We are in a generation that doesn’t sleep much. We have too much to do and no time to bother with sleep and rest.

And, man, does it ever show!

We are sick and worn down, we walk around in a brain fog, our energy levels have plummeted, we gain weight consistently, we’re grumpy and cranky, we’re addicted to caffeine to wake us up, give us energy and to keep us alert.

Does this all have to do with sleeping? Of course not, but it sure does have a lot to do with it.

I challenge you to start sleeping more. Not being lazy more, but sleeping more. Go to bed at a decent time so you can get between 7-9 hours of sleep each night. It’s also best to get to bed before you see 12:00 on that digital clock. Research shows that every hour we are awake after midnight, it takes us 2 hours to make up for it. This is a never ending, snowball cycle of depleting our body from vital rest and relaxation. Our body needs this time to work, repair and renew. Want to look younger? Sleep more. Want to lose weight? Sleep more. Want to have more energy? Sleep more. Yes, getting restful, deep sleep can help all these areas, because your hormones can begin to function and work properly. When our hormones are in balance and in harmony with each other, amazing things happen with our health!

Turn off the television. Get off the computer. Set the smart phone aside. Turn off the bright lights and get those softer table lamps on, allowing melatonin to kick in, causing your body to get tired. Lay your head on the pillow and get some sleep!

Many people have unblananced hormones and mineral levels, so this may not be so easy. Take note of how you fall asleep. Are you restless before you finally drift off? Do you fall right to sleep, but wake up at 3am every single morning like clock work? Are you not able to fall asleep until the early morning hours and then drag yourself out of bed when the alarm goes off? Seeing what patterns you have can help you figure out ways you can get back on track. Maybe you’re eating too close to bedtime. You might work and are in bright lights until late at night, which tricks your body into thinking it’s daytime. Maybe you need more magnesium or need to lay off carbs at dinner. 

Everyone is different, so everyone will have their own things they need to work on, but I believe the first thing we all must realize is how important sleep is. If we don’t realize that simple concept – we won’t try to get it working right in our lives. We’ll “live” with restless and sleepless nights thinking it’s what we have to deal with. Let’s not go down that path! Learn to love sleep again!

Happy Sleeping.

xo Kari

{Please note that I understand that there are many people who have a hard time sleeping, who take sleep aids and who would find the advice above offensive. I’m not minimizing any of those issues and I understand it’s not as easy as it sounds above, but I do believe that we can all get to this point of restful sleep once again. It may take time, but for someone who is consistent and determined, it is possible. I have first hand experience of not sleeping more than two hours at a time at night for over 6 years. I had to be persistent and sometimes it felt like things weren’t going to change – but those days are long gone! I believe you can have success too!}