Did Increasing my Sleep Help?

This past week I made a real effort to increase my sleep in an effort to help reach my health and wellness goals. I would like to report that I succeeded in every way, that I followed my own recommendations exactly. Unfortunately, life got in the way. It happens, I know it better than most but I will not give up! I had family visit from out of town, I had work that needed to get done and let’s face it, sometimes as a Mom, I just need a little quiet time and the evening/night is one of the only times I get that.

These may sound like excuses, and I have heard them over and over again from clients, but it’s also part of the life I live. What I can tell you is it’s a start. Out of the ten days I put in the effort to get to bed and get eight hours of solid good sleep, I managed 4 nights. Those four nights were pure bliss! I woke up feeling AMAZING! I would have liked to report that I was successful for the full ten days and knowing how great I feel with a full eight hours of sleep I am going to continue to strive for this goal.

What I did learn was that this is a worthwhile goal. The first night of great sleep did not resolve my tiredness. In fact, I think my symptoms of sleep deprivation were worse. I felt groggy and sluggish. My brain didn’t want to wake up and my energy was low. It was like, only after a full night’s sleep did my body realize how really tired, I was. Day two was better. The fog was lifting. I could think again and after day three the improvements were even better. On day four I was beginning to feel like my old self. My thoughts seemed more cohesive and my focus was much improved. I had energy to burn and I wanted this feeling to continue.

This experience was an important one for me. I focus so much on nutrition and hydration and sometimes forget that there is more that feeds our body. Sleep is such an important factor in our health. It can add or take away from all the other efforts we put in. Poor sleep can contribute to inflammation and hunger and pain. It can add to the stress we already have to deal with and is a big part of the holistic picture we need to work on to achieve our health and wellness goals.

After just four days of eight hours of sleep, I was feeling amazing and therefore I will continue to strive to get as much sleep each night as I can. I have a great routine for many parts of my life that support optimal health. I eat well 90% of the time, I hydrate and get physical activity. After this experiment, I know that sleep has been a BIG missing piece. It could even be the part that has been holding me back. It will become more of a priority for me and I have learned a few tricks to get to sleep, stay asleep and wake feeling rested!

Want to get even healthier? Are you chronically sleep-deprived? Could you use some support figuring out how to get some sleep to improve your health? Curious about how health coaching can help you make healthy changes? Let’s talk! Schedule an initial complimentary consultation with me today—or pass this offer on to someone you care about! Visit www.noshoesnutrition.com and sign up for a FREE consultation.  I work with people from all over the world individually or in groups so don’t let anything hold you back!