Fabulous February - Sleep it Off!

So how did January's Marvelous Me Challenge go? I bet it was much more challenging than you originally thought. I've already done this challenge before and I still found it difficult. I would say I achieved my goal of 2-2.5L/day most days, however there were a few days I was short. I found one way to help me with my goal was to limit my intake of anything dehydrating (coffee, alcohol). Being that its the middle of winter, the worst month for my skin, I was constantly reminded to drink more water because my skin was so dry and itchy. The days that I drank sufficient amounts of water, my skin looked smoother and fuller. My sinuses were clearer and I even felt less hungry. What were some of the changes you experienced with this months challenge?

So its not February and we are on to our next challenge - more sleep. This was probably my most difficult challenge last year, yet my most rewarding. Everything improved when I had more sleep. We are aiming for a minimum of 8 hours of sleep/night. Yikes, I know. But I promise that you plan to get done tonight, will still be there tomorrow. So with that, I am packing it in and calling it a night. I need my zzzzz's!!!

Here is an interesting article on the importance of quality of sleep, not just quantity.

Sleep: Not only How Much, but When?

I was chatting with my client the other day about his sleep patterns. He claimed he gets enough , between 7-8 hours per night, but couldn’t understand why he often felt unrested.  So I asked him at what time did he sleep. He is a real night hawk, and often likes to work at night. He claimed it was quite common for him to be up until 4am and sleep until about 11. 

Aha!! That is why he felt unrested!!

Much of the focus is on the amount of sleep one gets and not on the time of day/night that they are sleeping. The time of day is actually a very important factor when it comes to the quality of sleep one gets.  As soon as we open ours eyes in the morning, light stimulates our serotonin production by suppressing the production of melatonin, the neurotransmitter needed for sleep. The best thing one can do when one wakes is go to a sunny window and get a full face of natural sunlight. No need for your cup of Joe after that!! However, this can be counterproductive when you are trying to sleep.

The best hours for sleep are from 8pm-7am, because those are the darkest hours. Even if asleep, exposure to light can inhibit your melatonin production, affecting your sleep. If one sleeps much while the sun is up and has thin window coverings, light is seeping in inhibiting one to experience that deep sleep that is ideal. It is said that even the light from an alarm clock can affect one’s melatonin production by stimulating serotonin. This is what was happening with my client. Although he was sleeping enough, half the hours he slept (7am-11am) the sunlight was coming through his thin drapes preventing his from experiencing a deep, healthy sleep.

Many of you following ‘The Marvelous Me Project’ have claimed that getting 8 hours of sleep has been a real challenge this month. Although, it may be a work in progress as we move into our next month’s challenge, focus on getting to bed at a decent time. Investing in some thick, dark drapes or one of those eye masks is also well worth it.  Even if you’re up at the crack of dawn and only able to achieve 6 hours of zzz’s, just make sure they’re good ones!