We’ve passed the 1 week mark and hopefully learnt a lot along the way.
While of course we are focusing in the Keto diet, I also like to take this chance to review other areas of our life that might be holding us back, physically and emotionally.
So today I want to talk about sleep.
There’s a reason this email is coming out a bit later in the day than usual – because I turned off my alarm this morning, listening to my body desperately calling for more sleep. It is also a repeated email from the last challenge, as it seemed to strike a cord with a lot of people.
The statistics vary, but I’ve some studies suggesting 60 – 70% of us are sleep deprived at any one point.
WHAT!?
We all know it’s important, but I think we often underestimate HOW important.
The scientific evidence 100% confirms it:
Poor sleep is directly linked to unhealthy choices and being overweight
FACT: When we are tired, our body creates hunger hormones.
Yep!
It’s not just that we are tired and can’t be bothered, our body is actually telling us we are MORE hungry.
That’s why it is soooo tempting to just have a muffin with your morning coffee after a bad night’s sleep.
It’s that sneaky little hormone called Grehlin playing tricks again. We don’t have to listen to it though.
Being tired and not sleeping has become this stupid badge of honour.
Ever had this convo?
“How are you?”
“Ugh, tired, barely slept last night”
“Omg me too, because of (bad habit) I was tossing and turning all night”
“Yeah well I only got like 4 hours sleep because (bad sleep hygiene, kids, stress etc)”
What is this, a competition of who can be the most miserable? No thanks!
FACT: more than 4 nights of bad sleep a week actually makes you gain weight because your body’s ability to use insulin drops by 30%.
YEP. After just 4 days. And insulin is THE reason we gain and lose weight.
Ok we get it Rachel, but we are busy ya know? And stressed. Etc
I get it.
I’ve been a bad sleeper for most of my life, it’s only in the last few years I’ve really honed in on getting better sleep and really tried to protect my sleep as well. Here’s what worked for me, plus some extra tips for you to try.
💤 No alcohol before bed. Probably the biggest change for me. No more waking up at 3am thirsty and hungover! I save it for the weekend as much as possible, where I can sleep in
💤 Yogi Bedtime tea. I’m not a sponsor, I just love this stuff. I swear I get sleepy before I’ve even finished the cup. I buy 5 boxes at a time.
💤 Yoga and meditation, especially the Headspace app (they have a whole sleep series). Getting the mind quiet was the #1 thing I needed to learn to get to sleep. I used to be like ‘woah $70 a year for an app??’ Now I’m like… best $70 I’ve ever spent.
💤 No screens in the hour before bedtime. I wish this was me. Husband will not accept not having tv in the bedroom – one day I will convince him!
💤 Make your bedroom your sanctuary. It should be calm, cool, dark, quiet and SO comfortable. Invest in good linen, pillow and mattress. You spend more time here than anywhere else and it affects EVERYTHING else.
Sleep hygiene is not a ‘one size fits all’, you have to find what works for you.
Make sleep a treat, a reward, and something to be proud of.
Let’s change that conversation to:
“How are you?”
“Great! I slept so well last night!”
Love,
Rachel xxx
The Aussie Keto Queen
