10 Health Benefits of Sleep

We all know that sleeping can make us feel better and more productive, but we also feel like it can be traded away in order to achieve our goals. What we intend to be a short term trade off can turn into long term habits.

Here are 10 reasons why you should make sleep nonnegotiable and create a sanctuary for sleep in your bedroom! 

1. Better Health - lack of sufficient shut eye as been directly linked to heart disease, heart attacks, diabetes and obesity.

2. Better Sex - impaired sleep can be associated to lower levels of testosterone in men.

3. Less Pain - getting enough sleep can make you hurt less.

4. Lower Risk of Injury - when you are over tired you tend to have more accidents such as tripping or falling and 1 out of 5 car accidents are a result of driving drowsy.

5. Better Mood - when you are overtired you are less able to regulate your emotions.

6. Better Weight Control - if you are over tired you are less likely to exercise. The hormone leptin (which controls feeling full) is decreased causing over eating.

7. Clearer Thinking - being well rested increases your ability to pay attention and think logically.

8. Better Memory - during sleep your brain process and consolidates memories from the day. Not getting enough sleep can affect how your memories are processed.

9. Stronger Immunity - people who get 7 hours of sleep per night or less are 3 times more likely to get sick than those who sleep at least 8 hours a night.

10. Decreased Inflammation - people who get less sleep have higher levels of inflammatory proteins.

It's time to make sleep a priority. Getting at least 8 hours of sleep per night is ideal. Who's ready to make a few changes in their bedtime habits?

Almond Strawberry Dream Shakeology

Total Time: 5 min.
Prep Time: 5 min.
Cooking Time: None
Yield: 1 serving

Ingredients:
1 cup unsweetened almond milk
½ scoop Strawberry Shakeology
2 tsp. all-natural almond butter
½ tsp. pure almond extract
1 cup ice

Preparation:
1. Place almond milk, Shakeology, almond-butter, extract, and ice in blender; cover. Blend until smooth.

Nutritional Information (per serving):

Calories: 240

Fat: 10 g

Saturated Fat: 0 g

Cholesterol: 5 mg

Sodium: 328 mg

Carbohydrate: 19 g

Fiber: 5 g

Sugar: 8 g

Protein: 19 g

*From the Team Beachbody website

What's the Best Time to Exercise?

1. When you WILL work out.

Don't allow yourself the excuse of missing it in the morning so its not worth doing. Exercising is better than NOT exercising unless you are sick or recovering from an injury. Schedule your workouts when you have the best chance of getting it done. For me, its early in the morning... before the roosters wake up. But for some its late at night. Do what works for YOU! 

2. When you FEEL the best.

There are times during the day where you feel your best and have the most energy to tackle chores around the house or run errands. That would be a good time to schedule your workouts because that is when you have an abundance of energy. If you schedule allows you to fit your workouts in any time during the day, pay attention to your patterns and see when you have those energy bursts. And then schedule your workouts within that window.  

3. In the morning on an empty stomach.

In the morning, before you've eaten, your body is forced to utilize its fat stores for energy. I typically workout first thing, before I eat. But, I do take E & E which is Team Beachbody's all natural pre-workout supplement to help give me the boost I need to be as effective in my workout as possible. 

 4. At night before bed.

I only recommend this time of day if its the only time that works for you. Working out right before bed can affect your sleep. Most people have a hard time getting to sleep after a workout.

The thing I want you to understand is that everyone responds differently. If you struggle with morning workouts don't do them just because someone told you that you should. Play around and figure out what time of day you are able to put in your best effort. Once you figure it out, schedule that time daily and commit to it.  

When Opportunity Knocks, Open the Door

Last month I was contacted by someone I had briefly met at the Healthy & Fit Expo last year. Asking if I would be interested in being on the cover of his magazine.

To be honest, when I received that message from him I thought, "Is this guy a creeper?" But after checking out his profile and realizing this was for real and remembering how I had first met him, I jumped at the opportunity.

I was so nervous. I felt completely out of my league and unworthy of such an honor.
I am NOT a fitness model.
I do NOT have a perfect body.
I have stretch marks and loose skin and still some areas I would like to firm up...
and lift....
and suck in.

But what I realized (with the help of some amazing and supportive friends and family) is that I have worked really hard to get to where I am.

I am a work in progress just like everyone else.

But this opportunity might allow for another opportunity to inspire even more people to seek a healthier and more fit version of themselves.

So while I didn't feel the most confident doing it, I pushed passed that self imposed barrier, stepped outside my comfort zone and did it anyway... Because more than anything I want to help other people achieve their goals.

And if I can do it, YOU can do it.

Whatever your goals may be, whatever opportunity you find yourself presented with, if you want it and are willing to work for it, you CAN achieve it!