Hello beautiful souls,
This is Barbara and welcome to an amazing night's sleep.
Thanks for being here for another in the series of Bedtime with Barbara written by Gene B.
I have been working at my desk for hours and I finally take a break to relax for a while.
Let's begin.
So get into your favorite sleeping position.
Ensure you are comfortable.
Close your eyes.
Relax your muscles and slowly imagine yourself melting into the bed now.
Let's go to your breathing,
Slowing down the heart rate and let's take some nourishing breaths together.
Breath in,
Breath out.
Breath in,
Breath out.
Breath in,
Breath out.
Breath out,
Breath out.
Breath in,
Breath out.
Last time.
Breath in,
Breath out.
Breath in,
Breath out.
Settle in now.
Get comfortable.
Let go of everything that happened today.
And let's relax together.
Let yourself focus on my voice.
If your mind wanders,
It's okay.
Bring it back to the sound of my voice.
Keep your breathing slow and steady.
Let's go on our journey together.
Work has been hectic for me recently.
I have been sitting at the desk for hours now doing admin.
Not my favorite thing to do.
Although if not for tidying up some housekeeping items,
The other things I do would not flow as I need them to.
So it's understandable to have to do this type of activity.
Well,
Essential actually.
Now though,
I need to take a break.
And what better way to take a break than to breathe,
Stretch,
Listen to what my heart or intuition is telling me.
So why do we need a break?
Why not just power through everything and then finish at the end?
Here is why.
According to Google,
Which now has become the greatest encyclopedia known to modern man,
Technology means screens have become a major part of our lives.
How many hours each day do you look at a screen?
Whether it be a computer screen,
TV screen,
Work-related screen,
Or even your phone screen.
According to various reports,
Adults spend half of every single day in front of a screen of some sort.
From working at a computer to browsing the internet on your phone,
Playing online games,
Or watching TV,
Screens play a role in how we work,
Relax,
And communicate.
Because of this,
Taking regular breaks from screens is important.
Here are some important reasons to take a screen break.
Did you know that you blink less when staring at a screen?
This can cause your eyes to become tired and lead to things such as headaches and dry eyes.
Looking away from screens for just a few minutes can give your eyes the rest they need.
Let's do that now.
Just look away.
Have you ever looked at a screen for a long time and you seem to glaze over it?
Having to go back to the task a few times because you forgot where you were?
It's easy to lose track of time and find that you've been looking at a screen for hours.
Taking a five to ten minute break every hour can help you retain information and give you a chance to process and sort out in your mind what you've been working on.
While it can be counterintuitive,
Stepping away from the screen for five minutes when you're working on something can make the process more efficient and mean you're getting more out of it.
How many times have you sat at a screen for hours and then sometimes find yourself stuck in a rut?
Perhaps you're trying to solve a problem but can't find a solution.
You may be trying to solve a problem but can't find a solution.
A break to have a cup of tea,
Chat with a colleague or a friend,
Or go for a walk outdoors can help you be more creative and give you a new perspective.
It means you can come back to the screen feeling refreshed and ready to go.
When you're sitting at a screen,
What is your posture like?
Is your phone in your hands and you're constantly looking down for hours at it?
Always using screens can mean unhealthy habits can creep in that could affect your well-being.
Taking a break to stretch,
Walk around,
And adjust how you're sitting and your neck position could improve your health.
Making longer screen breaks part of your day also provides you with an opportunity to increase your exercise or focus on other areas of your life.
Do you know some companies have standing desks that are purported to help with many things such as weight gain,
Lower blood pressure,
And in some cases reduced back pain?
Interesting,
Huh?
If you find you struggle to fall asleep,
Technology could be playing a role.
Electronics emit something called blue light,
Which can affect the brain's production of melatonin.
Melatonin is a hormone that controls your sleep cycle,
So disrupting it can affect your quality of sleep.
It's suggested that you stop using electronic devices to control your sleep cycle.
You can also use electronic devices 30 minutes before you go to bed.
So,
Rather than scrolling through your phone,
Read a book or find another way to relax.
There's no getting away from screens in modern life,
But short regular breaks can make a difference.
Ideally,
It's recommended that you take a 5 to 10 minute break from screens every hour.
This can give you a break to stretch and refocus.
Where possible,
Setting a timer to remind you to take a break can really help.
Also,
Remember taking a break from your computer screen and then going on to your phone is not a break.
You're swapping one screen for another,
No matter how you look at it.
So,
Now we know why it is so important to take a break.
Let's do just that.
Stretch your arms and legs.
Have a good shake.
Take a few minutes to have a breath break.
Get up from the screen.
Grab a drink.
Walk around for a few minutes or go outside for a few minutes to get a change of environment.
Now we are fully rested from the screen.
I can get back to finishing off this work,
Then enjoy my evening meal with my family.
I'm not sure about you.
I'm getting sleepy even thinking about it.
So,
I'm ready to let go fully and surrender to sleep.
Thanks for joining me tonight and as you slowly drift away,
Have yourself a great night's sleep.
I'm looking forward to seeing you again for another Blue Series of Bedtime with Barbara,
Written by June B.
Oh,
Good night.
Bye.
