It’s not just about resting

and I just returned from The Muse & the Marketplace, a 3-day national writers conference in Boston. I was sick for the conference, most likely because I’d been slightly neglecting what I need in order to feel…

Superb
Lit up
Energized
Equalized
Purposeful

That’s a lame version of an acrostic poem whose first letters spell SLEEP. My niece, who’s a poet, would likely do a much better job with that poem. Now that we’ve ascertained that my writing prowess does not extend into poetry, let’s get down to business and get clear on the basics of sleep.

Many folks are chronically sleep deprived. If you’re getting less than 7.5 hours of sleep a night, then you are in that “many folks” category. People (like my youngest son) will often say that they don’t need much sleep and that they can catch up on sleep on the weekends. The trouble is, your body isn’t wired like that.

While that extra weekend sleep can certainly feel good and help us feel less zombie-esque, we’re regularly missing out on essential work that our body does at night. Here’s an excerpt on sleep from my book Crazy World, Joyful Heart, coming out on October 8 of this year (woo-hoooo!):

“Sleep is certainly important for the reason that?s obvious: we feel rested, productive, and more able to positively engage with our day and the people in it. Sleep is also important for many, much deeper health reasons, including strengthening immunity, clearing and regulating emotions, digestive-system maintenance, brain-cell creation, weight loss, healthy gene expression, and avoiding/healing depression. What I?ve come to understand about sleep is that our BodyMindSpirit requires downtime to reset, recalibrate, and rest in order to run interference against sickness and disease. We think we?re lying down at night only because we?re tired, but the sleep response is something that we need at our most fundamental level to create optimal health and joy.”

When I don’t get enough sleep, my body’s pretty quick to rebel by getting sick. I hear her loud and clear! Your body may not be as vocal or persnickity as mine, but it still needs the same 7.5 hours (or more) of sleep to keep you in your most vibrant state of health. Here are my:

Top 7 Sleep Tips (that can help you get those Z’s you need)

1. Relax before bedtime. Avoid violent, upsetting media and arguments before bed.
2. Set a schedule. It’s best to go to bed and wake up at roughly the same time each day.
3. Avoid drugs.?Caffeine after 10am, and nicotine and alcohol after 3pm, are disruptive to sleep.
4. Control your sleep environment. Sleep on a comfy mattress in a dark, cool, and well-ventilated room.
5. Shake yo’ booty. Getting 20-30 minutes of movement in each day will help you sleep.
6. Eat Food Sass?. – Whole, nutrient dense foods and minimal sugar improve sleep quality.
7. Reduce your stress load. Creating habits of daily deep breathing or meditation can help.

Sleep is essential for optimal health. It’s essential to avoid disease. Sleep is a pivotal factor in our ability to live our most health, vibrant version of ourselves.

Create Vibrant Health: BodyMindSpirit?

With love & sweet dreams,
Laurie