Good stress versus bad stress
Good stress is obviously the positive little pinch we feel before we take on something huge. That only makes us sharper, more competent, more alert. That’s absolutely a good thing! It enhances our performances, it helps us make better decisions. So that is not the problem.
It’s the bad stress that is killing us slowly but steadily…
There are a lot of elements causing this stress and today I am going to highlighten just one:
Fatigue.
When we feel fatigued
▶ we feel stressed
▶ we feel more tired
▶ we feel even more stress
▶ and so we feel more fatigue…….
Once you’re trapped in this chicken-and-egg situation, you can’t get out easily, you feel yourself evolving from a confident, competent person to a reactive and defensive person.
You worry more
You are feeling heavy
You lack motivation
Your attitude becomes negative and judgmental
Your mind is racing, darts all over the place hence you lack focus
You are always in a rush and yet you complete nothing
Your bodily functions shut down: brainfunction, cellular repair, immune system, digestive system,….
The list is long and depressing…
So one key element to restore that health and calmness is SLEEP!!!
Sleep cleans your brain, refreshes your body and mind.
And yet, nobody takes the 8 hour (or more) sleep which is necessary for our body and mind to function well!
We all want to go through life like a top athlete, but we don’t behave like one. (Roger Federer sleeps 12 hours/day!!)
We keep on pushing and pushing our body and mind without thinking about the necessary rest and recovery they need.
It really is very simple, not easy but simple: you want high performance in life, make sure your body and mind are up for it!!
Prepare yourself with the same ritual every night so your body and mind are ready to go to sleep:
NO screens 1 hour before bedtime ( read a good book, write down what made you happy today, talk to your partner, go for a walk, …)
Keep the same bedtime hours every day of the week
No alcohol, coffee, sugar,… or other stimulants before bedtime
Make sure your room is a place to rest: quiet, calm, no clutter,…
Let in the fresh air so your room feels clean and rejuveniting
You don’t like those bedtime habits???
Just ask yourself: how many more days do you want to ‘wake up’ groggy, stressed, overwhelmed, bad tempered, tired, ….
There’s your answer! Not one single day longer!!!
It’s very simple but it’s not easy in the beginning.
Once you’ve made a habit out of it, it becomes automatic behaviour and it requires less and less effort.
Once you start feeling the benefits of a good night sleep, a rested healthy body, when you start feeling motivated again, energetic, you will ask yourself why did I torture my body for so long by depriving it from it’s much needed sleep!!!
Start tonight! Create this good habit!!
Wishing you all a very good night sleep!!!!!!
Sweet dreams!!!
Thank you so much for reading me, sharing my posts, liking them,…!!!!!
Katrien