So much of the time we feel a need to push past tiredness, but what is our body trying to tell us? From preventing sickness to brain and gut recovery, the power of sleep is well documented. So how can we get better and deeper sleep?
Avoid pre bed and in bed screen time. Screens keep our mind engaged, but they also suppress melatonin and delay deep (REM) sleep. Turn off screens at least a half hour before bed.
Late meals and snacks can interfere with sleep patterns. Generally, we should finish eating 2-3 hours before bed time. To get the nitty gritty on that click here.
Get your schedule straight. Waking up and going to bed at roughly the same time every day (even on weekends!) helps your body get into a good sleep rhythm.
Make your bedroom a peaceful place. I hear way too many people say that they fall asleep with the TV on. Full disclosure, there is NO tv in our bedroom. The bedroom is a place for rest, and the energy of the TV is not welcome in our little nest. If you have a TV, covering it at night will create a more restful atmosphere. You might even find you like it better without!
We all get better sleep when we need rest, so WORK OUT daily. That doesn’t mean kill yourself with workouts every day, but it does mean that your body needs to move daily. Stretch and walk on rest days. On busy days something is better than nothing! Keep moving and your body will give you back better rest.
Stay hydrated. 1/2 your body weight in ounces of water every day will help your body recover, even at night.
And finally, so many of you want to shed extra body fat. Quality sleep helps!!!
Wishing you a well rested, well earned day 13 of the January 2021 Intention Challenge,
Coach Michelle