Disclaimer: I’m going to be honest. I’m likely writing this post just for myself because I am in need of a major sleep overhaul. So sorry to be selfish, but I’ve been really sick and just know that rest is a major component missing from my life most recently to keep me well. I’m going to start simple and small, with the advice from this post, as I’m one to just put on any comfy clothes I can find and jump into bed. If you’ve been run down or skimping on sleep here and there, I hope you will take the following advice too.
About Your Pajamas
Time for a quiz. Which pajamas would Queen of Sleep, Arianna Huffington, recommend? Option 1: leggings and a t-shirt. Option 2: your gym clothes for the next morning. Option 3: the most cozy shorts and sweatshirt in your closet.
The Answer: None of the above.
Arianna Huffington, co-founder and editor in chief of The Huffington Post, is like the boss babe of all boss babes. She commands a presence and has such a way with words that when she tells us something, we all seem to listen. And her book The Sleep Revolution is casting a wide net of desperate listeners. Ms. Huffington herself is shouting it loud and clear that we are in the midst of a sleep deprivation crisis and boldly asserts that we are in need of a sleep revolution.
My ears are perked, because, well, I can attest.
In the past year, I could probably count on my fingers how many nights of “good” sleep I have gotten. Life is full. And sometimes I pack too many things in too few of hours and skimp on what my body needs by choice, while other times it’s just because I have to. When your kids need you, they need you.
In today’s fast-paced, always connected, and perpetually harried world, a good night’s sleep is more important—and elusive—than ever. (MBG) How then can you become a sleep evangelist when it seems your schedule won’t allow for it or when everywhere you turn sleep deprivation is glamorized or even celebrated?
About your pajamas… The answer to all of the options above: Take.them.all.off. Buy yourself actual pajamas. Special clothing dedicated to sleep – it will send a sleep-friendly message to your body at the end of each day. Creating this habit and environment will contribute to getting better sleep, starting tonight.
Buy a pair now and add another to your Christmas list. Make it a priority.
Are pajamas the end all of solutions? No, but this sleep deprivation crisis is profoundly affecting our lives in every aspect – health, job performance, relationships and our happiness, so every little change counts. By creating new, healthy sleep habits, you will signal rest to your body and in turn get greater reward. Yes, I have featured much of this already on this blog here and here. It’s such an important topic that we all need reminders from time to time. If you want to take steps toward the great sleep awakening, do it. Set yourself up for success: Read The Sleep Revolution and buy yourself a pair of pajamas + make a 2017 resolution to make it the best year of sleep you’ve ever had.
XO