Sleep Well and Eat Well

Summer seems to have arrived! While we are excited to experience the warm rays of sunshine, embark on our long-awaited vacations, and enjoy better sleep, we need to continue to fine-tune our current sleep and eating habits. This adjustment will help us commit to long-term sustainability.

When you think about food and sleep, what comes to mind?

For many, these two wellness topics are normally the hardest to tackle when it comes to establishing and sustaining healthier habits.

When was the last time you experienced a great quality night's rest consecutively for a week? Maybe the phrase, "eating healthy" is such a daunting task. With so much misinformation and rules, you may not be sure where to begin?

Well, this month provides the golden opportunity to take time to observe how you eat and how well you sleep.

Consistent quality sleep is really the starting point in regulating all actions and decisions we make in the day, whether that is related to food, stress management, battling illness, or even maintaining balance in our mood. It all begins with a good night's rest.

According to The National Sleep Foundation, the recommended hours of sleep each night are about 7-9 hours, depending on your needs and age (older adults need less sleep, while growing children need more). However, we all have legitimate reasons as to why our sleep may be disrupted and inconsistent.

I challenge you to improve your sleep hygiene this month by making sleep a priority. One way that this can be achieved is by simply budgeting 30 minutes for winding down before bed. This means getting up from the couch and sitting in your bed twenty minutes before falling asleep, without looking at any electronic devices or TV, and dimming the lights.

Sounds unrealistic or too much? Well, it is a challenge! You see, the more we are exposed to light and other stimulating activities at night (not including reading), our body feels like it's okay to stay awake, and disrupts our Melatonin levels (sleep hormone). So, let the Melatonin runitss full course at night and start forming a routine of communication with your body when it's time to go to bed.

Moving on! What is one way that you can bring more awareness to the wonderful foods that you enjoy every day?

How about packing your lunch this month? Have you heard of the phrase "Personalizing Your Plate?" Of course, this phrase could be interpreted many ways, like adding more color to your plate in regards to fruits and veggies, or personally having a plate full of yummy treats, because it's what you prefer, right?

Well, think of it more as adding variety and color to your meal time. While there is no one-size-fits-all all approach in regards to our nutritional needs, the more color and variety you have on your plate, the more nutrient-dense and healthier food choices you are more likely to consume.

Sorry, but eating fast food every day for lunch does not provide a variety of color and does not personalize who you are individually.

Look out for fruits and vegetables in season, unrefined grains (whole grains, corn, and wild rice), lean cuts of protein such as chicken breast, inflammatory-fighting fish such as Salmon and Albacore Tuna, and of course, chugging down as much water as you can in the day.

Now, that is taking personal responsibility of all the wonderful varieties of food out there. Not only does packing your lunch save time and money, but it helps you to regain better control of your health by providing yourself quality ingredients.

If you feel like a cheeseburger, why not make it? Now, I'm not saying to never eat fast food again, but I want to challenge you to think how you would look and feel on the other side of fine tuning your normal habits. You owe it to yourself.

I will close with this simple reminder: make healthy food and quality sleep a priority!

Are you ready for the challenge?

What will your wellness journey look like in 2025? The journey to higher health begins with you! Will you do it alone?

Reach out to our team today to help guide you as you take the first steps towards embracing your present, so that you can begin smiling at the future.

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