The Spring OMA Navigator is here!

Thanks to all who contributed, and a big thanks to our tireless volunteer, Billy, who made it possible.

Read the latest edition online here.

How you put yourself to bed and what time you turn off the lights makes a huge impact on your mood, energy, health, and longevity. Yet, our culture stigmatizes sleep, glorifying those who can push through an all-nighter and dismissing those who prioritize sleep as lazy or unmotivated.

Are you getting less than seven hours of sleep most nights of the week? Are you a night owl who stays up into the wee hours of the night? Do you have a hard time getting to sleep or staying asleep all night? Do you feel foggy and sluggish when you wake in the morning? Would you like to feel bright, clear, and energized when you wake each day?

If you’ve answered yes to any of these questions, you may want to create the habit of Early to Bed.

Sleep is Essential

Humans are not like the owls, or cats, or bats that sleep in the day and are awake at night. We are physiologically programmed to do the opposite. This phenomenon has been understood for thousands of years and was recently validated by modern science.

• Ayurveda and Chinese Medicine are two ancient sciences that are based on the natural cycles of nature.
• Your great grandmother intuitively knew it too and may have taught you “early to bed and early to rise” as a rule for good living.
• In 2017, the Nobel Prize in Medicine was awarded to scientists who identified the molecular mechanisms that govern the circadian rhythm.

Also in 2017, neuroscientist Matthew Walker authored, “Why We Sleep: Unlocking the Power of Sleep and Dreams” to explain the importance of sleep and convince us all to prioritize rest. “There does not seem to be one major organ within the body, or process within the brain, that isn’t optimally enhanced by sleep (and detrimentally impaired when we don’t get enough),” Walker writes.

The list of impairments caused by sleep deprivation (i.e. less than seven hours per night) is long and far-reaching. A few of them are illustrated in this infographic, and include: food cravings, lower immune function, increased cancer risk, high blood pressure, emotional instability, depression, anxiety, and irritability.

Whether you listen to the ancient sages, to your sweet grandma, or to the hard science, the truth about sleep is clear. Sleep is essential.

How to Go to Bed Early

Last month we talked about eating an Earlier Lighter Dinner. This is the habit of eating your last meal of the day by 6pm so you have time to completely digest your food before bedtime. The habit of an Earlier Lighter Dinner sets you up for the habit of Early to Bed because your body won’t be working on digesting food while you sleep and it can do what it supposed to be doing overnight: restoring, detoxifying, and resting.

If you live by your natural circadian rhythm, that means you go to bed – or at least start winding down – when the sun goes down. This is the time of day when your energy is naturally waning and getting you ready to rest. Knowing you need to get at least seven hours of sleep, count backwards from you waking time and you’ll find your bedtime. It’s probably around 10pm.

If you’ve had an Earlier, Lighter Dinner, you’ve already taken a step toward winding down for an early bedtime. Since you’re not eating late, you have time in the evening to:

• Relax, do some light activity, and allow yourself to feel tired.
• Finish your work and turn off your devices at least an hour before bedtime.
• Take a bath, read, or meditate.

All of these activities send the signal that it is time to get quiet and go to sleep. They will teach your body and mind how to go to bed early.

Knowing and Doing are Different Things

When we know the impact of sleep deprivation and we know that we are naturally wired to sleep at least seven hours a night, Early to Bed is a no-brainer. But the culture we live in, and the evening habits most of us have, don’t support good sleep.

• If your life is full, you may feel like sleeping less is the only way to get everything done. This may FEEL true, but is it? What is the cost of burning out or getting sick from lack of sleep? Are you able to be your best without proper rest? Consider what activities and tasks you could cut back on or quit so you have time to get the sleep you need.
• If you are a night owl, you may think it’s impossible to go to bed by 10pm. It will take some time to adjust to an earlier bedtime. Do this by going to bed 15 minutes earlier this week, then 15 minutes earlier next week, and so on. Make the change gradually and you’re more likely to stick with it.
• If your friends and family don’t go to bed early, you’ll have to make tough decisions and decline some invitations. Prioritize going to bed early MOST nights. Choose wisely and enjoy fully the occasions you do attend. As you begin to feel the effect of adequate sleep, it will be easier and easier to choose your well-being over a night out.

Adopting the habit of Early to Bed will have short and long-term impacts on your life. You’ll lower your risk for disease, and you’ll be less prone to accidents. Being well-rested means you’ll wake up with more energy and have better focus to do your work each day. You’ll be more emotionally stable, which can lead to gains in your work and personal relationships, confidence, and self-esteem.

What will be your simple step toward living in sync with nature and adopting the habit of Early to Bed?

About the Author

Kirstin Pinit teaches the art of self-care through creative, engaging, and practical habit-change programs. She is a certified coach and yoga teacher and consults with cities, communities, companies, and groups on behavior-change programs and strategies. Learn more about her work at www.kirstinpinit.com.

OMA is looking for a few good men and women to help fill vital volunteer roles. Commitments and projects vary, so no matter your interests, there is some way to get involved!

OMA’s Member Services Committee has 4 seats to fill. These are volunteer positions that meet four times a year to discuss member benefits, and plan opportunities for member engagement with outside communities.

Specifically, the Committee is looking for members with any of the following:

•       Human Resources experience,
•       affiliation with the ADR section of the OSB,
•       affiliation with a CDRC, or
•       a commitment to neighborhood conflict.

Interested individuals should contact the office no later than March 28th and the Committee Chair will contact you to learn more about your interest.

OMA’s Finance Committee is looking for members to help brainstorm and evaluate how to best maintain and utilize our financial resources.  How do we manage and disburse scholarship funds? How do we best use OMA’s growing reserves? Join the conversation and help us determine a strong financial path forward for OMA!

Tech Gurus Wanted!

We are looking for one or two volunteers to help provide support in two vital tech roles in operations and information management. If you would like to help maintain the WordPress platform for OMA’s website or know about database management, we want to hear from you! Commitment is sporadic, approximately 2-4 hours per month.

This month The Self-Care Series will help you feel more energetic and light by getting in touch with the rhythm of nature and experimenting with the habit of eating an Earlier, Lighter Dinner. Adopting this lifestyle habit can go a long way toward improving your capacity to do your work and enjoy your life.

Most Americans tend to eat large heavy dinners. Busy days often include a quick lunch eaten on the go or while working and then a bigger, heavier evening meal after the day is done. Dinnertime is part of the social fabric of our culture. We connect with friends and loved ones over food and drink. We indulge in the name of celebrating a big win or to soothe a challenge.

The problem with this cultural norm is that it is hard on your body and mind!

Eating late in the evening puts a heavy load on your whole system. Instead of resting and rejuvenating while you sleep, the body is still digesting your big meal. Instead of detoxing and removing waste, the whole system is clogged with more material than it can handle.

A heavier, later dinner lifestyle contributes to digestive and sleep issues, low energy, and foggy thinking. It can result in added weight, stiff joints, memory decline, and degeneration of vision and hearing (often considered the inevitable effects of aging).

If you want to feel light and clear in body and mind, eating an earlier, lighter dinner can help.

Living on Mother Nature’s Schedule

Humans are physiologically designed to be active in the daytime and sleep at night. This natural phenomena has been proven by nobel laureates whose research on circadian rhythm explains the molecular processes that sustain life. Ayurveda is India’s “science of life” and provides simple, practical guidelines for living in sync with Mother Nature’s natural rhythms. This ancient wisdom is aligned with the scientific understanding of circadian rhythm.

Ayurveda’s explanation of our internal clock helps us understand that the daytime hours are best for physical labor and exercise. It’s when our digestive “fire” is strongest and our energy is more mental and creative. The nighttime hours are when the body is settling down and preparing for sleep. During sleep, our internal organs are resting and repairing.

Working Against the Clock

Our bodies are remarkable machines that can continue to function even when we live against the body’s internal clock. We fuel up on food and caffeine, catch the second wind, and keep producing long into the night. We can do this occasionally – and sometimes we have to – but over time, this rhythm is not sustainable.

A life of working against the clock is associated with the increasing occurrence of lifestyle diseases that develop over years of poor nutrition, disrupted sleep, and lack of physical activity. Choosing to live in sync with your biological clock is a simple way to feel better and avoid debilitating and hard-to-cure diseases that diminish your quality of life and shorten your lifespan.

Earlier, Lighter Dinner Basics

When you eat dinner early, you digest your food before you go to bed so your body can rest, restore, and reset overnight. Here’s how:

• Eat a satisfying lunch including protein and healthy fats. Avoid afternoon snacks.
• Eat your last meal of the day by 6pm. Choose simple foods that are easy to digest.
• Do not snack after dinner. Brush your teeth to avoid the temptation to nibble.
• Slowly adjust your mealtime by 15 minutes each week until you are eating by 6pm.
• Make a weekly meal plan so you always know what’s for dinner.

Adopting the habit of an Earlier, Lighter Dinner has many benefits. You’ll free up your evening for other nourishing activities like connecting with friends and family. You’ll make it easier for your body to rest and restore itself overnight. You’ll set yourself up to be clear and energetic the next morning. You’ll keep your body lighter and will experience fewer aches and pains as you age.

What will be your simple step toward living in sync with nature and eating an early, light dinner?

About the Author

Kirstin Pinit teaches the art of self-care through creative, engaging, and practical habit-change programs. She is a certified coach and yoga teacher and consults with cities, communities, companies, and groups on behavior-change programs and strategies. Learn more about her work at www.kirstinpinit.com.