The Importance of Getting Enough Sleep - more from Julie on Thrive Global

Sleep Crown Founder Julie Westervelt was recently published on Thrive Global, a wellness platform on a mission to end the stress and burnout epidemic.

Warning! Not getting enough sleep makes you grumpy.

We all understand the multitude of health risks associated with not getting enough sleep… heart disease, obesity, diabetes, can put us at risk for some cancers and mental health issues. Scary stuff!

However, these all fall into the ‘some day may lead to’ category. On a more relatable and visceral/practical level, think about the last time that you didn’t get enough sleep.

How was the next day for you? Were you grumpy? Did every task seem hard? Did it make you act selfishly? Were you weakened to the power of your vices? Probably. Me too.

The fact is that not only does sleep help optimize the systems of our bodies, it is also where we develop resilience and a higher sense of optimism; sharpen mental clarity. Together, these lead to greater coping skills and move us away from reactivity and toward creativity.

It is possible to level up your sleep game through intention, awareness, habit and some natural sleep solutions.

I have this weird little sleep secret: I have always slept with a pillow OVER my head! As it turns out, a lot of people are sleeping with something on their heads. We’re in this strange little club. The desire to withdraw from your senses when sleeping is obvious. This sleep trick seals out any environmental disruptions to your sleep… light, sound. The bonus benefit is the gentle compression that the weight of a pillow provides. Our bodies crave compression. It’s why a massage feels so good.

I study and teach yoga. It is through my study of the principles of yoga and my own personal sleeping habit that I developed the perfect pillow specifically for this purpose; Sleep Crown. And while I definitely think everyone should sleep with a pillow over their heads, my customers report that they enjoy their Crowns in a variety of ways… over the head, behind the neck, over the chest or simply snuggling it. It is the lazy person’s natural sleep aid. Nothing to ingest, schedule or remember. Just put it in your bed, flop it over your head and go to sleep. Night Night.

Sleep is not a luxury. It is one of our basic human necessities. We can’t thrive without it. So let’s create the best conditions. And sleep better.

To read the original article, click the link below!

— Published on June 13, 2018 via Thrive Global