“Night. Night.”
Now when I hear this-I think about the great Stephen Curry, but for today-let’s get into the nitty gritty of how important sleep is.
Quality sleep is essential for human health and an imperative part of your weight loss journey. Inadequate sleep is associated with poor immune health, type 2 diabetes, coronary heart disease, cancer, obesity, and depression.
7-9 hours is recommended for most adults.
Many people are in shock when they hear this, but it is true! Our bodies need this amount of time for proper recovery. However, the majority of Americans are getting wayyyy less than this and for different reasons.
Some of my clients don't get enough sleep because they are up on their electronics while others have genuine medical problems that are holding them back from getting enough sleep.
I would say-if it is a genuine medical problem, please go get evaluated! Your sleep is precious and the cause of many of our health problems. When you are properly evaluated and the root cause of your sleep issues are found, you will sleep better and you will see an improvement in your overall health. You will also be more pleasant to deal with :)
For those that are just simply not displicined enough to get in the bed on time (side eye and smile), see below.
Here are some tips to help you catch some zzzz’s:
Get on a regular schedule. Go to bed the same time every night most nights-even on the weekend. This creates a consistent rhythm for your body.
Use your bed only for sleep and/or romance. Save the scrolling and television watching for another room and ideally you want to shut it off an hour before bed. Studies show the artificial, bright light can affect brain activity and alter our sleep hormones like melatonin.
Get natural sunlight. Think about it. The majority of us spend most of our time indoors under artificial light. Our eyes may only hit natural light when we are entering and leaving the building. Aiming for at least 20 minutes of sunlight daily not only helps us get our Vitamin D in, but it will also help regulate our sleep cycle.
Clear your mind. I often hear people say that their thoughts keep them up at night. Keep a journal or notebook by your bed and write down your to-do list or thoughts before bedtime. Also, having someone to talk to in the form of a trusted friend or professional may help as well.
Getting enough sleep is something that we all struggle with/have struggled with at some point. Knowledge is power, so we have to make sure that we are doing what we have to do in order to make sure that we are taking care of our bodies the best way that we can. We only have one body and one life, so we have to make sure that we take care of it!
