Believe it or not, May is Zombie Awareness Month. Did you know that? I certainly didn’t – but I’ve decided to have some fun with it. So, for the next few weeks, I’m going to be sharing some tips that will stop you wandering around like a zombie! Rather predictably, this week is about what I like to call, ‘sleep with a seven’.
Sleep Guidelines
National Sleep Foundation guidelines recommend between seven and nine hours of sleep per night for healthy adults. There are many ways that tiredness can have a negative impact on both our physical and mental health. For example, you may feel less alert, sleepy during the day, or unable to remember or process information. Your mood might also shift, putting a strain on your relationships. Finally, you are more likely to become isolated as you participate in less activities or exercise.
Sleep With A Seven
I like to get a minimum of seven, ideally eight hours a night. In fact, it is one of my non-negotiables: my sleep has to start with a seven. What that means is, if I get seven hours and one minute, that’s great; seven hours 59 minutes, even better! But the rule is, it has got to start with a seven. If it doesn’t, which happens from time to time, I’ll go to bed 15 or 30 minutes earlier the following day to catch up. And to prepare my mind and body for sleep, I use the sleep staircase. This is a set of metaphorical steps to engage the parasympathetic nervous system, get the mind quieter, and the body to start that process of relaxation.
Dead Tired
If you’re currently getting significantly less than seven hours, you can find some helpful resources HERE, or by going to the website, www.bodyshotperformance.com, and typing “sleep” into the search bar in the menu at the top right-hand corner. So, sleep with a seven: my first top tip for avoiding walking around like a zombie!
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