Sleep and SVT Prevention

I started writing this info in response to someone’s comment…and the info is relevant for us all so I turned it into a new post! ….Here are some of my sleep tips!

There are so many factors that contribute to good sleep…lets start with the basics….

• Is your room clean and totally clutter free?
• Do you like your room? Wall color? Décor?
• Is your bed/mattress comfortable?
• Do you share your bed with someone or pets?
• Do you need new pillows or blankets?
• Are you consuming caffeine or white sugar? especially after 2 pm?
• Do you sleep with an eye mask/sleep mask on? (I SWEAR by mine) It has CHANGED the quality of my sleep tremendously. It helps keep my senses protected and I don’t wake as easily as I used to. I also sleep longer in the morning because it keep the light out….There are many benefits to a sleep mask! Try this for sure if you are not sleeping well!

Once you look at those things lets look at the next basics…

• Do you walk or lightly exercise during the day? That will usually give you a better nights sleep.
• What is your nighttime routine? Are you on the computer? watching TV? Try eliminating all electronics for at LEAST 1 hour before bed….AND no electronics in your bedroom!!!! especially not in bed!!! no ipads or iphones etc!!!!! Remember SVT is an electrical mis-fire so the less electronic interference the better!
• Try a HOT bath before bed…this completely relaxes all your muscles and puts you in a very relaxed state. Do everything else that needs to be done before the bath, so that right afterwards you can just climb into bed and really reap the benefits of the soak!
• Try Chamomile tea with local raw honey before bed…but not too much or you will have to go to the bathroom and that will disturb your sleep…have it after dinner as a sweet treat or just a few nice sips before bed…
• TRY peace and calming essential oils from young living. This oil is super relaxing and will calm you and help you fall asleep. Apply it to your wrists, under your nose and maybe a dot on the outside or side of your eye mask. Always keep away from your eyes in general and dab it directly onto your wrists so you don’t put it on your finger which you may later accidentally rub into your eye…
•  Sleep upright with lots of pillow under your chest and head. I personally cannot lay flat…Laying FLAT is a definite SVT position. Always sleep propped up….I even tuck a tiny pillow or mushed up blanket into the side of my neck and face for extra support and comfort…Getting your pillows comfortable and finding a good upright position is key reducing SVT at night. I sleep with at least 4 pillows…2 nice ones under my upper back and one under my side and one next to me…Plus a mini pillow…and a small blanket just for the crevices of my head and neck…

My two favorite tips to calm your body at night while laying down are:

• Lay with one hand on your solar plexus…Your solar plexus is located above your stomach and under your breast bones….Its an energy center and can be easily effected by outside disturbance and needs to be protected. By placing your hand there and just leaving it there…and sometimes even rubbing and soothing that area, will soothe and relax your whole body and even put you back to sleep…This is a good technique to do anytime you need protection or soothing. I feel the benefit after about 6 minutes of placing my hand there.

The next one to help bring your energy down and away from the heart is to press into the center of the palm of your hands…So as you lay in bed just massage and press firmly into the center of your palm. This will also calm and sooth your heart energy. You can also do this to the center of your foot before bed and even rub some peace and calming or lavender there. If you are really up for a self massage…rub your calf muscles…this relaxes the whole body.

On an emotional level…I would highly recommend journaling to ask yourself and your heart why it is going into SVT at night? Here are some journaling questions to ask yourself privately in a journal that is safe and no one else will read:

• What does my heart want to say?
• What does it need me to hear?
• What am I not listening to or suppressing during the day that is coming up and out at night?
• What does my heart need?
• What do I need?
• Is there anything I am depriving myself of?
• What brings my heart joy?
• How do I feed my heart?
• How do I ignore my heart?
• Do I give my heart the space and room it needs to express itself?
• and allow yourself to write about anything else that comes up or feels right for you!

The next tip is to be on a regimented sleep schedule. To get the best sleep possible, try to go to bed at the same time every night…You need to train yourself and really stick to this one! I go to bed at 10-or 1030. If I go to bed past 11, I simply do not get a good nights sleep…There is something about going to bed before 1030-1045 that leaves me feeling rested and rejuvenated the next day…anything later, I am running on empty the next day. This is a huge one!!!!

For supplements keep it simple…Try drinking calcium magnesium citrate  at night..and take your probiotics at night…Those are the 2 nighttime supplements I take. Magnesium relaxes the heart…

Lastly, for anyone interested in Chinese medicine….check out the importance of yin and yang and sleep…If you are someone who is going to acupuncture, definitely ask your practitioner if you have yin deficiency and how they can treat you to build yin to help you stay asleep. Do some research on your own about yin and yang and balance and sleep if you don’t have an acupuncturist…

So my friends, those are some of the things that have worked for me…Since SLEEP is one of the MOST important factors in our overall health on every level, I surely hope that you are all getting proper sleep! It is a priority for anyone trying to heal SVT naturally! Please comment if there you have any of your own sleep tips or personal questions about how to improve your sleep! Have a wonderful Holiday and Healthy New Year!