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it’s a lot easier to cultivate healthy eating habits  than it is to cultivate healthy sleeping habits and i’m pretty sure they’re counteracting each other

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Getting Fit in 2012: 5 Reasons to Go to Bed an Hour Earlier

healthylivingforyou:

  1. It improves your memory. Your brain makes sense of all that you did and learned throughout the day while you’re sleeping.
  2. It helps regulate your weight. Sleep deprivation causes poor regulation of the hormones that control your appetite. Sleep is also the ever…

(via fitforinfinity)

muffintop-less: My Tips for Sleeping Well! Try not to take naps - this will ensure you will be tired at bedtime. Create a rythm - go to sleep and wake up at the same time everyday (even on weekends) so that your body falls into a regular pattern. (Google “circadian rythm”)  Have sleep rituals - do specific things before bed every night that you associate with bedtime like reading a book or magazine, drinking warm tea or listen to relaxing music Avoid caffeine - caffeine from sodas, coffee and some teas will stimulate your brain and keep you from falling asleep Keep it quiet - don’t have the tv on or other loud noises (unless the subtle sounds are currently helping) as they can keep you from peaceful sleep Shut off technology - bright LED lights mess with your circadian rythm (specifically blue light from things like cell phones and computers) 
fortheloveoffit: why we need more sleep (i’m talking to you! as in, myself.  as in, i’m exhausted)   You’ll eat more. 300 calories more, to be precise. A recent study found that sleep-deprived subjects, when allowed to eat whatever they wanted, ate more than when they had a full-night’s sleep, even though they stuck to their normal eating schedule. You may not live as long. Researchers may have found the secret to long life — a study found that women who slept fewer than five hours a night were less likely to live as long as those who got more. You’ll weigh more. Logically, if you are regularly consuming more calories every day it stands to reason you may weigh more, but the weight gain is not only caused by what you consume. Not enough sleep also causes stress on the body, which triggers it to slow metabolism and store fat. It shrinks your brain. Researchers found that chronic insomniacs had smaller, less-dense brains, which affected crucial parts of their neurological systems like decision-making. It raises your blood pressure. A study found that adults who missed an hour of sleep each night for five years ended up increasing their risk for hypertension by almost 40 percent. It increases your risk of getting sick. Not enough shut-eye has been proven to leave people susceptible to cold viruses. It can worsen your memory. Ever feel like you can’t remember your to-dos after a night of tossing and turning? Those REM waves we experience at the beginning of a sleep cycle can boost memory and creativity, so if you’ve underslept the night before, try a quick power nap to recoup some of your memory skills. You’ll skip your workouts. Lack of sleep means lack of energy, which probably means lack of gym time. In fact, research has shown that sleep deprivation is a key reason why people stay inactive. It makes you cranky. Or, as researchers say, more “primitive.” Without sleep we revert back to a more primal version of ourselves, meaning we can’t appropriately cope with emotions or respond maturely to situations. You’re not on your game. On top of all these consequences, not enough sleep just makes us feel, well, blah. We’ve all found ourselves reacting less quickly after a sleepless night, not to mention foggy-headed, so if you need to catch more z’s, check out some of oureating and exercise tips to help you sleep soundly.
smileandlivestrong: hmm i need this.