Information Overload!

A ToDo List that doesn’t quit!

A family that’s constantly needing your attention!

A job that honors workaholics who seemingly never sleep or stop!

Any of these sound familiar? You’re not alone.

Sleep deprivation has some staggering statistics within the US alone which basically says that most of us are chronically sleep-deprived. It not only impacts day-to-day job performance, driving awareness but also longer-term health.

Dr. Oz and many other health & wellness experts point to this as the FIRST and easiest thing people can do to start to improve their health in a number of areas. Is it time for you to start some better habits?

A fairly recent study from Brighman Young University reported that those with the best sleep habits had the healthiest weights. Of the 300+ young women in the study, those who had the most consistent going to bed and wakeup times had lower body fat. Those who slept between 8 & 81/2 hours had the lowest body fat.

Here are a few tips to help start to create some better sleep habits for yourself starting today:

  • Remind yourself you cannot get it all done – practice letting go and refining your priorities over time
  • Turn off electronic devices, screens, etc. at least 90 mins before attempting to fall asleep. These screens fire up your brain which is NOT what you want prior to sleep
  • Eat a handful of nuts about an hour before bed (I’ve been doing this for YEARS after a high school teacher suggested it. Dr Oz suggest this as well.)
  • Keep physically active! (But not too close to bedtime) Regular exercise is believed to help by the natural cooldown that occurs after a workout
  • Avoid any caffeine later in the day as it takes a while for your body to flush through
  • Create some helpful bookends to your day where you can do less, focus on intentions or gratitude and just be – start creating both the end of your day and the start of your day with less busy-ness, even if just for a few precious minutes

For some personality types (Hint – I’m one of them!), these feel like difficult habits to put on. But remind yourself that life is mostly a marathon, not just one sprint. The habits around sleep you put in place put you more in the game for the long haul.