Did you know your dessert could be keeping you from that good night’s sleep you are longing for?
This was something I understood to an extent, but I had no idea that my food habits were keeping me from not only sticking to my sleep schedule, but also, getting a fuller night’s rest
Before we jump in, I want to let you know that yes, although you have a million things to do and people to care for and be there for, you are worth taking the time to take the one next step to a healthy sleep. Your body, and those you are meant to serve will thank you for taking care of YOU.
Nutrition for helpful sleeping
- Try to avoid eating large meals and acidic foods close to bedtime, because this could cause or enhance indigestion or acid reflux that will interrupt sleep. Bottomline, you need to give your body some time to digest the food you ate. Eating the last meal 1 to 3 hours before bedtime would be beneficial. If you feel that you cannot make it 3 hours without eating before bedtime, don’t be hard on yourself. Start with 1 hour and have a snack and drink more water. Gradually, work up to 3 hours if you feel your body needs more time to digest the food that you eat prior to bed.
- Take a look at the sugar content in your foods. Sugar hides in ketchup, in sauces, in juices, and in almost every packaged food. Sugar not only can make your energy crash during the day, but it can disrupt your sleep by pulling you out of the deeper stages of sleep.
- Avoid caffeine six hours prior to bedtime (It takes that long for our body to process it). Just so you know, I found out the hard way that even chocolate has caffeine in it. No hot cocoa for me prior to bedtime!
- Take supplements that support your sleep. I use a multitasking supplement that contains both immune supporting vitamins and sleep supporting melatonin. This has been a game-changer for me and I have a peace of mind that my immune system is supported not only with better sleep, but also with the boost I am getting from the vitamins.
Take a look at this list, and try one new step for 30 days. Your body will thank you!
P.S. Some wellness tools I have found handy...
For the times I’ve needed a caffeine-free coffee-alternative hot drink at bedtime, here’s an herbal drink I love: https://amzn.to/2Dk2eb1
Here are some of my favorite bedtime teas:
- Chamomile
- Peppermint
- Lavender
- YL teas
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After 3 weeks of quarantine, I was more exhausted than I felt pre-quarantine.
Why? Maybe because in the transition, I wanted to make sure I was “using the free time wisely.” For me, that meant getting a lot of projects done.
When 3 weeks passed, I realized that not only were my projects not “all done” like I thought they would be, but I was emotionally and mentally drained. My new sleeping schedule of 5am or 6am-11pm did not help either!
I knew at that point, I needed to look at my sleep patterns. I needed to take rest seriously if I wanted to continue giving in the capacity I want to in my world. Apparently, the CDC agrees. According to a 2016 CDC study, 1 in 3 adults don’t get the recommended number of sleep.
Key Points on the Importance of Sleep
1. Beauty - your body produces the growth hormone “which repairs daily damage from things like sun exposure and pollution and creates new cells so you wake up looking brighter, fresher, and more vibrant.” That is why nighttime is the perfect time to put on a hard working moisturizer. (sleepfoundation.org) I have a perfect plant-mineral based moisturizer that is thick, yet soaks right in. I love how my face looks after, and the ingredients on top of sleep growth hormones are to thank!
2. Emotions: According to sleep.org: “just one week of not getting enough sleep could leave you feeling sad, angry, stressed out, and just generally not on your A-game.” Immune system: “Without sufficient sleep, your body makes fewer cytokines, a type of protein that targets infection and inflammation, effectively creating an immune response. Cytokines are both produced and released during sleep, causing a double whammy if you skimp on shut-eye.” (Sleepfoundation.org)
3. Healthier Weight: Sleep.org states “It’s easier to resist tempting treats when you've gotten a good night's sleep, in part because being short on sleep can boost hormones in your blood that make you feel extra hungry. In fact, according to researchers at the University of Chicago, well-rested dieters lose as much as 55 percent more fat than sleep-deprived ones.”
So, armed with this knowledge, I committed to 7-8 hours of sleep a night during the month of June… and failed. I realized that habits are hard to break when the mindset is the same. For me, I struggled with the idea of being worthy enough to invest the time in myself. Also, I had a scarcity mindset. I believed I “didn’t have enough time” to do the things I needed to do, be there for the people I wanted to be there for, AND sleep.
A couple affirmations that have helped me in this include...
I am worthy of rest.
I love my body and mind that work so hard for me.
I am always in divine timing.
I release my work and give it to God.
Now that I have had this time to address these thoughts, I feel more ready to make lasting changes. However, although I struggled with making it to bed on time, I did create a good sleeping environment that supported the sleep I DID get. I am excited to share these with you!
How I created a helpful sleeping environment:
1. Set a time and stick to it:
Understand that you are worth investing in. I don’t know about you, but when I start a new habit, I kick and scream inside. As I mentioned setting a bedtime schedule messed with the internal schedule I had to keep going till I dropped, and it also interfered with my habits of letting other people take the time I set aside for myself. However, one thing I still have to preach to myself is that the space to relax and unwind is necessary to fill my cup so I can give back more fully - and also because my soul needs healing and rest, too!
2. Lights:
Avoid blue light or bright light prior to going to bed. Turn off the screens or, if you have to look at screens before bedtime, check out a good pair of blue light glasses. After much research, I got a pair of pixel glasses, and I LOVE them. Get a pair with the discount code Equipped5. Now, for overnighters, according to sleep.org, try using block curtains and wear sunglasses when you leave your workplace to trick your brain into thinking it is evening.
3. Use therapeutic grade Seed to Seal essential oils:
I turn on my diffuser before I go to bed. For optimal relaxation, put on the diffuser 30 min before bedtime. Essential Oils are able to help the mind feel calmer, and studies have shown positive benefits the essential oils have on relaxing - especially emotionally. Click HERE for my favorite diffusers and oils I use at bedtime.
4. Stretch or try relaxing techniques:
Check out my morning stretch routine video, which is also great for night time OR youtube a stretch video for bedtime.
5. If you are finding you are still tossing and turning… try a ‘reset:’
Get up, read a book, walk around and have a drink of water. Then try to go back to sleep. Just avoid the tv and phone, as that will make matters worse!
Choose one thing to change and see how you feel, then implement another change, until you get the sleeping space you need.
At-home workouts don’t have to be tedious.
I was that person that if the fitness instructor on the video was too cheerful, I got irritated because I couldn’t see past the pain of the moment.
Now, I have fallen in love with my routines with 5 steps:
1. Have a Vision: Have a vision for what you want to experience in your body, and write it down in the present tense - as if it has already happened. For me, that means “I have abundant energy.” “I can do the splits.” “I feel at ease in my body.” This gives me a clear picture in my mind when my workouts get tough. In my mind, I tell myself I am already strong.
2. Enjoy What You Do: This is so important. I would be that person who would do fitness videos because I felt I had to in order to be “tough.” Turns out, I hated my workouts! So, I started doing more dance-inspired workouts. Not only do I love them, but I don’t feel the “pain” as much because I love to push through. Find what you enjoy and do it!
3. Stretch!: I stretch in the morning and currently working on stretching more at night. This has helped my alignment and simply feel more at “ease” in my body.
4. Focus on core strength: I have committed to abs and back strengthening workouts - just 10 minutes everyday. This helps warm up my core for the day so I can maintain and gain better posture to prevent issues down the road.
5. Take supplements to support energy levels and body’s response to inflammation: This is vital! Exercise is incredibly beneficial to your body, but if you’re not replenishing it with nutrients and vitamins it needs pre-and-post workout, you can seriously wear your body out overtime. I invested in a beyond-organic antioxidant drink that not only supports my body’s needs pre-and-post workout, but supports my general wellness.
Join a community of likeminded people who challenge YOU to live equipped for the long haul with wellness habits and tools to get you there: https://www.facebook.com/groups/875748402899952/
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Ever heard someone say, you should eat more “raw food?” We aren’t talking sushi, here. Although sushi is yummy, but that’s another post...
I am not a nutritionist, so we are not going in the depths of “raw food diet.” But over the past 4 years, I have seen benefits in filling my plate with more fresh, raw fruits and veggies in my meals. So, I am excited to share with you what this lifestyle change is, the benefits, and some recipes I love and why. Then, YOU can make your decision on what’s best for you.
First off, the raw food “diet” is not really a diet - it’s more like an “anti-diet.” It’s about lifestyle changes away from processed - ahem, DEAD - food, and incorporating more uncooked or lightly steamed veggies. If you are looking for a way to start implementing healthy lifestyle changes slowly for long-term wellness, this is worth trying for nearly everyone.
Check out the benefits and my favorite raw food recipes here.
Wake up your body with stretches from my morning routine so you can start your day a little more awake, a little more gentle, a little more vibrant in your body.
Do these every morning and feel a difference in your body as you give it the warm-up to tackle your day!
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