Think back to the last time you felt tired – was your immediate reaction to interpret that signal as needing to consume more energy (aka caffeine, sugar, carbs) rather than as a need for rest? If you’re like most of us, the answer is yes.
The truth is, sleep has lost a lot of value in today’s hectic society and so we often forget that we need to rest. It’s become widely accepted to see sleepiness as a need for fuel instead of a need for rest.
As energy constantly bombards us in a variety of forms – light, sound, movement, and information – our bodies’ natural rhythms are often disrupted. We also often confuse rest with stimulating recreation. So our ability to achieve both the quantity and quality of sleep we need is often compromised and we are left feeling totally exhausted.
We may reach for stimulants during the day to keep us going but then depend on relaxants to help us wind down at night. This creates a vicious cycle that may lead us to gain weight, lose mental clarity, feel emotionally drained, and eventually diminish our general health. In contrast, getting proper sleep and rest leads to increased energy and vitality, a strengthened immune system, heightened focus and creativity, and an improved mood.
The good news is that we can take steps to improve our quality of sleep and give ourselves the deserved rest we need to properly function and feel our absolute best! Several factors contribute to how well we sleep, including what and when we eat and drink (nutrition), where we sleep (environment), and our energy output during the day (daily rhythms).
During our Six-Week Spark program, we will be helping our participants implement simple and effective strategies to help improve the quality and quantity of sleep in their life. We all deserve to feel energized and able to live our most powerful life! If you missed signing up for the current Spark challenge, there will be opportunities in the future to learn how to establish new habits. In the meantime, take a good look at your current sleep habits and explore ways you can improve your quality of sleep.
About Natasha
Natasha is originally from Nottingham in the UK. She moved to the US when she was 16 with her family and ended up staying for college. She moved to Indianapolis 5 years ago for a career move into Commercial Real Estate. Natasha had been practicing yoga on and off for a few years prior to moving to Indy. Once she moved to Indy, she found The Hot Room and immediately fell in love. Outside of THR, Natasha loves to travel and explore new places. In addition to her profession in commercial real estate, Natasha is a certified health coach through The Institute for Integrative Nutrition. She loves helping The Hot Room students access the best version of themselves and expanding what they believe is possible for their life and work. To learn more about Natasha, visit her page.