So you’re ready for the restful sleep
You know…that blissful sleep you had as a kid. Aaaaah, those were the days! So get ready for the Restful Sleep Challenge. You’re gonna devote 7 days to luxurious restful sleep. Walking through life in a haze is not the way to go. And how many cups of coffee can you really drink? You’ve put time and effort into everything else meaningful in your life. And the quality of your sleep influences every other part of your day.
The rules of the challenge are below. You’ll also want to download the Blissful Zzzzs Nighty Night Checklist to receive a FREE luxurious bedtime routine to lull yourself to sleep like a baby.
But first, some strange things that mess up your sleep: Hormones – All types of hormones affect your quality of sleep. Too many stress hormones = bad sleep. Sex hormone fluctuations (like with PMS and menopause) = bad sleep. Too much sugar-induced hormone fluctuations = bad sleep. And to make things worse, an imbalance with one hormone will throw the rest off. You must balance hormones to balance sleep.
Melatonin
This is a very special hormone that tells your brain it’s time for sleep. And when this hormone is off, sleep gets really chaotic. Little things can be big uh-ohs for melatonin. Spend too much time in the evening looking at the bright lights of your computer screen? Your brain might confuse night for day and fail to release melatonin. Not getting enough vitamin B-6 (usually found in animal protein)? The brain will have a hard time even releasing melatonin. And you can kiss restful sleep goodbye.
Sugar
Everyone knows that caffeine is bad for sleep. But did you know that sugar can be just as problematic? Eating too much sugar or consuming it too late in the day can create chaos with your sleep pattern. And sugar is hidden in almost all of the prepared foods you eat. Finding and eliminating hidden sugar, especially the sugar consumed later in the day, can make the difference in achieving restful sleep.
Ok, now we’re ready for the challenge
We’re gonna take 7 days and devote them to building healthier sleep habits. But first: a confession.
It will probably take more than 7 days to see a dramatic improvement. You don’t lose three dress sizes the day you go on a diet, do you? It takes time. And so does building the foundation for blissful, restorative sleep. Each person is special. What you need in order to improve your sleep cycle isn’t what the next person needs. But building sleep-promoting habits is the best place to start.
The Rules Of The Restful Sleep Challenge
- Spend 10 minutes outside without sunglasses every morning (weather permitting.) Sunlight sends signals to your brain that it’s morning. Remember the hormone melatonin? Producing proper melatonin at night is influenced by proper daylight cues in the morning. So getting into the sunlight in the morning sets the stage for proper sleep signals at night.
- Take de-stressing breaks during the day. It isn’t enough to let go of stress before bed. The stress during the day puts your body in chaos, setting you up for nighttime insomnia. When you feel stress building up, STOP! Slowly take a deep breath (you should feel the area under your ribs expand if you’re doing it right) and repeat to yourself, “I am relaxed”. Slowly exhale. Repeat this as many times as needed until you feel calmer.
- Stop consuming sugar and caffeine at 2 p.m. Both of these will keep you wired through the midnight hours. Extra credit if you cut out refined carbohydrates like bread and pasta at that time too!
- Have a dinner that is high in protein, vegetables and healthy fat, but lower in carbohydrates. This is the ideal type of dinner for restful sleep. Finish dinner at least 3 hours before bedtime. The process of digestion can mess with your sleep.
- Create a bedtime ritual that tells your brain that it’s time for sleep. Start winding down at least an hour before you get into bed. Aaack! But you’ll miss your favorite TV show! Did I mention this was only a week? This helps balance our hormones and ready our brains for sleep.
What Is A Good Sleep-Promoting Bedtime Ritual?
Download your FREE Blissful Sleep Nighty Night Checklist here! A fantastic bedtime ritual to promote amazing Zzzzzzzs! Print it out, put it on your nightstand and get ready for luxurious sleep. This really works and its free!!
Moving Forward
This is the beginning of amazing, restful sleep. And the longer you do this, the more benefits you’ll achieve. What’s the next step? Here’s some examples of other ways to strengthen your sleep.
- Natural supplements for relieving stress and promoting sleep like kava kava, valerian and chamomile
- Essential oils
- Estrogen /progesterone balancing foods and supplements
- Digestion support
- Exercise
- Meditation
And so on. But the Restful Sleep Challenge creates the foundation for blissful sleep. And once you have the foundation, you can build upon it based on your individual needs. So what are you waiting for? First, grab your Blissful Zzzzs Nighty Night Checklist. Then take the challenge. You’re gonna go to sleep whether you do the challenge or not. Why not help rewind the clock to those nights of blissful restful sleep? It’s only 7 days. And in 7 days, you can set the foundation for amazing Zzzzzs for the rest of your life!
