Challenge of the Week: SLEEP!
Happy Monday! Last week, I challenged you to a “No Added Sugar” week. I know quite a few of you have been HUGELY successful with last week’s challenge and feel AMAZING!
Yep- this is my pup Ryder 
If you didn’t have a chance to check out the No-Added Sugar Challenge, CLICK HERE
This Week, I’m Challenging YOU to Get Your ZZZ’s!
We can all take a little advice from Ryder on this one, who is a PROFESSIONAL napper. —–>
Rest, Recovery, and Sleep are EQUALLY as important as exercise.
In fact, if you are not getting the proper recovery, some of your hard work will be wasted efforts.
We ALL know how important a good night’s sleep is, so why is it then, that we always put off going to bed until we do that “one last thing”, or “watch until the next commercial”?
We have so much to do each day, but the truth is, we would be SO much more productive if we all actually got enough sleep!
There are a TON of reasons why getting enough sleep is so important. Here are just a few….
1. Did you know that around 80% of your HGH (Human Growth Hormone) is released while you are sleeping? HGH is a VERY important hormone in maintaining a healthy body weight because it controls metabolism, cell growth and repair, and regulates your lean body mass to fat ratio. If you’re not getting around 8 hours of solid, interrupted sleep, you are
2. Lack of sleep will also cause an increase in a hormone called CORTISOL, which will not only prevent you from LOSING weight, but it can also cause you to GAIN WEIGHT! Not something any of us want.
3. When you sleep, your body is repairing and restoring itself. Cutting this time short will not only delay this process, but cause you to be lethargic, irritable, and emotional.
4. Lack of sleep is also associated with impaired memory, slowed speech, lack of ambition, lack of focus and a host of other lovely things.
Because over 40% of us suffer from a chronic lack of sleep, this week’s challenge is for you to ”Get Your ZZZ’s!”
Your Challenge: To get 8 hours of UNINTERRUPTED sleep EVERY NIGHT this week.
Here are a few things that will help:
1. Set a bedtime for yourself and STICK to it- even if you are NOT tired.
2. Turn off all electronics (TV’s, phones, iPads, etc) at least 30-60 minutes before you go to bed.
3. Stay away from caffeine after around 3 pm.
4. Make sure you have complete darkness in your bedroom.
5. De-Stress before bed. This one is HUGE and I do this every single night. I write down my list of EVERYTHING I need to get done the next day. This way, I don’t have to think about it because it’s down on paper, and I can get to sleep knowing that it’s on my list and I won’t forget it.
6. Make it a Priority! (if you do- you will be AMAZED at how great you will feel at the end of the week!)
Make sure to leave a comment below if you ACCEPT this Challenge!!!
Good luck & get some rest!
TOTALLY in for this one!!
Love it Linds!
Yes!! More sleep!!
HA.. one I think I can do!! Along with joining Lu in making up for the no sugar added challenge… CHALLENGE ACCEPTED.
Happy to accept this challenge! Now the trick is seeing whether the 4 and 6 year olds can appreciate what I’m doing and let mommy sleep!
I can do this sleep challenge for sure! Day three of the continued ‘no suger’ challenge – so far so good but grocery shopping yesterday was enlightening. How about you Tina?
Very glad to accept this challenge!
I am down for this. Sleep is seriously lacking in my world!
I can do this challenge flat on my back!! I’ve never been much of a sleeper. When I was younger I was sleeping 2-3 hours a night. As I got older I started getting more and more sleep to wear I am now at about 5-6 hours a night. I used to think that sleeping a lot on the weekend would “catch up” for all the sleep i missed but our body doesn’t work that way. Sleeping a full night uniterrupted regularly is so important! Getting 8 hours a night is challenging for the same reason everybody gives; I’m busy. As a country we sleep less, work longer hours and take less vacation time than any other country in the world. It is a part of our zeitgeist and it is reflected in how everyone is reacting to this challenge here. We really need to adjust this attitude because sleeping is so good for us. It helps our physical and emotional health so much. I’m on day 2 of forcing myself to sleep 7 hours a night (sorry, baby steps) and I am feeling so refreshed and energized! This and the water challenge has really helped me.