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Get some Sleep ... by Karli Taylor

I'm sure all of you who are working hard to burn off those extra pounds will welcome the advice that I am about to give you: GET SOME SLEEP!!

There has been a ton of research into sleep physiology in the last two decades, and we now know a lot about the detrimental effects of chronic sleep debt. Lack of sleep does a lot more harm than most of us think- it impedes weight loss, increases stress levels and actually speeds up the aging process!

Most of us need between seven and eight hours per night to function optimally. How many of us can actually say that we get that? I know that I rarely do...

It is interesting to note that we sleep an average of two hours less (seven vs nine hours) than we did 100 years ago. One of the craziest things is this- WE KNOW THAT WE NEED MORE SLEEP, WE JUST DON'T DO IT! This fact is supported by the fact that nearly two percent of all physician consultations with adults are about sleeping problems.

So why don't we sleep? I know there are hundreds of reasons to stay up late -  Do you stay up late to get ahead for work the next day? Not only will this make you less productive for the day ahead, but did you know that around half of all workplace accidents involve fatigue?

Do you stay up late to spend quality time with your family? Not only will your mood get increasingly worse as your sleep debt grows, but sleep debt actually takes away from your lifespan!!

How do we change? A good night’s sleep will come much easier if you develop a bedtime routine, just like we do for babies. The key components to your routine should involve the following:

• Consistency - Try to go to bed and wake up at the same time. Random late nights and early mornings or "sleeping in" can mess with our circadian rhythm of sleep.
• Regulate stimulant use – Caffeine should be avoided after or around 3:00pm as its effects last for hours. Alcohol has a negative effect on our quality of sleep, and the temptation to drink yourself to sleep should definitely be avoided.
• Wind down – Dim the lights an hour or two before bed as that will send a signal to the brain that darkness is approaching. TV should be avoided in the half an hour before going to bed and those final 30 minutes should involve some sort of relaxation. Light stretching, a warm bath or shower, even meditation.
• Make your bedroom a sleep haven – If you have a TV in your bedroom, get rid of it. Do not take your laptop to bed! The room should also be dark and cool as this will help to facilitate sleep.

Adding just 30 minutes of sleep each night will change your life. Try it for 2 weeks and I am willing to bet that you will be more productive in the hours you are awake-