SLEEP

Not getting sleep is frustrating and down right painful. In fact, history shows that it used to be a way to torture prisoners in the 15th century. Now, it’s the norm for most Americans. If you are struggling to fall asleep easily or to stay asleep, you are not alone. An estimated 164 million Americans also struggle. 

While reasons for this restlessness can vary — anywhere from physical aches and pains, to stress and/or hormones — it is an overall and general dis-ease in the body that keeps you from getting the shut eye that you need. And how much is that you ask? The average person struggles to function on less than 7 hours. 

New research shows that anyone who wrestles with sleep between the hours of 10P-5A more than 50 times a year, is equivalent to a shift worker. And shift workers are struggling with health, depression, and addiction, at alarming rates. Sleep deprivation is being shown to increase our risk of cancer, heart attack and Alzheimer’s, among just a few. It also goes hand and hand with our diet and weight. 

Dimming the lights, cutting out the late night snacks and eating in period windows, using meditation and essential oils, are all excellent ways to establish a circadian rhythm.