Ahh sleep. I love it so very much. Yet I do not seem to get enough of it! Drives me bananas! I know it is important for me and I am so damn good it…but often there are just not enough hours in the day to get the recommended 7-9 hours a day.

A few months ago, I was really focusing on getting more sleep and wow, what a difference that makes. Going from 5-6 hours to 7-8 hours a day is a gamechanger. Mind, body, mood, body fat percentage, food cravings, energy, relationships…everything was improved simply by going to sleep.

Then I saw this TED talk and it put it all together for me. Neuroscientist Jeff lliff explains how during sleep is when our brains clear waste. Only during sleep does this very crucial process occur. So while our skin, kidneys, liver, lymph and colon are getting rid of toxins for us all day long, your precious brain can only clear of waste and “detoxify” during sleep.

Is that not a gamechanger? No wonder my mind feels fuzzy when I don’t sleep enough! No wonder I am sluggish and do not have my mojo and am not feeling like best self?!? It is because there is waste in my brain that has not cleared. And imagine the buildup that could occur if you consistently do not sleep enough???

You all know my logic around “starving in the desert” – if your body thinks you are in trouble or stressed, it goes into survival mode as if you were starving and in trouble in the middle of the desert.In this state, your metabolism slows down, you cannot burn fat, your stress hormones elevate and your body is not working efficiently or effectively. Eating appropriately lets your body know you are not in the desert. Sleep is how you let your brain know it is safe, should rest and take the time to clean and detoxify.

Am I driving you nuts yet? Last week I asked you to be mindful, this week it is sleep more, I am always nagging you to eat right and exercise…how can you do it all??? It isn’t going to be perfect…but if we all slow down a bit and take care of ourselves better, I believe it will all come together far easier than expected.

Go sleep on that. Rest up buttercup!