Recalibrate Your Brain
- Sara Rafuse
- Jul 23, 2024
- 3 min read
Do you feel groggy for no apparent reason? Does your brain seem like it’s running at half-speed? Do you find yourself easily agitated, frustrated, or upset?
If you answered yes to the questions above, it might be time to recalibrate your brain with more sleep.
The National Sleep Foundation recommends that people of all ages get a minimum of seven hours of sleep each night. But despite this advice, 30% of Americans fail to get the proper amount of sleep. As a result, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has actually declared sleep deprivation a public health problem. Yikes!
Being short on sleep can really affect your weight. While you weren't sleeping, your body cooked up a perfect recipe for weight gain.
Sleep deprivation can lead to burnout, sluggishness, and exhaustion. But not getting enough sleep can also trigger or exacerbate more significant health issues such as chronic pain, high blood pressure, anxiety, and depression. Without quality sleep, your cognitive abilities temporarily decline, and it can become more difficult to concentrate, remember, or retain information. It also becomes more difficult to make decisions that align with your health and wellness goals, such as putting energy into cooking a meal or moving your body. When you’re short on sleep, it’s easy to lean on a large latte to get moving. You might be tempted to skip exercise (too tired), get takeout for dinner, and then turn in late because you’re uncomfortably full.
So what’s the solution?
Getting the proper amount of sleep and adhering to a regular sleep schedule are two ways to help you beat burnout and ensure that you wake up feeling rested and rejuvenated. Sleep is a foundational aspect of wellness, and prioritizing enough hours of sleep is something many coaching clients wish to focus on. That is why we included sections on sleep in both the GLP-1a Accountability Workbook and our Habit Tracker Pack for Fueling and Moving your Body.
Through coaching, we work towards getting your night-time routine back on track. Here are some simple practices for better sleep you can implement TONIGHT:
Unplug the Electronics
As part of your nightly routine, shut down all electronic devices an hour before bed. When you stare at bright objects immediately before falling asleep, your brain is fooled into thinking that it’s actually time to wake up. Avoiding computer and phone screens before bedtime will support a more natural sleep schedule.
Focus on Breathing
To prepare your body and mind for bed, try some calming deep belly breathing exercises. Placing one hand on your belly and the other on your chest, breathe in through your nose for a count of four, expanding your belly, and exhale for a count of four.
Listen to a Guided Meditation
Guided meditations can help relax your mind and release tension throughout your body. Try this guided audio sleep aid or meditation to clear your thoughts and make falling asleep easier. Did you know Peloton has guided meditations on the app? You can also find them on YouTube.
Eat the Right Foods
This is HUGE. What we eat plays an important role in how we sleep. Fruits, vegetables, legumes, and even spices contain a complex array of nutrients that all have different effects on our bodies. Try to eat dinner as early as possible to allow yourself time to digest. At night stick to simple foods like bananas, almonds, or chamomile tea, and avoid foods that are hard to digest like beans and broccoli, or are full of sugar, like candy and sweets.
Want more support surrounding sleep, and creating habits conducive to your body's natural rhythm? Let's take a deep dive and see if coaching is right for you!
The more energy you have, the more life there is to enjoy. Let us know if there are any sleep tips and tricks that work best for you!
Comments