You Have to Sleep, and You Have to Eat

Sleeping has been so underrated in the past.  I think this is partly because even scientists don't understand all the reasons why sleep is so restorative and beneficial to the body and mind, which it is.  Your cells renew themselves as you sleep--that's going down to the micro level.  Your skin looks better after a good night's sleep.  Your muscles and bones get a rest from any stress or strain you placed on them.  You can perform better, because you gave your body a well-deserved break.  Your mind has a chance to unravel and somehow process thoughts and contemplate decisions even though you are not conscious.  This is to name but a few of the benefits.

On the other hand, if you don't make time for good, quality sleep, it won't happen because your life and mine are full of other distractions, like electronics and other people in the household and chores, etc.  Someone told me last week that she sets a timer to go to bed.  Yes, you read that right--she has to make sure it happens at a regular time every night.  This is part of good sleep hygiene, i.e. getting into a routine of quieting the body and mind at the end of the day, limiting electronics and other sources of strong stimulation which could keep you wakeful.  Think of the night-night rituals parents create for their babies.  It's a slow and steady transition from wakefulness to comforting routines to bedtime. 

As adults, nothing happens unless we make it happen, and this is where "the cold, sharp knife edge of accountability" comes in.  We have to respect the fact that sleep hygiene is healthy and worthwhile and critical to hormone balance, brain and body function and even happiness. 

In the same vein, making good meals is also our responsibility.  Taking time, making time, carving out time to do it is part of being successful.  When life gets hectic and complicated, we don't slow down long enough to contemplate good choices or prepare healthy meals.  Instead, we move to the easiest option available, like a drive-through or a coffee shop with "hot dairy queen" coffee drinks full of sugar and saturated fat plus a scone while we are at it.  We are so preoccupied anyway, we forgot we were working hard to count points accurately and stay focused on our goals.  It happens to the best of us. 

We all have the same twenty-four hours in a day.  How we use that time to make our lives worthwhile is up to us.  We have to sleep every day.  Count those hours and how many you really need to thrive.  We have to nourish ourselves.  We cannot lose and maintain weight without eating well most often.  How long does that take?  We have to work (most of us anyway) so count those hours.  How many hours are left for self care, hobbies, family time?  If your days are upside down with have to's and stress, there is no room for good sleep or eating well, and that is not going to work.

This week, set a goal for yourself to make the basics--the things your parents took care of for you--a priority, so that you can feel rested and restored, nourished and fulfilled.  You have one precious life, and this is it.  You deserve to feel good while you are living it.

Make Room for YOUR Happiness

Happiness is healthy.  When you do things that make you happy, you feel good.  When you feel good, you want more of that, so you end up doing more of those things.  It's a continuous cycle. 

It sounds simple, but with a busy life, sometimes making time for happiness just doesn't happen.  That alone can lead to unhealthy habits like skipping meals, eating on the run and getting irregular sleep--which is not helpful. 

The good news is that even a little bit of time to yourself makes a difference.  On days when you don't have time for getting together with friends or taking your favorite fitness class, you can simply sit for five or ten minutes without your phone and relax, unplug and look around, taking a deep breath, slowing down. That might create a sense of calm--which is enough to bring a burst of happiness to your day.  It's one fewer reason to eat something to make yourself feel better.

Our precious Minnesota summer is quickly coming to a close.  This is time to consider what activities you still want to make room for.  Are there activities that will bring more happiness and more fun to your life this summer?  Get to it!  You are worth the effort.  Your health and happiness are at stake!

Snack Attack

Eating at regular intervals is key to managing hunger, maintaining blood sugar levels and boosting metabolism.  Three meals a day plus snacks in between is one example.  Six mini meals is another way to handle this.  There are some who can get through the day with three large, nutrient packed meals and skip snacks altogether.  However, for most people, three hours without eating is the limit.  That's the point when the hunger gets primal--and all good thoughts about managing hunger go out the window.  Regret may be soon to follow.

Planning ahead is the key.  Having shelf-stable snacks in your desk or car can be a lifesaver when you are stuck in traffic and need something to tide you over.  I usually leave the house every morning with fresh fruit, seltzer water and an emergency low-point bar.  I keep dried fruit in my car just in case I need a quick bite.  It doesn't take all that much food to get yourself over the hump I have found.  This is what makes us feel in control.

Not eating or pushing yourself to the limit is not helpful.  Hunger becomes "hangry"--which means that it is emotional and hard to manage.  Binge eating might even take over, and it is much harder to feel satisfied or full in this scenario.

If this is so important, why don't we do it all the time?  We are busy.  We get distracted and stressed with predictable and unpredictable life events.  In this case, know where to go quickly for your "Plan B" snack attack and keep blinders on when you go and get what is needed.

Food is fuel to the body and mind.  It keeps us energized, on track and feeling satisfied.  It frees us to do the physical and mental activities we want to do.  So, don't forget to pack your snacks and see what it does for you this week. 

What You See Outside Can Reduce Stress

Finding joy in nature can reduce stress and improve mood.  All you have to do is slow down long enough to notice what you see, hear, smell, feel.  Checking in with your senses drops your mind into the present moment, where your body always is.  That alone can be destressing.

My dog, Pippa, helps me do this very thing.  I walk her multiple times a day.  She is patient and can spot squirrels long before I ever notice them.  She takes her time when there is something new along our path.  She stops in her tracks when she just wants to take it all in.  I think she walks me the more I think about it.  Her sniffer is at work all the time too.  I have heard that dogs have a sense of smell 1,000 times stronger than human beings which is why she loves it so much when winter deep freeze is over, and the spring smells start sprouting.

The great outdoors is our native habitat too.  Because we live indoors in climate control, we risk missing some of what our natural surroundings have to offer unless we make a point of getting out and appreciating what's there.  Our great outdoors are not man-made.  They have an appeal far greater than a pretty house or impressive building.  They are always changing, and so are we.

I love summer.  My garden and yard are changing every day, and I have a front row seat to it all.  I observe how things are looking and growing every single day.  This is a relaxing past time that I don't have in winter when my garden is sleeping.  Even cutting my lawn can bring me into a state of calm.  This week, take some time outdoors.  Take time to notice what you see, hear, smell and feel when you are taking a simple walk or visiting a park or even walking your dog on a well worn path.  Let nature and what it has to show you, impress you.