A little story about sleep…
Last night my daughter woke up about 3:30am.
This is a rarity as she is now 9 and has been sleeping through for many years now.
The problem being was that my normal, or not so normal, getting up time for work is 4:45am. Crazy I know, but true.
Now the problem was not the fact that she woke up, but the fact that from 3:30 through to 4:45am I just could not get back to sleep.
I was lying there listening out and waiting for her to wake up again.
You know what it is like.
The lack of sleep, the listening out for your little one. Making sure they are all ok.
And today I feel like crap.
I am grumpy.
I’m not good on not enough sleep.
And you?
This is just one night for me. It is not night after night after night.
So my plan for today?
Get everything else right.
My nutrition has to be spot on. Even though, all want is sugar. I know that I must avoid this.
The amount of water…more.
The amount of stress I put on my body…minimal.
The amount of exercise I do…modified.
If one part of your overall health and well-being is lacking then the other components must be good enough to compensate.
In my case and probably yours also, a lack of sleep can be really really hard. Sure the body will get used to it. A bit like you get used to walking bare feet on broken glass, but it doesn’t feel great!
However, if you make sure that everything else is not just good but great, then you have half a chance of getting through the day without pulling your hair out or screaming at someone.
So drink plenty of water.
Eat clean good food.
Avoid high sugar drinks.
Avoid too much caffeine. I’m one of these boring types that don’t drink coffee. No not for any health reasons, just never liked the taste…so no chance of that for me.
Avoid high sugar and processed foods. This will just make you feel worse. With any high sugar rush, there will always be the crash afterwards…not nice.
Exercise should be modified to be not too much that it will tire you out too much. A short amount at the right intensity will actually create more energy for you without leaving you knackered.
So on that note, I’m off to drink another glass of water.
I hope that you had a good nights sleep and if not you know what to do.
Good Luck,
Lyndon