sleep is #1 Archives - My Inner Shakti

How many times do you head to bed physically exhausted but mentally wide awake? If you’re like me, it probably happens more often than you’d like to admit. And when it does, it’s not a fun feeling. Tossing and turning and willing yourself to just. fall. asleep. Like most people, I prefer the “head hits pillow, eyes close, sleep ensues” kind of routine.

What if I told you that going from wide awake to sound asleep is only a few deep breaths away? You probably wouldn’t believe me at first, but after trying my breathing technique, it’d become a part of your bedtime routine. Trust me!

True story – I was in bed the other night playing on my iPhone (I know, I know…), when I happened to look at my alarm clock. It was closing in on 11 pm (waaaay past my bed time). I put my phone away, closed my eyes, and waited for deep sleep to hit. Annnnd…nothing. The worst part? Vishnu was passed out. And that’s when I started breathing deeply in the following way…

Breathe in deeply through your nose to a mental count of four (and by deeply I mean a belly breath).
Pause for a count of two.
Release the breath through your mouth to a mental count of four.
Pause for a count of two.
Repeat for as long as needed and eventually you will be sleeping like a baby!

I swear I was asleep in a matter of minutes. Works every time!

The next time your body is ready to sleep but your mind isn’t, give this technique a try. And be patient. Sleep will come, I promise!

Are you an instant sleeper or does it take you a while to fall asleep?

The past few weeks were full of great things – knowledge, travel, friends, family, fun…and food. Oh, the food. There were drinks, appetizers, entrees, desserts – the whole enchilada! To say that I ate a lot would be an understatement. While everything was delicious, the food was super rich and decadent. As someone who usually eats out once a week, it was a lot to take and the aftereffect was not pretty. Some words that come to mind are tired and sluggish.

But I don’t believe in regrets, especially when it comes to good food.

Instead, as of this past Sunday, I am on a “get back on track” plan. This is not a diet or a short-term fix, and in all honesty, food is only ¼ of the puzzle. A few critical elements were missing over the past few weeks, and I ~~want~~ need to incorporate them back into my routine.

#1 on my list is SLEEP! I am definitely one of those people that needs her 7-8 hours of uninterrupted sleep. I have no idea how I managed with an average of 5 hours of sleep a night (if that) while traveling. And even when I was back in Miami last week, I didn’t sleep all that well because I was sick.

The game plan is to be in bed by 10 pm and wake up at 5:30 am. It’s doable and more than necessary! Personally, when I don’t get enough sleep, my body lets me know in a big way. Namely, I’m cranky and no fun to be around. Ask Vishnu!

#2 on my list is to go back to the basics in terms of my meals. I still plan to eat out once a week (because who wants to be in the kitchen every single day), but as far as our home cooked meals are concerned, there will be lots of veggies and veggie proteins involved.

I also want to cut out unnecessary sugar where possible (dark chocolate not included). This is a must because as you guys know, I have a little tiny sweet tooth (ha!), and while I could say no to a glass of wine or a cheesy appetizer, I could not say no to dessert. There were chocolate cakes, donuts, cookies, shakes, hot chocolates, crumbles, and the list goes on. I am in dire need of a sugar detox. And just to reiterate, I am not going on a diet or cutting out sugar entirely. I just want to be more mindful of how much of it I consume.

#3 on my list is exercise. So, I did manage to fit in 3-4 structured workouts/week over the past two weeks. And we did dance quite a lot in Vegas. Therefore, I am not giving myself a big fat F in this category. However, in order to feel ready for the Tough Mudder (ahhh!!!), I have to be more intentional with my workouts – lots of running and lots of strength training.

And finally, #4 is reading before bed. I find that reading before bedtime is one of the few things that enables a good night’s rest for me. And reading is my ultimate “me time” activity. You should see me when I’m engrossed in a good book! It literally pains me to put it down. Since this is one of those things that’s good for my mind, body, and soul, I plan to do more of it!

So, yeah. This is how I plan to get back on track. I also have some thoughts for how to stay on track while travelling, but I’ll save that post for another time. I should probably get back on track before I talk about how to stay on track. Ha!

What are some things that would definitely be on your “get back on track” plan?