The world is filled with things you are supposed to remember. The PIN for your bank account, for example. The password for your favorite streaming service. Your wedding anniversary. What time you agree to pick someone up—and where you are supposed to pick them up from. It can be overwhelming.
And that is why it can be handy to employ various strategies for remembering important information. Many people, for example, rely on mnemonic devices to remember key information. Remembering a name (even if that name is made up) can be easier than remembering a whole list. So, ROY G BIV stands for the colors of the rainbow (red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, violet).
Alliteration—that is, the use of words starting with the same letter—can also be an effective tool for remembering things. Recently, we happened upon an alliterative list to help you remember key concepts related to sleep. The list is built around the letter R.
We share the list below because sleep is vitally important for everyone—and especially important for a person in recovery from a substance use disorder.
Six Rs for Better Rest
In a wellness article for the University of Iowa website titled, “Sleep: The Hidden Key to Unlocking Your Superpower,” Jenny Fitzpatrick, MPT, NBC-HWC, discusses the importance of getting appropriate amounts of rest. (We should note that we love a good reference to superpowers.)
Before sharing her list, Fitzpatrick offers insight into why sleep is so important:
While you sleep, your brain processes and consolidates the day’s information, sharpens cognitive abilities, and restores emotional balance. When you’re sleep-deprived, tasks become harder and take longer—like trying to text with mittens on. But when you’re well-rested, you’re more patient, more present, and better equipped to tackle life’s challenges.
Sleep also supports your physical health. It strengthens your immune system, repairs muscle, helps manage weight, and keeps your heart healthy. Regardless of your age or lifestyle, sleep is essential for a thriving body and mind.
We want to add to Fitzpatrick’s list that quality sleep provides a strong foundation on which to build lasting sobriety. When you are not getting enough rest, the sorts of challenges Fitzpatrick notes above pose an ongoing threat to your recovery, putting you at higher risk for a relapse.
With that in mind, here are Fitzpatrick’s six Rs related to sleep:
- Regularity – Stick to a consistent sleep schedule—go to bed and wake up at the same time each day.
- Remove – Limit screen time to 30 minutes before sleep.
- Refine – Optimize your sleep environment: make your bedroom quiet, cool, dark, and clutter-free.
- Refrain – Avoid caffeine and heavy meals late in the day to prevent sleep disturbances.
- Relax – Engage in calming activities before bed, like reading or deep breathing.
- Rejuvenate – Exercise regularly, but not too close to bedtime, to help your body rest better.
Reframing the Need for Sleep
All too often, we sacrifice quality sleep in an attempt to increase our productivity or due to “revenge bedtime procrastination” (which really sounds like a supervillain’s plot, but is instead something people tend to do to themselves). Sleep becomes something we think we can give up when the daily pressures start to mount up. Having to sleep starts to feel like an inconvenience or a disadvantage.
But Fitzpatrick sees it another way:
Here’s the game-changing truth: admitting you need sleep isn’t a sign of weakness—it’s a superpower. Prioritizing rest means you’re actively caring for yourself, and that’s the most important thing on your to-do list.
Life is a constant balancing act, and the magic happens when we accept that we can’t do it all. Instead of seeing sleep as something you have to do, try seeing it as something you get to do. Recognizing that taking care of yourself—starting with sleep—is the key to accomplishing everything you want to achieve.
We like that formulation: Sleep is something that we get to do. It is a privilege rather than a chore. When a person in recovery from a substance use disorder takes full advantage of the opportunity to get appropriate amounts of restful sleep, they are protecting their sobriety in a truly powerful way.
We Are Well Rested and Ready to Help
At Bel Aire Recovery Center—located near Wichita, Kansas—we understand the importance of a good night’s sleep. We also understand what it takes to help someone struggling with a substance use disorder find their way back to lasting sobriety.
We are committed to a common vision of treating the people we serve the way we would want to be treated. That means we create a personalized treatment plan for each individual and approach the process with kindness and empathy.
Bel Aire Recovery Center offers inpatient, outpatient, and virtual options for substance use disorder treatment—and each of these programs is built to serve your specific needs. If you are ready to make a transformational change in your life, we are ready to help you reach your goals of getting sober and staying sober.
