Skyler Meine

Refresh, Recharge, Rejuvenate—With One Simple Change

Good sleep prepares you to meet the day’s challenges feeling positive, alert and confident. Yet not only is it critical to your health and happiness—it also plays a key role in achieving your IdealShape.

Most Americans need at least 7-8 hours of sleep a night. How many do we get? About 6.5, on average.

In truth, adding that extra hour of sleep wouldn’t put you out all that much. But missing an hour a day will. Sleep “debt” leaves you tired, grumpy, and less productive. When prolonged, it can lead to weight problems. When you’re sleep deprived, you have little energy for exercise, and your body won’t recover from exercise as quickly. It is during sleep that your body recovers from your work out, builds muscle and becomes stronger.

A Caffeine-Free Energy Boost

Some people view naps as a waste of time. Guess what? They aren’t. A brief rest can reinvigorate your body and clear your mind, preparing you to tackle the rest of the day—and get your exercise in!

Of course, to get the most out of your afternoon zzz’s, you need to follow these napping guidelines. It pays to nap at the right time, for the right length of time, and create a regular routine just like you do with your nighttime sleep schedule.

When you start to get sleepy mid-afternoon, don’t reach for a Rockstar, take a 15-20 minute rest instead. If you’re a little sleep-deprived, go longer (25-35 minutes). Trust me, you will feel recharged. But sleep longer than this and you may be sluggish for the rest of the day, or have a hard time falling asleep at your regular bedtime. So make sure you set an alarm.

When to Nap?

For most people, there’s a natural “napping time” in your sleep cycle. During this time, your body temperature drops just like it does at night, and you start to feel tired. See, the body is programmed to catch a little sleep in the middle of the day! Pay attention to your cue, and catch a short nap during that time (for most people, prime nap time is between 1-3 pm).

Important: naps aren’t an excuse to sleep less at night. If you have a choice between tacking extra sleep hours onto your nap or your nighttime sleep, do the latter.

Napping is a free, healthy way to work toward your IdealShape, and you don’t even have to fall asleep to benefit (but chances are, you will).

Not Just Any Sleep Will Do

Just as important as how much sleep you get is how well you sleep. You can spend 8 hours in bed without getting a wink of quality sleep! Often our minds are burdened with daily stresses, mental to-do lists, and bigger anxieties. You have to learn to turn off the mental chatter in order to get a good night’s sleep.

This is where your Mastering the Mind CD becomes invaluable.

Right now you should at least have CD 1 in the series (if you don’t, contact me). For the remainder of the 31 days, your before-bed ritual should be listening to this CD for 20 minutes. You will be amazed at its ability to clear your mind and relax your body. Hypnotherapy can prepare you not only to create your IdealShape, but also for a rich and rewarding night of rest.

Today’s Goal: Commit to a new sleep habit. Plan what time you will go to bed, what time you’ll get up, and what time you will begin your before-bed ritual each night. Plan to get 7-8 hours a night. On those days when you feel burned out, take a quick nap following the principles above.

Begin adhering to your new sleep schedule today. Write down how much you sleep, how well, and the results. After improving your sleep habits, how do you feel about your commitment to reshape your body and mind? How do you feel in general?

exercise, hypnotherapy, IdealShape, Mastering The Mind, naps, sleep, weight problems