Concrete reasons to catch more "Z"s
Rest and recovery are incredibly important to our overall health and wellness. When we don’t get proper sleep, especially over an extended period of time, it can have a severe impact on other aspects of our health and wellness. Physical impacts of not getting enough sleep long-term may include:
Unhealthy cravings
Inflammation
Decreased cognitive function
Digestive/gut dysfunction
Decreased carb tolerance (i.e., body doesn’t use them as effectively)
Weakened immune system
Weight gain (related to the above)
I used to get by on little sleep. I thought I was a little tired, sure, but otherwise just fine; there were more important things I needed to take care of. I took pride in it, almost. So the very first time I heard all of this, it blew my mind. I realized that it’s not just about powering through: the most important thing I could be ‘taking care of’ was myself. And if I wanted to see progress and put forward my best self in other parts of my life, I was going to have to find a way to get better sleep.
Getting adequate sleep is about quantity, yes, but it’s also - and maybe even more so - about quality. Here are a few of my favorite tips to increasing the quantity and quality of your sleep (if you're a client, you've probably heard these before!):
Cut off blue light 30 minutes before bedtime. That means no browsing through TikTok and wondering why your body’s still awake 45 minutes later. (I know, I know. This one is hard! But it makes a big difference.)
Cut off caffeine/sugar earlier in the day. Everyone’s tolerances for these substances is different, so find what works for you. Backing off at 2pm is a good general rule (although you could do even earlier).
Keep a consistent sleep schedule. This one is easier said than done; but the more you can go to sleep and wake up at the same time every day, the better it will be. Your body will quickly learn when it’s time for bed and start to wind down. Having a particular bedtime routine/ritual that you go through each night (may include reading, stretching, etc.) also helps signal to your body that it’s time for sleep.
Properly hydrate. Make sure you’re consuming enough water throughout the day - but not too close to bedtime, so that you’re not waking up and having to go to the bathroom!
Sleep at the right temperature. Science tells us that the best sleep happens when the room is about 67 degrees.
Which of the habits above can you implement - starting tonight?
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