. In today’s speed-of-light world, it is common to feel scattered with the mind thinking about one thing, while the heart reaches toward another and the body hangs out someplace else. Mindfulness is about bringing all these aspects of the self together. It is practicing being fully and deeply present, aware of each passing moment. And the simplest, easiest and best place to begin is the breath. The best way to start is to take some time to sit each day in silence and over time the mindfulness practice will find its way into other areas of your life.

 

 

 

Stress Relief Tips #11: Become A Clock, But Not A Robot.

Make your life regular like “clock work.” Go to bed and get up at the same time each day. Get in a routine and stay with it. This can provide you with a level of certainty and relieve stress. It is important however, to remember that while we can have a set plan of when we do things, it might not always work that way 100% of the time and flexibility can relieve our stress as well.

 

 

 

Stress Relief Tips #12: Be Easy On Yourself.

Give yourself a break today.

 

 

 

Stress Relief Tips #13: Say “NO!”

Say “no” more often when other people want your time but when you feel less than enthusiastic about giving it. This includes social engagements, the family dinner on Christmas, Thanksgiving, etc. It also includes projects and volunteer positions when you simply do not have the time for it without sacrificing personal time or sleep.

 

 

 

Stress Relief Tips #14: Become More Efficient.

This means getting things done in less time. We so often choose a more difficult way to get things done than is necessary.

 

 

Stress Relief Tips #15: Reduce The Number Of Hours You Spend At Work Or School.

If you are a work-a-holic or school-a-holic consider reducing the energy drain on your body by lessening your load wherever possible. And if its just not possible to reduce hours, see Stress Relief Tip #14 above!

 

 

 

Stress Relief Tip #16: Rest Your Mind.

These mind activities include reading, working on a craft, listening to music, playing a musical instrument, meditation, self-relaxation, dancing, and biofeedback.

 

 

Stress Relief Tips #17: Have A Worry Time If You Must Worry.

When you find yourself worrying over a problem, set aside a time for worrying. Then put off worrying until that time. Worry if you want, but chances are you will view this time as a problem-sovling session where you are able to find solutions. Either that or you may not even remember what you were stressing yourself about when worry time comes around.

 

 

Stress Relief Tips #18 Play Games.

Doing something to take your mind off your stress, such as playing games is a great way to relieve stress. This works in a number of ways: (1) It instantly reduces the stress through distraction. (2) It helps you gain perspective by taking your mind off the stress for a little bit. (3) It gives you enjoyment. It is a great idea to have some little hand-held “do-dads” that you can play with throughout your day.

 

 

Stress Relief Tips #19: Have A Massage Or Another Form Of Self-Care Activity.

If you cannot afford a professional massage do you have a spouse, friend or loved one that you can do a massage exchange with one afternoon or evening?

 

 

Stress Relief Tips #20: Relieving Stress With A Stress Ball!

Stress Balls are wonderful for relieving tension and pent up frustration. Many people will find that when they are going through a period of stress they feel the need to do something with their hands. For example some people play with the loose change in their pockets while others make patterns and shapes with their fingers or tap them rhythmically on the tabletop. Stress balls are a cheap alternative to the incessant hand movements that some people find annoying. They can be squeezed over and over again until you feel your nerves calming down because most are made from materials that regain their original shape when they are not being squeezed.

 

 

Stress Relief Tips #21: Look Into What Causes Your Stress.

You may not know what is inducing you stress. Try to understand where the source is coming from if possible. Once you understand what is causing your stress you can try to modify these problem areas. If you can not eliminate the source of stress, can you substantially reduce them? And if nothing else maybe you can look at these stressors in a different way.

 

 

Stress Relief Tips #22: Have A Positive Attitude.

Always look on the bright side of things. Don’t think about what may go wrong. Take positive steps to improve yourself, your business and your spirit. Work on your ambitions. Find methods to enhance your routine activities. At the end of the day understand that you have done all you can to maintain a healthy lookout on life. Now you can relax and enjoy the remainder of the evening either by yourself or with family and friends.

 

 

Stress Relief Tips #25: Take A Bath.

Take a bath with bath salts. The bath itself is soothing and relaxing and bath salts extract toxins from the body. They don’t have to be expensive. Plain old Epsom Salt does the trick and can be purchased for just a few dollars.

 

 

Stress Relief Tips #26: Multitask But Only To A Point.

Multitasking can be dangerous because our brains are not designed to do two things at once. The idea of multitasking in terms of a stress relief tip has to do with just getting more done in less time by doing it at the most efficient time. For example, if you are going downstairs, grab the laundry on your way. If you going across town to go shopping, get gas while you are out.

 

 

Stress Relief Tips #27: Delegate.

You do not have to do it all. We often take on more than we can handle. Have you ever had these thoughts?: “If I don’t do it myself, it won’t get done right.” OR “It will take me longer to teach someone else how to do it than it will take for me to just get it done myself. It does not have to be that way. By not delegating, we end up not getting things done or we get it done, but with sacrificing sleep or relationships. Both scenarios create stress. There is an art to delegating. It is an important skill for those who can benefit from it.

 

 

Stress Relief Tips #28. Keep It Simple.

Keep your life as simply as possible. Simplify and de-clutter wherever possible. If you are looking to make major changes, take it one step at at time! Change of any kind is stressful and limiting it until later is a good strategy if you are under a lot of pressure.

 

 

 

Stress Relief Tips #29: Book Time For Yourself.

In your daily or weekly schedule book time first for yourself and then the other activities you are involved in. Don’t let anything, except an emergency, usurp your commitment to yourself.

 

 

Stress Relief Tips #30: Know Your Values.

Take a moment to think about the things that are the most important for you in your life. Often times when we are living off the wall and not by our values there is an increase of stress in our days.

 

 

 

Stress Relief Tips #31: Seek Help.

Ask your friends, family, coworkers and neighbors for help. People love helping people and that can greatly help you. Its okay not to have all the answers and not be able to do it all. If your stress is so severe and you can’t seem to find relief regardless of what you try then you may desire to request professional help. Find a counselor, psychiatrist, medical doctor or life coach to help you get through.

 

 

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Article contributed by Guest Writer, Fiona MacNeil of A Better Me.

Have you ever heard yourself saying… “I always have to be nice or other people will judge me.” OR  “It really bothers me if I have disappointed someone.” OR “I’ve been doing things this way for years and people expect me to continue.”

If so, you have the disease to please!  The good news is that this disease has a cure.

These feelings are based on your beliefs about the right and wrong way to do things. The next time you find yourself feeling obligated to do things you’d rather not, ask a few questions for clarity:

1. Does my belief reflect what I believe or did it develop out of my family upbringing?
2. Does this belief promote my well being and peace of mind?
3. Looking at this objectively, what evidence is there to support my belief?
4. Is this belief always true?

The goal here is not to become someone who is rude, insensitive, and only watching out for themselves.

Instead, the goal is to balance your own needs with the people around you. Being pulled  here and there by the whims, expectations, and potential disappointments of others lets people know they DON’T have to respect you in order to get what they want.

For more great information, just like this, CLICK HERE:  A Better Me.

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