I Challenge you – add an hour each night for this week!
With most of us getting less than 8 hours each night, and more than half of us getting less than 6 hours, it came across that many people, especially parents and business owners, see sleep as a luxury?
Guess what?!
It’s a necessity – for overall good health, energy, anti-ageing, stress & resilience, immunity, inflammation, weight & blood sugar management, hormonal & emotional balance, brain & mood health, cardiovascular protection, detoxification, healing, etc…..
So, for this week, I challenge you – set up your days / evenings to get into bed an hour earlier (as most of us aren’t able to get that extra hour in the morning – then check in with how you feel after a few days of the change;)
Stick to a Sleep Schedule – even on weekends if you can, try to go to bed within a 15minute window of when you do during the week
Pay attention to what you Eat & Drink – ie no caffeine after 2pm (it can affect your sleep for up to 8hrs afterwards), and have dinner at least 2-3hrs before hitting the sack so it has time to digest
Create a Bedtime Ritual – turn off screens at least an hour before sleep, add the FLUX app to take the blue light out of your devices an hour before bed, have a bath (with epsom salts to relax your body), read a book, write a list for the next day to stop things running around in your head while you’re trying to fall asleep
Get Comfortable – make sure your room is cool, dark, quiet, use ear plugs or and eye mask if that helps, and sleep naked to help regulate body temperature
Limit Daytime Naps to 10-30mins (power nap timing), unless it’s the weekend and you’re wiped out and need a little extra ‘make up’ sleep in the early afternoon
Include physical activity every day – tire out your body, not just your mind, and include something fun that makes you laugh to release stress
Stress Management – how do you manage your stress? How do you relax, switch off? If wine is your only outlet, time to start looking for a new one;)
Belly breathing for 5-10mins before bed with a hand on your belly and one on your heart – breathe to push up the hand on your belly, with long slow exhalations. Viparita Karani (yes, here comes the yoga teacher) for 5-15mins before getting into bed with belly breathing has great benefits (see image below)
Remember, sometimes getting healthy can actually be about slowing down, letting go of the stress & living life one breath, one movement and one moment at a time.
