Café Menu for Monday, March 14, 2011
Today’s Special is: The Habit We Nurture Doesn’t Nurture Us!
Carefully prepared just for you by your friend, Tiffany
Main Ingredient: Proverbs 3:21-24 My son, do not let wisdom and understanding out of your sight, preserve sound judgment and discretion; they will be life for you, an ornament to grace your neck. Then you will go on your way in safety, and your foot will not stumble. When you lie down, you will not be afraid; when you lie down, your sleep will be sweet.
Entrée: Some habits are obviously taxing on our health: You stash enough potato chips and Ding-Dongs in your drawers, and the secret’s bound to come out in your thighs. You skip enough showers, and people will begin to talk. You get into meth, and people mistake your grandma is your little sister. We can’t hide these things, and so society begins to frown upon them. But what about the unseen? Even more, what about the habits we are actually encouraging as a society, masquerading as positive, that are dangerously detrimental to our health? No, I’m not referring to bulimia or anorexia… not today anyway. I’m talking about something you are probably doing, but have accepted for so many years as normal that it won’t occur to you.
For many of us, this is the unannounced club, especially in the United States, that we wanted to join since we were able to speak. Think back to when you were just two years old, and your parents were entertaining company, or playing with your older siblings. Everything was fascinating to you, and you were the center of attention. You were so happy. Then your parents abruptly and inexcusably isolated you from your adoring fans—no apology—the audacity! Yes, they spent years robbing you of the joy that lie in the evening hours, and for what?! So you could stay alone in a dark room, crying yourself… to sleep. Of course it didn’t occur to you that this could possibly be in your best interest at the time. You couldn’t grasp it. Let me ask… can you now?
How far have you… I… we come? College is spent rebelling against sleep. Work makes you miss it, but soon regard it as a luxury. Children definitely bring you to tears, begging for it, like a long-lost memory. Amid these adventures, where does it end up in our priority list? Do you ever put “sleep” on your TO DO List? I can honestly say I never have, nor have I considered it. What’s the big deal anyway?
According to Lisa Morrone, besides feeling tired and irritable, losing sleep speeds up the physical and mental aging process! (Meth may be fast while this creeps up on us, but both are irreversible!) Yeah, yeah, we already knew that—both stress and sleep deprivation leave those lovely little lines on our faces. But wait, there’s more! It makes you hungrier. Yes, if you’re hoping to lose or maintain a healthy weight, you NEED sleep! 7-8 hours, to be exact. Lisa says:
“While you sleep your brain produces two hormones which help to regulate your appetite. The first hormone, grehlin, is a “hungry-hormone”. Its job is to tell you when it’s time to eat. The second hormone, leptin, balances out this hormone’s effect by informing your body when it’s full. The problem with not getting enough sleep at night is that your brain responds by making less of the “I’m full” hormone and more of the “I’m hungry” hormone.”
This would explain why as a child your mom had to convince you to eat in the morning—because you were rested, and so not overwhelmingly hungry. I don’t know about you, but I could use all the leptin hormone I can get these days! Just think of it: No stomach stapling necessary. You simply sleep! What a powerful ingredient! So why are we ignoring it? Oh sure, these days “busy” is the new “beautiful.” You wouldn’t want Cindy at the co-op, or Sally at work, to get a hand up on you. You have to show them that you know what’s going on just as much as them. But tell me, how effective will your extra hour of groggy reading or cooking or what-have-you serve tomorrow, when you are yawning through your comments, from an extra-aged face, just moments from snapping on anyone that crosses you wrong, due to lack of rest? Weigh it out. Be fresh, youthful, and just happier. God’s work is much more faithfully, devotedly and lovingly done with a rested body and soul.
Take Out: Let’s change our society’s mentality of sleep, returning to something beautiful and protected. Ask your coworkers, children, family and friends today if they are rested. Encourage them to rest—you will be surprised at how much more supportive your words today make them tomorrow, for you! Take advice from Lisa: “Gain sleep, lose weight.” Make it your evening mantra! It’s worth it.
Dessert: Wonderful God, thank You for designing us so intricately. We are your incredible creation, and we respect how You have intended us to live. Please be with us throughout the day, helping us to find ways to get it all done, so that we can make sleep a real priority in our lives. You have said that our sleep will be sweet, when we seek wisdom and understanding. We ask You to faithfully give us that wisdom and understanding that we seek, so that we may enjoy Your blessing of sleep. We thank You for watching over us in everything we do, and we love You endlessly. Amen.
Go to www.LisaMorrone.com for her books and to sign up for her Monday Morning Health Tips.
© 2011 by Tiffany Brock. All rights reserved.
