SLEEP YOURSELF HAPPY

Jun 14, 2021
3 min read

Detox | Gut Health | Hormones

Somehow, our society has got it all half-assed backwards when it comes to sleep.

How often do you hear people bragging about pulling all-nighters, or saying things like, “I only need 4 hours of sleep a night,” or “I’ll sleep when I’m dead”?

Here's the thing: your body NEEDS sleep.

It needs time to repair, rejuvenate and relax.

So much gets done when we sleep. And it's even more important when we're trying to heal.

There are so many benefits to sleep, but here are five of them (and quite frankly, very compelling reasons to hit the sack a little earlier tonight).

1. You Will Look Better

Isn’t that enough of a reason to get 7-9 hours of sleep, on average? Who wants to walk around with big puffy circles under their eyes every day? Not us!

2. Sleep has a Major Impact on Weight Loss and Maintenance

There are two regulatory hormones in our bodies that are majorly impacted by sleep deprivation. Ghrelin tells your body when to eat. If you don’t get enough sleep, this hormone increases. Leptin tells you when to stop eating. If you don’t get enough sleep, leptin levels go down! So imagine that you’re running on 3 hours of sleep, you’ve got ghrelin telling you it’s time to eat all day, and leptin is slacking off so you’re eating way too much. It’s like these little monsters are trying to get you to eat, eat, eat! Getting enough sleep will really help you eat the right amount of food. And eating the right types and amounts of food can also help you sleep better at night.

3. You Will Think More Clearly

It’s just a fact that when you’re tired, your brain cannot function as well. We all know it! If you’re not a morning person and you force yourself to take morning classes, you’ll feel it for sure. Or, if you’re tired in the afternoon and you’re trying to think, it doesn’t work as well.

4. You’re More Pleasant to be Around

Quite frankly, we’re all much more pleasant to be around when we’re well rested. Hey, those who know me know that if I don’t get enough sleep, I'm just going to be cranky and tired and grouchy. And not very helpful. And then God forbid anyone who gets between me and my chocolate!

5. Life Sucks When You’re Tired

Not sure how else to say that! Sure, there will be days when you’re more tired than usual, but you don’t want “tired” to be your average running pace through life. Do you really want to drive your car in 1st gear every day? No!

Let’s get this thing on the superhighway of fun!

Okay, so let’s say you’re having trouble sleeping. Here are five tips to help you sleep better tonight:

1. Meditate before bed.

It will clear your head and calm down your whole system. It doesn't have to be a long session.

Doing deep belly breathing works too.

2. Stop drinking caffeine after Noon.

Caffeine blocks your “sleep receptors,” and keeps your brain whirling all night long, so kick that afternoon coffee habit to sleep peacefully.

3. Do not watch TV in bed.

Sleep experts say that it’s hard to get to sleep if your television is flashing lights in your face just before bedtime, especially if you’re watching violent or intense programs. FYI - this applies to ALL screens.

4. Sleep with cooler temperatures.

Try sleeping in a room between 60-67 degrees Fahrenheit (15-19 degrees Celsius). Experts say that this is the best temperature range to get the deepest sleep.

5. Buy the best bed you can afford.

A good mattress makes all the difference!

These tips are just the beginning. Feeling sluggish? Struggling with brain fog and fatigue? Have some stubborn weight loss issues or wonky hormones you want to manage?