Sleep Miracles from Leisurely Walks

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Do you stop working out because of lack of sleep? Not exactly. You stop rigid workouts but you have to maintain movement. To be sure, you have to sleep after a period of lack of sleep. You can't replace lost sleep even if you sleep a lot after. Lost sleep is lost sleep. So, as much as possible, sleep well daily, 7 to 8 hours.

But there are times when sleep lack is inevitable---like when a loved one needs extra care at the hospital, or something like that. So, the first thing you do after a bout of sleep-lack is to sleep at home. After sleeping well enough to somewhat recover strength, then walk slowly, like a leisurely walk.

Leisurely walks (as long as you can endure them) are a good way of gradually recovering strength from a bout of physical weakness. Don't stress on it. Just enjoy them. It doesn't matter if you're doing them very slowly. The idea is not to remain idle. Idleness adds to physical weakness. Walking to enjoy the surroundings promotes good circulation, safely challenges the heart and lungs, tones up the leg muscles and creates positive thinking.

Even if you can only walk within your hospital room, make it an adventure. Appreciate what you see--the nurses and aides that visit you now and then, the small scenery out the window, the air conditioning, the visitors---anything. It just requires a little imagination.

Better if you walk out to the garden. I used to enjoy walking around our small backyard, going around it over and over, when I was sick with muscle trauma and a bit of anxiety. I appreciated the cats and dogs and the birds perched on our mango tree. That was how I started recovering from the trauma.

In fact, life is like that. Don't remain idle. You may let yourself some moments of idleness now and then just to relax and meditate. But be mobile soon after. Find something to do and make sure it's easy to accomplish. Then do another simple task. That lets you easily get to one success after another. Staying at home or in your room all the day every day, for instance, can do a lot of harm---physically, emotionally, and mentally.

Go out and see that the world is big and provides lots of possibilities. Now and then we all need that realization especially when boring or stressful work makes us feel confined to a small room or corner and makes us think there is no other reality but that. It renders you lonely, hopeless and conscious of nothing but your problems and miserable life.

So you need to go out and walk awhile to get some fresh air.

Back to lack of sleep, many people don't realize that their inability to sleep may be remedied simply by walking. If you remain lying down because you cannot sleep, it may only make matters worse. Try to get up and walk around your house or garden or roof deck, if you have one. The fresh air and blood circulation is probably what you need to get a good sleep. Nothing tiring or stressful. Just plain leisurely walk. One you enjoy.

Finally, if you can't sleep due to overeating---which sometimes happens to me---a little leisurely walk does the trick. Again, it should be nothing strenuous. We just want to give some help to the digestive system. First, stand up and relax. Better if you have someone to talk to about pleasant things. Then, after 20 to 30 minutes, walk a little here and there, like you're just enjoying the place and ambiance. After 45 minutes to an hour, drink a glass of water.

You'd be surprised that, after that short walk, you'd feel sleepy enough once you sit down. Sit for 3 minutes and then lie down to sleep.

Basically, the idea is to keep moving with your feet.

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