Sleep Is The New Superpower…Take Your Ass To Bed!

When I met my crazy ex-boyfriend I had never smoked pot. He smoked all the time. As one of the many stupid moves I made during that relationship, I jumped on the band wagon and learned the fine art of smoking a dooby. For six months I was a mild pot head until the brain fuzz it caused became too much for me and I quit for good.

Photo via: hkvam

I mention this because lately I’ve been getting that brain fuzzy feeling again even though I haven’t smoked a joint in years. The cause of my brain fuzz? Lack of sleep. And it ain’t cute.

Turns out I’m not alone. 1 in 3 adults don’t get enough sleep.

People often brag about how little sleep they get but did you know one night without sleep leaves you performing like you are legally drunk with a blood alcohol content of 0.08. That really ain’t cute.

If you think being a superhero means you can get away with minimal sleep, I’m here to set the record straight.

SUPERHEROES! YOU NEED TO TAKE YOUR ASS TO BED!

Here’s why…

Lack of Sleep =

grumpy, hungry, headaches, memory loss, trouble concentrating, slowed healing, sore muscles and joints, bags under the eyes, weakened immune system, sluggishness, depression, blurry vision, dizziness, trouble speaking, fatigue, tremors…

…in other words sleep is not negotiable.

The Guinness World Records won’t even track the longest period someone goes without sleep because it’s considered too dangerous.

Tips For Great Shut Eye

Getting enough sleep is different for every superhero. In general, we need somewhere between seven and nine hours of sleep a night. If you need a little help getting the right amount of shut eye here’s a few things to try:

• Make bed time and wake time the same every day. The best time to sleep, based on our biological rhythm is 10pm – 6am.
• Get regular exercise, it helps relax your body. The earlier you exercise the better. Exercising later in the day can actually make it harder to fall asleep.
• Get some sunlight. This tells the body it’s day and preps the body to wind down when it gets dark.
• Naps are really good for you and help you function better. Just don’t take naps after 3pm, it will throw off your sleep pattern at night.
• Create a bed time ritual. Read an uplifting book, listen to soothing music, light some candles, take a warm bath, drink a warm cup of milk. The body recognizes these as sleep cues.
• Begin winding down a few hours before bed. Turn the tv off, don’t drink tea or coffee after 4pm and no alcohol before bed.
• Make your bedroom an oasis for sleep. No television. No computer. I don’t even have a phone in my bedroom. Keep the room as dark and quiet as possible and on the cool side temperature wise.
• Try P.I. to help you fall asleep. Paradoxical Intention is the practice of turning a problem on its head in order to conquer it. Here’s how it works with sleep: Lay in bed with your eyes closed and try as hard as you can to stay awake.
• If you work on your computer a lot try using the f.lux app. Computer screens are designed to look like the sun. The problem with this is when the day winds down, your computer continues to stimulate you when your body should be transitioning into rest mode. The f.lux app adjusts the color of your computer’s display adapting to the time of day it is, warm at night and like sunlight during the day.

For all the Super CHICKs out there, research has shown that women need more sleep. So take a cue from Arianna Huffington and sleep your way to the top.

I know telling you to get enough sleep isn’t ground breaking news but sometimes we need a reminder. Sleep is not a waste of time.

Get more sleep and you’ll be nicer, smarter, happier, sexier and just plain more awesome.

How are your sleep patterns? What do you do to help you get a good nights sleep.