I don’t know a single person in the world who wouldn’t jump on the chance to be more of a genius, more creatively lit-up and more effortless in moving through life. That’s the kind of “magic pill” that most people I know (myself included!) would swallow in a second.
Imagine a life where you could sift through problems with greater ease, bring more art to your days and actually feel yourself more witty, clever and self-expressed?
Pretty amazing, right?
I don’t really believe in magic pills for anything… but I will say, this is pretty darn close to magic.
Much of the research and work I am doing right now (and have been for over 8 years) is focused on cultivating genius. I want all of you to know your genius talents and to truly bring them to your life. While there will be some very big news to come soon on this subject (make sure you are signed up here to be one of the first to hear about it!) today I couldn’t wait to share some very big news about one of my favorite things: SLEEP.
Sleep makes you more creative.
Adequate sleep.
Restful sleep.
We are talking today about the amount of sleep your specific body needs to wake up without an alarm clock. The amount of sleep that doesn’t require three cups of coffee to make the day happen.
Do you sleep that much?
You absolutely should!
You may not think sleep makes you more creative and effortless in life, but it does!
Dr. Mercola, one of my favorite sources of interesting and science-based lifestyle-rich wellness, remarked on the research relating to the strong link between adequate sleep and creativity:
” Dr. Ellenbogen’s research at Harvard indicates that people are 33 percent more likely to infer connections among distantly related ideas after sleeping, but few realize that their performance has actually improved.
In other words, you are likely more creative after sleep, but you might not recognize it because it’s hard to identify which specific insights were prompted by “sleeping on it.”
In addition to the recent findings of how sleep enhances your memories and helps you “practice” and improve your performance of challenging skills, other sleep researchers from across the United States have discovered that:
A single night of sleeping only four to six hours can impact your ability to think clearly the next day.
Sleep deprivation can cause changes in your brain activity similar to those experienced by people with psychiatric disorders.” (you can read the whole article HERE)
Clearly, there are many happy reasons to sleep more!
You may be three times more effective at solving problems after sleeping adequately!
THIS study provides an interesting insight into sleep as a problem-solving magic bullet:
” German scientists say they have demonstrated for the first time that our sleeping brains continue working on problems that baffle us during the day, and the right answer may come more easily after 8 hours of rest.
The German study is considered to be the first hard evidence supporting the common sense notion that creativity and problem solving appear to be directly linked to adequate sleep, scientists say. Other researchers who did not contribute to the experiment say it provides a valuable reminder for overtired workers and students that sleep is often the best medicine.
Previous studies have shown that 70 million Americans are sleep-deprived, contributing to increased accidents, worsening health and lower test scores. But the new German experiment takes the subject a step further to show how sleep can help to turn yesterday’s problem into today’s solution.”
So, if you are “stuck” or “blocked” by many problems in your life that crop up and prevent you from making headway creatively, you might need to sleep more to solve them more simply.
Now, two scientific studies don’t create a scientific fact… but there are hundreds more of these studies showingthe links between sleep and genetic health (one week of less than 6 hours of sleep can alter 700 of your genes, many that regulate the stress response!), sleep and physical coordination, sleep and depression, sleep and productivity….
You name the problem and sleep is likely a part of the solution.
Start By Letting Yourself Sleep Just A Little Bit More
Lets say you get six hours of sleep a day. What about going to bed 30 minutes earlier to start? Quit caffiene after NOON and I bet it will help. Dimming lights in your house after 8pm will help. Taking Epsom salt baths (one cup in a bathtub full of water) can help. And… you can also feng shui your bedroom!!! And your whole home!!! You can explore and find lots of powerful tips on this blog or you can find all you need to know to get your energy flowing in your home in the DIY feng shui e-guide, Feng Shui 101.
(barbara fox makes incredible watercolors!)
And… you can energize your sleep!
I fell in love with this somewhat wacky-at-first-sight technique desiged by Jose Silva to harness the creative power of sleep. In essence, you use sleep- and a glass of water!- to find solutions to your problems.
“The Glass of Water exercise is a technique used for solving problems and goal achievement.
Applying The Glass of Water Technique
* At night, just before retiring, get a water glass and fill it with water. While drinking approximately half of the water, close your eyes, turn them slightly upward, and say to yourself, “This is all I need to do to find the solution to the problem I have in mind.”
* Then, put away the remaining half glass of water, go to bed and sleep.
* In the morning, upon awakening, drink the remaining half-glass of water, then close your eyes, turning your eyes slightly upward, and say to yourself, “This is all I need to do to find the solution to the problem I have in mind.”
* With this programming, you may awaken during the night or in the morning with a vivid recollection of a dream that contains information that you can use for solving the problem, or during the day you may have a flash of insight that contains information that you can use for solving the problem.”
Strangely, I always forget to drink the water in the morning but I do come up with a solution to a proble, every time I have tried it!
Do you drag yourself out of bed? Are you seeing the consequences of it in your life? Do you feel like you could actually manage to sleep even a bit more?
With even just a bit more sleep, your whole body will be more in synch You will likely make better decisions. You are more likely to focus with greater ease. You can reverse the effects of ageing (seriously! genetically!) and you can sharpen your memory. Your dreams can be more vivid at night and they can inform your days.
And… you are likely to be far happier, even with just a bit more rest! That, in itself, is magic! xoxo Dana
P.S.: The Catalyst Camp is coming to declutter your life & open up to bountiful creative magic. You can start the FREE feng shui decluttering video series right HERE!!! xoxo!!!
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And, if you want to dive in to your own personalized feng shui in a modern, practical way, Say hello to Feng Shui 101. Its the guide I made for you to create your own personalized feng shui at home, in the office, wherever you may be… in 8 weeks. It’s not filled with strict rules or what you “must” do. Its filled with information, questions, exercises and even videos and classes to help you confidently create amazing spaces with killer feng shui and live with more flow. Learn more about the 8-week feng shui adventure & grab your copy to get started right HERE… And, as always, please let me know what happens!
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