Prioritize sleep.
I missed an entire night of sleep this week (baby Nick were at the hospital– he was having a little respiratory trouble, but is much, much better). Remember when we were in college and did that on purpose, stay up all night? I’d like to travel back in time and give 2004 Elizabeth a real talkin’ to.
And while I’m at it, I might as well travel back even further and tell 1982-ish Elizabeth that staying up all night and skipping naps is just wrong. Plus, it’s a crime against your sleepy parents.
34-year-old me cannot hang on no sleep. And even on a good night, I could stand to catch a few more hours of sleep. I’m guessing you can relate.
So I’ve become obsessed with learning how to prioritize sleep. How to fall asleep sooner. How to stay asleep longer. How sleep affects our brains and our bodies and our moods and how many plates of nachos we want to eat and/or actually eat.
PRIORITIZE SLEEP
A few things that have caught my attention:
Spoiler alert: If it works for you, do it. (Slight bummer: It doesn’t work for everyone.) A good soak definitely seems to help me quiet my mind and relax my body after a long week. I love this epsom soak, especially after a tough workout.
I really enjoyed this book (and it is little, relatively speaking, perfect for overtired readers). There’s an entire section devoted to sleep, one of the master keys of health, as Dr. LoGuidice calls it.
- Sleep Like a Champion: Sleep Tips for Athletes from Casper
We’re big fans of Casper (even Clark, who has never missed a minute of sleep in his life and is currently cuddled up on the Casper dog bed Nick recently ordered for him), and I thought this info sleep stages, in particular, was interesting. I know my fellow Mama Beasts and I are likely years (decades?) away from getting 10 hours of sleep, but I like knowing that any increase in quality sleep could improve our speed, reaction time and overall athletic performance. And maybe it’s time I learn to nap when the babies nap.
This gentle, nighttime flow is heaven.
- 9 Foods to Help You Sleep from Eating Well
Even better: Most of these are already in my kitchen — tart cherry juice (also great for workout recovery), yogurt, whole grains, kale, bananas… even Cheerios.
- The 4-7-8 breath from Dr. Weil
This is one my go-to tricks for falling asleep quickly. It’s sort of like counting sheep, but with, like… breathing. It seems a little weird, but trust me. Try it.
On that note… time for a responsibly early bedtime.
Also On Tap for Today:
- Looking forward to tomorrow’s family workout
- Secrets of people who are always full of energy from Apartment Therapy
- Getting October’s free printable calendar ready to go
Do you have a bedtime routine?
