Why is sleep important anyway? There are a myriad of reasons why. Sleep is a necessary process for the body to restore itself. During sleep, the body is recharging, restoring and recovering from daily activity. The gut is relaxed, muscles are relaxed and hormones are stabilized. So what happens when you don’t sleep well? Sleep deprivation can cause problems ranging from mild to severe, from yawning to heart issues, and many in between. Recently there have been studies that have shown just how important it is to get enough sleep and what will occur in your body when you don’t get enough, even for one night! These sleep deprivation effects include type 2 diabetes, obesity, cardiovascular disease and autoimmune disease.
Sleep Deprivation:
Many people squeak by on 6 or less hours of sleep a night and think that is enough. However, 6 seems to be the magic number, when you cross the line from the ‘healthy range’, into the ‘deprivation range’. Sleeping less than 6 hours a night increases your risk of most ailments, including Type 2 Diabetes. This is due to a number of factors. When you sleep less than 6 hours, your level of glucose tolerance decreases, you can become insulin resistant and this can happen within just a few days of sleep deprivation.
This data regarding Type 2 Diabetes, glucose tolerance and insulin sensitivity has a great impact on obesity as well, as they all go hand in hand. The craziest thing I read recently from The Paleo Mom, is that in recent studies, it was shown that sleep is more impactful on insulin sensitivity and glucose metabolism than diet. Say WHAT?! Now, if that isn’t reason enough to get in all your zzz’s, I don’t know what to tell you.
Again, sleeping less than 6 hours increases your risk for cardiovascular diseases. Want some specifics? Less than 6 doubles your risk for a myocardial infraction, doubles your risk of stroke, increase risk of coronary heart disease by 48% and increases risk of congestive heart failure by 67%. Like Whoa. The Paleo Mom brought up a FANTASTIC point about cardiovascular disease over the past 30-50 years. We all know these diseases are on the rise. But society blames changes in foods for the increase in occurrences. Yes, trans-fat, processed foods and high fructose corn syrup are NOT GOOD for you. I get that. But look at what I wrote up above, in bold. It’s not just diet that controls our life. It’s not just one piece of the puzzle that controls the outcome of everything else. It all works together, either for or against us.
Finally, sleep deprivation definitely puts an individual at risk for autoimmune disease. Even just mild insomnia will increase risk of autoimmune disease by around 50%. Specifically, when dealing with sleep deprivation, the risk of rheumatoid arthritis goes up by 45%, Sjogrens syndrome by 51%, ankylosing spondylitis by 53% and systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) goes up by a whopping 81%. Those are pretty incredible statistics. One study discussed findings that stated when the sleep cycle is disrupted, there is an increase in T cells in the body. T cells are immune cells, and are implicated in many autoimmune disorders. When there are too many T cells, the immune system becomes overactive and starts causing problems, like autoimmune disease.
Sleep and Multiple Sclerosis:
It’s clear that not getting enough sleep can affect your life in a multitude of ways, and you probably didn’t have to read this article to know that either. But how else can sleep affect us, especially the MSers? I know from personal experience, as I bet you do too, that after a night of fitful sleep, I just feel worse. I experience my MS symptoms stronger and I have a lower tolerance for them as well. Research is showing just how important sleep is to individuals with MS. Researchers at the University of Wisconsin are discovering that during sleep a specific brain cell called oligodendrocyte precursor cells (OPCs) doubles during sleep versus during waking hours. These specific brain cells are responsible for the production and repair of myelin. I’d say that’s a pretty important thing for us!
‘Just get more sleep’ isn’t as easy as it sounds, however. Stress, spasticity, pain and depression can all impact quality and quantity of sleep. Finding ways to control the symptoms that disrupt our sleep is key in improving quality of sleep and therefore quality of life. Meditation, going to bed when tired and avoiding naps can all help you in your quest for better sleep. Have you found something that works for you? I’d love to know! Leave a note in the comments and tell me about it! I need all the help I can get!
I’ve also created something special for you! 5 Tips to Improve Sleep! It has 5 ways you can improve your sleep environment and get better quality sleep, just by doing a few things differently. They’ve certainly made a difference in my life, (especially number 4).
You can grab your copy here 😉
References:
http://www.thepaleomom.com/sleep-and-disease-risk-scarier-than- zombies
http://www.cleveland.com/healthfit/index.ssf/2013/09/researchers_find_possible_link.html
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I think 90% of my clients have talked about already feeling the shift to Fall and Winter hardddd.
They are worried about seasonal depression coming back with a vengeance, feeling sad summer is gone and so many other things.
I know when so many feel the same way, you might too.
I know I feel this way too.
I’m working with them to put habits in place NOW that will support them through the winter months.
Here are 2 small shifts we talked about this week:
1. Get sunlight into your eyeballs as soon as you can in the morning.☀️☀️
Ideally this is outside, there will be many science bro’s out there telling you that anything else “doesn’t count” but I say that’s BS.
Yes, the sunlight will have a greater impact if you’re viewing outside, but even if you’re behind a window it will do something.
2. Move your body!! 💃🏃♀️
The change in seasons to colder weather makes it super easy to hibernate and move wayyy less than we were in the summer.
I know I’ve been guilty of that this week and it’s showing in my sleep.
But moving our bodies can be so helpful for regulating so many things in our bodies.
Ideally you’re moving in the morning, but again- any time of day will do.
These are 2 small shifts that can make it easier for your body to transition to, and live with the Winter months.
Let’s crowdsource… what else helps you in winter??
I know there are many other things that can!!
I think 90% of my clients have talked about already feeling the shift to Fall and Winter hardddd.
They are worried about seasonal depression coming back with a vengeance, feeling sad summer is gone and so many other things.
I know when so many feel the same way, you might too.
I know I feel this way too.
I’m working with them to put habits in place NOW that will support them through the winter months.
Here are 2 small shifts we talked about this week:
1. Get sunlight into your eyeballs as soon as you can in the morning.☀️☀️
Ideally this is outside, there will be many science bro’s out there telling you that anything else “doesn’t count” but I say that’s BS.
Yes, the sunlight will have a greater impact if you’re viewing outside, but even if you’re behind a window it will do something.
2. Move your body!! 💃🏃♀️
The change in seasons to colder weather makes it super easy to hibernate and move wayyy less than we were in the summer.
I know I’ve been guilty of that this week and it’s showing in my sleep.
But moving our bodies can be so helpful for regulating so many things in our bodies.
Ideally you’re moving in the morning, but again- any time of day will do.
These are 2 small shifts that can make it easier for your body to transition to, and live with the Winter months.
Let’s crowdsource… what else helps you in winter??
I know there are many other things that can!!
All the tools that are inside Holistically Healing MS I’ve used myself to decrease my MS symptoms and significantly feel better in my body.
Over the next 8 weeks, let me be your guide on how to make this a reality for yourself.
We start tomorrow at 5:30pm eastern, you coming?
All the tools that are inside Holistically Healing MS I’ve used myself to decrease my MS symptoms and significantly feel better in my body.
Over the next 8 weeks, let me be your guide on how to make this a reality for yourself.
We start tomorrow at 5:30pm eastern, you coming?
I don’t want you to spend the years I did in pain, feeling numb and tingly, being exhausted- and having to do all the research.
Let me make it easier for you.
Comment HHMS below and I’ll send you details.
We start next week!!
I don’t want you to spend the years I did in pain, feeling numb and tingly, being exhausted- and having to do all the research.
Let me make it easier for you.
Comment HHMS below and I’ll send you details.
We start next week!!
I think I’ve said this in every group I’ve run and with every client I meet with.
(A gross oversimplification disclaimer)
But this:
people pleasing, being all or nothing, perfectionist (I could go on)
Is (part of) why we got MS.
These patterns we play out each day are the hardest thing to change- and they also keep us with high stress, high MS symptoms and feeling like crap in our bodies.
Changing these patterns takes awareness, focus and support- all of which you get in Holistically Healing MS.
•If you want the ability to say NO when you’d usually just say yes.. (stop overriding yourself)
•If you want to be ok with putting your needs first (cause I know you’re not lol)
•If you want to finally feel like you’re good enough and doing enough (cause you are)
Join us in HHMS. Along with lifestyle strategies, we go process the emotional burden all those patterns have- which helps to move through them.
Comment HHMS below and I’ll send you the link.
I think I’ve said this in every group I’ve run and with every client I meet with.
(A gross oversimplification disclaimer)
But this:
people pleasing, being all or nothing, perfectionist (I could go on)
Is (part of) why we got MS.
These patterns we play out each day are the hardest thing to change- and they also keep us with high stress, high MS symptoms and feeling like crap in our bodies.
Changing these patterns takes awareness, focus and support- all of which you get in Holistically Healing MS.
•If you want the ability to say NO when you’d usually just say yes.. (stop overriding yourself)
•If you want to be ok with putting your needs first (cause I know you’re not lol)
•If you want to finally feel like you’re good enough and doing enough (cause you are)
Join us in HHMS. Along with lifestyle strategies, we go process the emotional burden all those patterns have- which helps to move through them.
Comment HHMS below and I’ll send you the link.
Everything I say is without judgment, cause I used to do all of this too.
Only sticking with something new for a week, getting so excited for it helping, then changing it up cause “it didn’t work” by the end of the week.
But in reality I never gave it a chance.
This roller coaster has to stop!!
Join me in HHMS to hop off the coaster 🎢
Everything I say is without judgment, cause I used to do all of this too.
Only sticking with something new for a week, getting so excited for it helping, then changing it up cause “it didn’t work” by the end of the week.
But in reality I never gave it a chance.
This roller coaster has to stop!!
Join me in HHMS to hop off the coaster 🎢
At some point you have to start trusting the things you’re doing will help and stop jumping to a new thing each week.
Giving up gluten one week?
Then dairy the next?
Maybe jumping into an exercise class a week later?
At some point you gotta pick 1-3 things and stick with them long enough to give them time to make changes in your body!!
Not just a day or week either.
Yes change can happen fast, but usually not that fast. You need to stick with things for long enough to see if they’ll help.
Often you give up before it has a chance to shift anything.
If you’ve been bouncing from thing to thing, throwing random things at the wall and hoping they stick, hoping something will move the needle an inch so you feel even a little bit better..
My course Holistically Healing MS is for you.
This is the place to find what works for you, to decrease your MS symptoms.
Comment HHMS below and I’ll send you details.
At some point you have to start trusting the things you’re doing will help and stop jumping to a new thing each week.
Giving up gluten one week?
Then dairy the next?
Maybe jumping into an exercise class a week later?
At some point you gotta pick 1-3 things and stick with them long enough to give them time to make changes in your body!!
Not just a day or week either.
Yes change can happen fast, but usually not that fast. You need to stick with things for long enough to see if they’ll help.
Often you give up before it has a chance to shift anything.
If you’ve been bouncing from thing to thing, throwing random things at the wall and hoping they stick, hoping something will move the needle an inch so you feel even a little bit better..
My course Holistically Healing MS is for you.
This is the place to find what works for you, to decrease your MS symptoms.
Comment HHMS below and I’ll send you details.
Don’t get me wrong, there are def days where I feel like a MS trash pile, but those days don’t outnumber my good days anymore.
This is what is possible for you, I know it.
Because I’ve been there too:
- feeling exhausted, in pain, brain foggy and all tingly
- feeling like I was stuck like this forever
- feeling completely out of control and lost
But now:
- my daily symptoms aren’t really daily anymore
- I know that sometimes I won’t feel great or even might have a relapse- but I know I have tools to care for myself so it’s not my forever
- feeling trust in myself and the future
It took me years to get here.
And I’ve put what I learned in those years into Holistically Healing MS.
This is an 8 week course to start your MS healing journey.
Join me and get your life back.
Comment HHMS below and I’ll send you a link to learn more
Don’t get me wrong, there are def days where I feel like a MS trash pile, but those days don’t outnumber my good days anymore.
This is what is possible for you, I know it.
Because I’ve been there too:
- feeling exhausted, in pain, brain foggy and all tingly
- feeling like I was stuck like this forever
- feeling completely out of control and lost
But now:
- my daily symptoms aren’t really daily anymore
- I know that sometimes I won’t feel great or even might have a relapse- but I know I have tools to care for myself so it’s not my forever
- feeling trust in myself and the future
It took me years to get here.
And I’ve put what I learned in those years into Holistically Healing MS.
This is an 8 week course to start your MS healing journey.
Join me and get your life back.
Comment HHMS below and I’ll send you a link to learn more
At one point I wanted:
•To be able to comfortably go on a walk again with my boyfriend (now husband)
•To not feel like an anxious mess every time I thought about the future (and potential disability)
• To not have waves of pain coursing throughout my body
I don’t want those things anymore,
because I have them all.
No, I’m not totally cured of feeling anxious about the future, and I still have days (like today tbh) where I feel like a load of 💩
The difference is:
I can manage all the symptoms
and anxiety
and feeling like 💩
better and differently than I did before, using all the tools I have accumulated over the 15(!!) years I’ve lived with MS as a patient and practitioner.
And these are the tools I share with my clients.
And the tools I share with you inside my Holistically Healing MS course.
This course is an 8 week journey into supporting your MS body so that it can begin to heal.
I know you have the same dreams as I did,
I know because you’ve told me we’ve talked about them 🤩
I want you to have those things too.
Holistically Healing MS waitlist is closing tomorrow, comment HEALING and I’ll add you to the list.
At one point I wanted:
•To be able to comfortably go on a walk again with my boyfriend (now husband)
•To not feel like an anxious mess every time I thought about the future (and potential disability)
• To not have waves of pain coursing throughout my body
I don’t want those things anymore,
because I have them all.
No, I’m not totally cured of feeling anxious about the future, and I still have days (like today tbh) where I feel like a load of 💩
The difference is:
I can manage all the symptoms
and anxiety
and feeling like 💩
better and differently than I did before, using all the tools I have accumulated over the 15(!!) years I’ve lived with MS as a patient and practitioner.
And these are the tools I share with my clients.
And the tools I share with you inside my Holistically Healing MS course.
This course is an 8 week journey into supporting your MS body so that it can begin to heal.
I know you have the same dreams as I did,
I know because you’ve told me we’ve talked about them 🤩
I want you to have those things too.
Holistically Healing MS waitlist is closing tomorrow, comment HEALING and I’ll add you to the list.
I was talking to a client this week and she talked about how mad she was that she has a chronic illness.
How frustrated she was that she has to “manage this dumb disease” and “has to pay attention to everything she does”.
She also went onto say that she really wants to do all the helpful things, but just can’t get out of these stuck and frustrated feelings.
I get it- I definitely remember feeling similar feelings years ago. And I’m sure you’ve been here as well and might still be there at times.
I wanted to share the reframe that really helped her:
I told her, instead of focusing on “managing your disease”,
what if you thought about how you can set your future self up for feeling better/success/health.
Take the disease totally out of it.
What is 1 thing you can do to help your future self today?
She paused for a moment and I could almost see the light bulb go off in real time (one of my fav moments lol).
She said: that feels so much better and more doable.
If you’ve also been struggling with frustrated feelings about “managing your disease” these are the types of conversations we’ll have in Holistically Healing MS.
Yes I’ll be sharing about diet strategies, movement to help symptoms and stress management techniques, but we’ll also dive deeper into your feelings about it all.
Over the many years I’ve been working with clients, I’ve discovered that these thoughts, feelings and beliefs you have about yourself and your health are the biggest thing to stand in your way.
And when you have support to work through these feelings, you’re able to feel so much better faster.
Only those on the HHMS waitlist will get the presale price, and the opportunity to join the waitlist is dwindling (waitlist gets access next weekend!).
Comment WAITLIST below and I’ll add you to the list!!
I was talking to a client this week and she talked about how mad she was that she has a chronic illness.
How frustrated she was that she has to “manage this dumb disease” and “has to pay attention to everything she does”.
She also went onto say that she really wants to do all the helpful things, but just can’t get out of these stuck and frustrated feelings.
I get it- I definitely remember feeling similar feelings years ago. And I’m sure you’ve been here as well and might still be there at times.
I wanted to share the reframe that really helped her:
I told her, instead of focusing on “managing your disease”,
what if you thought about how you can set your future self up for feeling better/success/health.
Take the disease totally out of it.
What is 1 thing you can do to help your future self today?
She paused for a moment and I could almost see the light bulb go off in real time (one of my fav moments lol).
She said: that feels so much better and more doable.
If you’ve also been struggling with frustrated feelings about “managing your disease” these are the types of conversations we’ll have in Holistically Healing MS.
Yes I’ll be sharing about diet strategies, movement to help symptoms and stress management techniques, but we’ll also dive deeper into your feelings about it all.
Over the many years I’ve been working with clients, I’ve discovered that these thoughts, feelings and beliefs you have about yourself and your health are the biggest thing to stand in your way.
And when you have support to work through these feelings, you’re able to feel so much better faster.
Only those on the HHMS waitlist will get the presale price, and the opportunity to join the waitlist is dwindling (waitlist gets access next weekend!).
Comment WAITLIST below and I’ll add you to the list!!
I’d love to support you over the 8 weeks together!!
Imagine how good you could feel by Thanksgiving.
Comment HEALING to join the waitlist
I’d love to support you over the 8 weeks together!!
Imagine how good you could feel by Thanksgiving.
Comment HEALING to join the waitlist
My reality has changed a whole bunch over the years.
I started out with only a few symptoms. But I could get through the day.
Until all of a sudden I couldn’t.
All within a few years I went from “fine” to:
Having horrible symptoms, had 3 relapses and found myself with “aggressive MS”
This was not ok with me.
Eventually, I took my life into my own hands and rethought how I did most things.
I realized I had to make some changes, or else idk what else was gonna happen to me.
So I did.
I changed my diet.
I changed how I worked out.
I changed my job in the name of stress management.
This is just the tip of the iceberg.
If you want this transformation for you too (I know it’s possible) I’m launching my signature course: Holistically Healing MS in a few weeks.
This is the course you need to get started on this path for yourself.
Only the waitlist is gonna get the pre sale price…
Comment WAITLIST below and I’ll add you to it!!
My reality has changed a whole bunch over the years.
I started out with only a few symptoms. But I could get through the day.
Until all of a sudden I couldn’t.
All within a few years I went from “fine” to:
Having horrible symptoms, had 3 relapses and found myself with “aggressive MS”
This was not ok with me.
Eventually, I took my life into my own hands and rethought how I did most things.
I realized I had to make some changes, or else idk what else was gonna happen to me.
So I did.
I changed my diet.
I changed how I worked out.
I changed my job in the name of stress management.
This is just the tip of the iceberg.
If you want this transformation for you too (I know it’s possible) I’m launching my signature course: Holistically Healing MS in a few weeks.
This is the course you need to get started on this path for yourself.
Only the waitlist is gonna get the pre sale price…
Comment WAITLIST below and I’ll add you to it!!
This is the reality I lived, I want you to experience it too.
No, this is not a quick fix.
No, these results wont happen overnight.
No, this won’t cure you.
BUT-
Yes, you can have your life back.
Yes, you can feel better than you do right now.
Yes, your current reality doesn’t have to be a forever reality.
My success years ago was all thanks to the diet changes and the work I put in to know exactly how to eat to support MY body and MS at the same time.
Yes it took a few months, but what it gave me back was my life- and that’s priceless.
I’m spilling all the beans on what this process looks like and how to do it in my upcoming Masterclass:
5 Secrets To Creating Your Own MS Diet.
Comment CLASS below and I’ll send you the link to sign up!!
This is the reality I lived, I want you to experience it too.
No, this is not a quick fix.
No, these results wont happen overnight.
No, this won’t cure you.
BUT-
Yes, you can have your life back.
Yes, you can feel better than you do right now.
Yes, your current reality doesn’t have to be a forever reality.
My success years ago was all thanks to the diet changes and the work I put in to know exactly how to eat to support MY body and MS at the same time.
Yes it took a few months, but what it gave me back was my life- and that’s priceless.
I’m spilling all the beans on what this process looks like and how to do it in my upcoming Masterclass:
5 Secrets To Creating Your Own MS Diet.
Comment CLASS below and I’ll send you the link to sign up!!
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