There are FOUR basic parts of a person’s life that need to be nourished in order to have a healthy well-balanced lifestyle. I like to compare them to legs of a table. All of them are equally important, and if one is wildly out of whack, it affects the other three whether you like it or not. The problem in our society is that HUGE attention is paid to improving three of the four ‘legs’, but hardly a peep is ever discussed about the equally important fourth ‘leg.’
- Diet – You are what you eat. Literally. We all know that eating healthy, drinking lots of water, and avoiding junk food and sugar is a sure fire way to look great and feel great.
- Exercise – A body in motion tends to stay in motion. Working out and consistent exercise not only improves your immune system, but also improves brain function!
- Emotional health – Whether you want to call it emotional health or spiritual wellbeing, having a positive attitude along with healthy relationships is important to all of us.
- Sleep – Sleep is the one thing that all of us HAVE to have. The quality of your sleep affects everything about you. From your immune system, to how quickly you age, to your IQ.
When you look at the list above it’s clear that 1-3 is top of mind for most of us. We are always looking for the latest diet, the newest exercise trend, or the newest self help book or yoga class to sign up for. What most of us neglect however is the importance of sleep and how improving your sleep hygiene can actually be the fastest and easiest way to improve your quality of life.
Think about it. Diet, exercise, emotional health, and sleep are all interconnected. It’s hard to stick to a diet when your tired. It’s hard to want to get up and go to the gym when you’re sleepy, and it’s definitely hard to find the energy to read a book, or socialize with friends and family when all you want to do is take a nap.
They say you’re only as good as your last nights sleep. But in reality you’re only as good as your last few weeks of sleep. Our bodies heal when we sleep. It’s the only time in our day when we stop to recharge our immune system and our brain function.
So if you are getting close to your next new years resolution to get in shape, or go on a diet, or start reading two books a month, keep in mind that the best way to accomplish whatever goals you have is when you’re well ‘ReST’ed. At ReST we like to say “Race – ReST – Repeat”. You can apply that same philosophy to whatever you set your mind to!
Exercise – ReST – Repeat
Diet – ReST – Repeat
Love – ReST – Repeat
Live – ReST – Repeat
There are no quick ways to make dramatic improvements in your life, but the best way to get started is by starting with improving your sleep hygiene. So get a great nights sleep tonight, and strive to be the best version of you in the morning.
