Pillar #3: Quality Sleep ~ 2025 Week 14

Quality sleep with adequate quantities, with periodic times of rest and relaxation

As I have said before, I believe there are 8 pillars that your basic health rests on. So let’s dig into Pillar #3. Stop yawning! Sleep is an important element for you to consider.

Most people need 7-9 hours of quality sleep, yet many fall dismally short.

The Importance of Sleep - I wrote this article several years ago, and I really think it contains the same information I would say here today, but better. So I am just going to shamelessly implore you to visit that link.

Also, Solutions to Why I Can’t Fall Sleep and Other Sleep Problems is another article that may benefit you in the sleep area.

Wondering about BAD dreams

Several years ago a lady came into my office, where I worked as an advice/triage nurse, complaining of blackheads just beneath her eyelashes on one of her lower lids. She had about 5 of these little dots clustered together that really did look like blackhead pimples. However, the doctor I scheduled her with did not think it was blackheads, so s the eyelid was photographed and sent to dermatology for a consult. 

Well, that night I dreamt that I had a blackhead in the middle of my arm like where it creases at the elbow, and when I squeezed it a one-eyed, cream colored, worm-like parasite, about as thick as really thick spaghetti, slowly oozed out to the length of about 3 inches, with a mouth full of tiny teeth.

I yelled to my husband, handing him 3 Kleenexes, "Pull it out, pull it out"! Which he did. But then I noticed more "blackheads" on my body. Many more. You can imagine how relieved I was to wake up and realize this was just a dream.

This made me wonder what causes nightmares. Of course it did.

Possible Causes: University Health News gave 7 common triggers: anxiety and stress; medication or substance withdrawal; sleep disorders; certain medications; depression; eating too close to bedtime; and lack of sleep.

The article goes on to say that while one can develop a nightmare disorder, most of the time bad dreams seem beneficial by helping us process stressors and giving us emotional release.

The 5 most common nightmare themes are: falling - 42%, being attacked - 41%, being trapped - 34%, death - 32%, and being late to work - 29%. Hmmm, oozing parasites must be further down the list.

Thankfully, I don't have nightmares very often.

Two things you can do to avoid nightmares are 1) Clear your head of your problems by focusing on positive events before you go to bed and, 2) Do not allow yourself to ruminate on that days unpleasant events or to dwell on worst case "what-if" scenarios (Psychology Today).

That pretty much boils down to think happy thoughts and don't worry, which is not new information to anyone, but perhaps a good reminder.

In addition, I think it is very helpful to do some deep breathing, and practice gratitude by thinking of 5 things to be thankful for that day before going to sleep. And if I feel troubled by something I make sure I turn the problem over to God through prayer, and let Him handle things.

My sweet Mom taught me this one when I was very young…

Now I lay me down to sleep
I pray the Lord my soul to keep
God, keep me safely through the night
And wake me with the morning light.

You might also be interested in this related article: Solutions to "Why Can't I Fall Asleep" & Other Sleep Problems.

Lastly, you may want to consider these Sleep Gummies with melatonin and other calming ingredients if you are having sleep problems. Of course, it’s always good to check with your health provider before starting anything new.

And now for my 100-Day Update ~

To be truthful, the last week was a rough one. I had a couple of MCAS flares (a chronic condition I have - full name of Mast Cell Activation Syndrome) that were very uncomfortable and discouraging. And I think the possibility exists that they may have, at least in part, been triggered by my 100-Day Wellness Adventure. Not to scare anyone off from trying it, because I believe it is the best thing I can be doing for my body to heal most fully. And my body deserves the chance.

Why, you ask. Why would the 100-Day thing be a cause of a flare. My theory is that it is due to fat loss. Fat cells are releasing their contents, thus toxins are being dumped out along with the fat. And my body is having to deal with them. And is making it more symptomatic.

But I have hung in there. I am confident that good things are still happening in this fussy body of mine. And I am too curious to see the results at the end of the 100-Days to give up now.

Besides, I am almost 30% the way through the 100 days. And I am surprised that I am not eagerly looking forward to the end so that I can … stop depriving myself? No, I really don’t feel deprived. Rather I feel that I am on a good trajectory for my health. I am doing what I need to do, and ultimately want to do. And then there is that CURIOUS component too that is driving me, encouraging me along.

The Wonder of Words

Word of the Week: FATUOUS ~ Actually it is not even fat-related. Definition according to Oxford Languages, it is an adjective that means “silly and pointless”. I used it above in my subtitle. Now your turn.

Peace, pillar-building, & sweet dreams,
~Vanessa
www.vanessamarsden.com
Instagram @wellnessadventure_RN

Instagram ~ I still really need to post some new content. Coming soon.

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