Fatigue can be a significant obstacle to getting things done. But more than that, it can be a contributing factor in depression, heart disease, stroke, diabetes, panic attacks, breakdowns, divorce, etc.

Many women name fatigue as being among their top five health concerns and women consistently report higher levels of fatigue than men do. As many as 45% of women experience fatigue resulting from stress. This needs to change.

We need to find ways to improve our sleep while still maintaining our active lifestyle. According to ParticipACTION Canada, “There does not seem to be one major organ within the body, or process within the brain, that isn’t optimally enhanced by sleep.”

There are ways to improve our sleeping patterns, such as reducing the amount of coffee and alcohol we consume, drinking plenty of water and exercising regularly, even if it only for a short amount of time each day. And, most importantly, doing what we can to get more rest.

But one of the best ways to help with sleep is to reduce stress. Reducing stress does not mean giving up the many responsibilities we have. It does mean we need to take a bit of time each day to get rid of the stress we have accumulated—wipe the slate clean, so to speak which will increase our resilience to new stress. If we go to bed at night without the worries, strain, anxiety or fears of the day weighing us down, we will sleep better.

The Transcendental Meditation technique is a very effective way of both preventing and reducing stress and fatigue, allowing us to be more productive and happy at work, at home and in the community.

With each sitting of meditation, the mind and body settle into a comforting and relieving state of deep rest. This deep rest triggers the body’s natural healing processes which can bring about significant changes such as:

  • Lower blood pressure and improvements in heart health
  • A substantial drop in tension and anxiety.
  • Baseline cortisol, adrenaline and noradrenaline levels are reduced. This helps to reduce fatigue and increase our sense of well-being. Several studies have found that individuals practicing the TM technique had 30- 40% lower levels of all three major stress hormones than non-meditators.
  • Brain waves become more coherent, and the pre-frontal cortex becomes enlivened. This results in an increase in creativity and the ability to make better decisions, even under pressure. More creative thinking means we can more easily overcome problems and create less stress in our lives.

Sleep is vitally important to everyone, especially women. Sometimes “me time” should be done horizontally, asleep. And sometimes it should be done sitting comfortably with closed eyes, enjoying the deep healing rest of Transcendental Meditation.