Gone are the days of going beast mode and grinding 24/7, now we are realizing the importance of listening to our bodies and responding with rest and regeneration. How much better do you feel when you get a full night of restful sleep instead of staying up too late binge-watching that show? You might notice that you’re happier, make smarter decisions, your body feels better, and you have the energy to do more.

For the betterment of yourself and others around you, get more sleep! Most adults need 7-9 hours of sleep per night to be well-rested and stay feeling healthy & happy. Even a loss of 1-2 hours in a night can start to create noticeable differences in your energy levels, food cravings, and health.

Great sleep will allow your body to do the magical things it’s meant to do, like:
-rejuvenate our liveliness and energy, enabling you to be happier throughout the day
-enhance problem solving skills by improving cognition, performance, and productivity
-process information and thoughts accumulated over the day to retain information and build memory
-rebuild and grow muscles
-boost your immune system to keep you healthy
-reduce stress/cortisol levels
-repair tissues and help your body recover from injuries

While there are endless benefits to getting plenty of sleep, there are an equal amount of risks of not getting enough sleep:
-increasing the risk of heart disease and stroke
-affects blood sugar/insulin resistance showing signs of pre-diabetes
-reduced alertness which can dangerously affect driving
-weight gain is common because sleep deprived people tend to eat more calories and exercise less
-mood and overall mental health can take a dive
-inflammation within the body and brain
-impaired decision making

We don’t want to run into any of those issues when they can be avoided by a better nights sleep, right?! My best advice for getting a more restful night of sleep is to create a nightly routine, set a bedtime and avoid screens.
Every night before I go to sleep I prepare and pack up my food for the next day, pick out my work and workout clothes, wash my face, brush my teeth, write in my positivity journal for 2-5 minutes, rub on a little bit of lavender essential oil, turn on quiet, yoga-ish music and turn the lights off. BOOM. My routine allows me to feel ready for the next day so I don’t have to worry about anything. Once my head hits the pillow, I’m doing belly breathing and welcoming the sleep that is soon to come.

How will you guys set yourselves up for a great night of sleep?

#funfact : a single Portabella mushroom can contain more potassium than a banana!`