Where every Tuesday: I confess

*This is the thirteenth confession sent to my email subscribers. If you’d like the most current confessions sent straight to your inbox in real time, head to my homepage, sign up, and download your free gift.*

Confession: I was in complete DENIAL about this for 10 years.

I completely believed that I felt good and I could survive on 5-6 hours of sleep per night. Wrong. So. Wrong.

Then I told everyone (including myself) the excuse that it was all because of my work schedule “Well, I get up at 5:15am, I can’t sleep in more.” 

Or….”I just can’t go to bed any earlier – I’ve tried – but I can’t.” 

And then the kicker – “It doesn’t affect my health.” 

Since I’ve left my full time job, I have a new schedule, I have a new level of stress, a renewed sense of purpose, and two hours of extra sleep per night.

This is what has happened with my health since I’ve been sleeping more.

• I feel more rested (DUH!)
• I feel calm when I wake up
• I enjoy my cup of coffee instead of slamming it down while I’m in the car on the way to work
• My stomach is less bloated/smaller
• My body feels far more recovered from all the training I am doing for my big mudder event later this year
• I have more energy and enthusiasm for my work
• I am far more grateful for everything in my life

And so many, many more.

But it took me a decade and a change in circumstance to see these benefits. And I want to share a couple nuggets with you.

• I was listening to a podcast (obviously – I listen to so many!!) and it was a business/entrepreneur podcast. The host was talking about when she worked a job that drained her, she would stay up so late every night watching tv or reading a book and fighting herself to go to bed. Because she felt like her job kind of robbed her of “her” time and the time between getting off of work and going to sleep was “her” time. This really clicked for me. I think part of my reason for staying up so late was wanting “my” time because I was exhausted from my job and spending so many hours that weren’t as fulfilling. Now I can easily fall into bed by 9:30 and sleep until 7.
• Another quote I love is “Everything is figure-mutable” – Marie Forleo. Getting more sleep can be possible but it will likely take some figuring out. Do you need to change your schedule? Do you need help from your significant other or someone in your life to help you make this possible?

Think about it – is sleep affecting your health? Honestly – is it? Can you change it?

This is such a wide reaching topic so I have a few resources for you. Below is an outstanding infographic about what happens to the body without sleep. Also this link is to my pinterest page with a board dedicated just to sleep. Check it out! https://www.pinterest.com/lheiserman0351/sleep/

lindsey