4 CLEAR Suggestions for Better Sleep

My friends and family all seem to have similar complaints lately- feeling tired and run down. My next question is always: "How are you sleeping?"
 

It seems that this is a pretty widespread phenomenon. Many of the people I've been talking to about this have experienced bouts of insomnia. This fall's time change has inspired me to make some changes to my bedtime rituals.
 

Here are some CLEAR Suggestions for battling those sleepless nights:
 

1. Never go to bed after eating.

If you need a late night snack, keep it simple and light. Try chamomile tea with lemon and honey. Delicious, tames your sweet tooth and calms the body, preparing it for a good night's rest.

2. Let go of stress and anxiety before going to bed.

Stress is the natural enemy of sleep. If you feel anxious before you go to bed, you will not sleep well. Simple stretches and deep breathing techniques are a great way to release stress and calm the mind- getting you ready for a blissful slumber.

3. Don't fall asleep on the couch watching TV.

If you notice yourself dozing, get up, brush your teeth and go to bed. If you suddenly feel awake after you get up, it's because you dozed off while being stimulated. Go back to steps 1 and 2 and you will go to bed feeling calm and prepared to rest.

4. Get to bed around 10p.m.

If you are going to bed at or later than 11p.m., try going to bed an hour earlier and waking up an hour earlier. We are hardwired to wake up around 5/6a.m. with the sun. If you are getting 6 to 8 hours of sleep but aren't going to bed by 10p.m., you won't feel as rested. When we force ourselves onto a later schedule, the body is fighting its natural biorhythms.

Give these suggestions a try and see if you wake up feeling more rested and alert. If what you are doing is NOT working, it might be time to change your habits!

A Hard Re-Boot

I'm beginning this entry at around 8:30am on a Tuesday morning. I'm drinking hot water with lemon, something you'd probably never have seen even a month ago. I made this committment to my well-being, and I told Annie that I'd do what it takes, following her advice to a leaner, healthier, happier me.

Right now, I'm embarking on a 6-week re-boot of my system. In the past few months, I have been eating really poorly. Tons of processed food, fast food, all of the other evil that you can imagine consuming- I've been gobbling it down greedily and my body has paid the price.

Not only did I gain weight, I've been sluggish and my digestive system has clearly not been balanced. In other words, I felt like absolute crap. This affected me mentally as well, I was feeling pretty low, and completely unlike myself.

I'm the kind of person who rides momentum like a pro surfer. I will take that wave as far as it will let me go. The problem is, you can't just generate waves. Something has to stir up those waves before it becomes a good day to surf.

I rode the wave of laziness and neglect right to my couch- and I needed a kickstart. Now I am going to re-direct my energy towards a positive change. Annie gave me a nutrition plan to follow- no added sugar, no processed foods, etc. for the next 6 weeks. I am on a 2-drink maximum- NO BEER.

I think I can, I think I can...

Clear-ing Things Up

Now that all of these pesky introductions are out of the way, we can talk about what Clear really is and why it works.

Clear is a wellness studio that embodies a healthy approach to better living:

Clear Your Mind

True happiness lies within us. When we suspend judgment and observe our emotional response with impartial attention we begin the journey toward self-awareness. Meditation, movement, breathing, are all techniques we use to help in the search for clarity.

 

Clear Your Body

The body plays an integral role when one when one is seeking overall well-being. We must strengthen the body daily to build stronger muscles and combat daily stressors. Stretching and moving will increase flexibility, improve digestion, release toxins and restore the body. A strong body leads to healthier posture, improved balance, and increased energy.

Clear your Skin

Environmental and oxidative stress produces free radicals that damage skin cells. Tzone skin care cosmeceutical provides an at-home antioxidant skin repair system to neutralize free radicals and eliminate their ability to damage skin cells. T4 Daily Defense utilizes a balance of hydrators, antioxidants, anti-inflammatory agents, collagen builders, peptides, and sun protection. Tzone can help you fight wrinkles, reduce breakouts and exfoliate the skin for maximum anti-aging benefits and healthier skin. With regular use of Tzone/T4 products, your skin will be better equipped to combat stress caused by sun exposure, pollution and irritants.

Clear Beginnings

So, I suppose we should introduce ourselves.

Writing regularly in this blog: Annie Bolling, Owner and Founder of Clear and Jennifer Day, Online Community Manager for Clear.

And I guess you're probably wondering...What is Clear? Why should I care? I'll hand this over to Annie to explain.

I opened Clear in September of 2011 after running an art gallery selling contemporary and often conceptual art. Well, maybe not selling--exhibiting contemporary and conceptual art. Apparently, it's not easy to sell a chandelier with 36 lbs of raw bacon and fondant roses.

Kris Ebeling- Bacon Chandelier 2010

My two passions have always been art and wellness. I received my Pilates certification, and began training clients privately as a side project.

My clients told me that what they really loved about working with me was the small group setting. Working with my clients in this environment allowed me to use my 13 years of Yoga experience to notice the things that they really needed to work on, including posture and proper alignment.

I had the training, I had the motivation, I had the space...a few renovations later, Clear was born. 

And that's where I (Jen) come in. Annie clearly needed help with the Social Media and Marketing for Clear, and I agreed to lend my expertise. I also agreed that I could use some help in Annie's areas of expertise- so I'm becoming the Clear Experiment.  That's where our blog name comes from. The day I met Annie, she told me "If you'll commit to it, I'll change your life."

My response? "I'm in."