You’ve been here a while, so I’m sure you’re not under the illusion that there are magic pills or shortcuts to health and fitness. You know that if your jeans get too tight it’s a simple equation of burning more calories than you’re consuming until they fit right again. You know that drinking water hydrates your skin better than expensive creams. You know that a glass of wine is good for your heart, but a bottle of wine is bad for your liver.
Do you know how much havoc lack of sleep will wreak on your health and immune system?
Human Body Troubleshooting
If your body came with a manual you’d be able to flip to the troubleshooting guide at the back, and easily figure out what’s causing your malfunctions. Two common issues that cause a host of symptoms are lack of sleep and dehydration.
I’ve recently come face to face with the fact that my daily routines, and in some cases, lack of them, are stopping me from being the best I can be. I finally took myself to the doctor to complain of the most recent flu that took me down, and he dropped a truth bomb on me. In his expert opinion I’ve succumbed to 4 or 5 viruses back to back since early November, without a break in between – because I don’t get enough sleep. (And yeah, I’m writing this blog post after midnight.)
Near the end of December, when I thought that I would surely be feeling better by January, I signed up to join Dai Manuel’s New Year Best You 28 Day Challenge. The idea is to spend 15 mins moving everyday, 5 mins meditating, and 10 mins on personal development. It’s all guided, and free, so it wasn’t too tough to commit to adding these 30 minutes to my daily routine. Fast forward to 3 days into the program, and I’m back in bed with a flu virus kicking my butt.
I’ve suffered from insomnia for years, and I’ve tried a lot of techniques to combat the problem, but to be honest, I’ve never made dealing with it a priority. That changes this year. Check out my infographic of ways sleep deprivation can mess with you.
As a single parent, I often feel pulled in all directions and tend to put my needs on the back burner. I know I need to be leading by example, and this isn’t a great example to be setting. Here’s a great video from Cityline on establishing a daily routine with your kids.
#DrinkBetterLiveBetter
While I haven’t been successful in staying active throughout flu season, one commitment I have been able to keep is to stay hydrated. I installed an app on my phone to track my water intake and I’m happy to report that my headaches have diminished dramatically!
The best way to avoid dehydration is to drink before you get thirsty. If you’re already thirsty, you’re already dehydrated.
Check out this super cute video on the Today’s Parent web page about routine and healthy living for families.
I trust Nestlé Pure Life Natural Spring Water to be part of my family’s daily routine. Visit madewithnestle.ca/pure-life for fast facts and healthy hydration tips and share your own wellness stories with #DrinkBetterLiveBetter.
This post is sponsored by
madewithnestle.ca/pure-life,
but the opinions are my own.
Sleep really is so important!!