We all know a good night of sleep is magical. 

During sleep our bodies are healing and recovering from a hard day at work…breathing, eating, digesting food, fighting off toxins, carrying oxygen to our body parts and the list goes on. And it is during sleep that our body is recovering. Knowing that sleep is a time of healing, do we place importance on getting a good night’s sleep? Probably not! 

According to the Center for Disease Control 35% of the adults are sleep deprived.  Are you one of them? 

How much sleep do you need?

Most adults need 7 – 10 hours of sleep and can develop a tolerance for getting less than the necessary amount of sleep. And most of us midlife women know that it is often difficult to get the necessary hours of good sleep.  

Most midlife women recognize the fact they are sleep deprived; however, it’s interesting to think some have developed a tolerance for a lack of sleep and may not even recognize the fact that you are sleep deprived.

Poor sleep increases inflammation in the body and as we all know inflammation is the leading cause of many chronic diseases and medical conditions.  Therefore, sleep deprivation has been linked to many of these conditions.  

Five Benefits of Quality Sleep

  • Maintain a healthy weight. When you’re not sleeping enough you may get that desire for a late-night snack!  And here’s why.  When we don’t get enough sleep our body produces ghrelin, a hormone that boosts appetite, AND it decreases the production of leptin, the hormone that lets you know you are full.  Add these two together and they can pack a powerful point.
  • Boosts your immune system. Lack of sleep changes the way your immune system functions. When the body is tired it is unable to fight off diseases as easily. 
  • Helps to balance blood sugar. During deep sleep the blood sugar in the body drops giving your body a reset, so that it can correctly produce and use insulin during the day. 
  • Improves your mood. You have probably experienced being sleep deprived and waking up cranky!  This is because sleep helps your brain work properly. 
  • Improve cognitive skills. A rested brain can think more clearly and perform at higher levels leading to improved cognitive skills. 

Truthfully, we all know the benefits of sleep on some level. Where we struggle is with HOW do we get a great night of sleep.  

How do you get a good night’s sleep?

So often we hear the importance of a morning routine when the real secret sauce is in the bedtime routine.  A bedtime routine does two things…. sets you up for a great night of sleep AND prepares you for the day ahead! 

And as with most things, consistency is key! So why not try a bedtime routine?

Five tips for getting enough ZZZ’s at night?

  1. Have a nighttime routine! This is as important as your morning routine, maybe more important! 
    1. Consistent Bedtime
    2. Journaling
    3. Warm Bath, maybe with a Unwind Bath Bomb 
  2. Try our SLEEP tincture. It’s four simple ingredients and could help you have a great night of sleep where you wake up feeling well rested and ready for the day.     
  3. Turn the thermostat down. It is much better to sleep in a room that is between 60 – 65 degrees.  This will bring down your body temperature and the pineal gland will let the body know to release melatonin which says to your brain sweet dreams ahead!
  4. Try the 5-5-7 Breathwork practice…breathe in for 5 counts, hold for 5 counts, breathe out for 7 counts. This slows the body down, reduces cortisol and sets you up for relaxation. 
  5. Reduce screen time before bed – consider having a “digital sunset”

In today’s go, go, go world getting a good night sleep is underrated.  Ladies take it from Arianna Huffington and “Sleep (sh…she’s sleeping) your way to the top. Four hours is not enough.” 

Do you prioritize sleep? What can you do to improve your quality of sleep?