Evolution of Love 2

Sleep is the real gold

For good health, slowing down ageing, fat-loss, clear skin - you name it.

Look at all the people around you who you think are ageing really well e.g. I love the way Akshay Kumar is ageing (or rather, not ageing!). They’ll usually be the ones treating their sleep-time as sacred.

We live in a culture where rest / slowing down is looked down upon, as something that you have to do when you’re unwell. This can’t be more far from the truth. A good sleep routine is the biggest investment you can make in your health. As important as nutritious food, mindful eating & exercising. Ask any new mom or doctors on long shifts - how much lack of sleep affects their functioning!

Why is good sleep so important?

😴 Sleep = recovery, rejuvenation, repair. Sleep is the time when the body recovers from wear & tear. Mental and physical.

😴 Good Sleep is the magic pathway to sustained fat loss & muscle-building. If your fitness results are not to your liking, then the answers may well be in your sleep-routine.

😴 More hours spent waking simply also means more time available to eat, and those snack commercials look super-appealing @ 11 pm. To get "sciency", lower hours of sleep stimulate hunger hormones (ghrelin) & suppress satiety hormones in the body (leptin).

Then, WHY the h@#* do we IGNORE our sleep quality so much?

🤯 Even though we might attribute less sleep to more work/tasks, research shows that it’s actually “voluntary bedtime delay” - meaning, spending that time watching TV, browsing social media or going out for late dinner / drinks - that’s keeping us away from our beds.
🤯 Most of us treat ourselves as modern-day warriors - juggling work, family, commute, stress in our crazy schedules. Sleeping for 7 hours just looks like a complete waste of time!

HOW to develop a good Sleep Routine?

🧘‍♀️ As far as possible, stick to the same bed-time & wake-up time. Aim to sleep for at least 7 hours.
📺 Avoid screens & gadgets at least 1 hour before bed.
🍲 Aim to finish your last meal 3 hours before bedtime.
🤫 Make your bedroom dark and quiet at night.
🎼 Play some relaxing music an hour before bedtime
🚿 Take a hot shower if that works better to relax your body.
🥺 Avoid caffeine (tea/coffee) etc 6 hrs before bedtime

SO, YES, even if you can't make time for exercise daily, make sure you make time for good sleep daily!