Hi! Kicking off the weekend with the first of many sleep tips to come, some healthy lady love, a dash of wisdom and some shameless self-promotion.

 

A section where I will give a nod to the badass ladies out there doing inspiring things on their quest for better health, and where better to start than with the godmother of fitness herself, Elaine LaLanne? "I don’t want to be old when I’m old," she said.  And at 97, she's still working out every day.  In case you missed it, drop and give her five for #inspo.

  

ALL THE BEST WORDS
“Time isn't precious…the Now is.  The more you are focused on past and future, the more you miss the Now.” - Eckhart Tolle

 

A good night's sleep is my white whale, and when I say I have tried everything, I do not exaggerate.  Luckily there's more research now than ever before, providing resources that actually work, so sleep tips will feature prominently here.  If you're among the fortunate few who sleep restfully every night, congratulations and count your blessings.  For those still counting sheep, read on.

 

From time to time I'll reference the wisdom of the range of experts I've interviewed, collaborated with, and followed in my quest for rest, to give you the best guidance I can offer, and as often as possible, these are low- and no-cost recommendations.  Sleep is a right, not a privilege. And sadly, from mood disorders to certain cancer risks, poor sleep hygiene does long-term harm in ways we never understood until recently. 

 

So….

Sunlight has such a profound impact on our circadian rhythms that with deliberate exposure to it, we can set ourselves up for better sleep starting like, ASAP.  Within 30-60 minutes of waking, getting 5-10 minutes of sunlight in your eyes prepares you for sleep later that night by increasing early-day cortisol release. This means direct sunlight (no windows, no specs or sunnies) into your eyeballs. Even on a cloudy day, you can reap the positive effects by staying out there for 15-20 minutes.  

 

Bonus: that morning cortisol spike will also keep your metabolism in check and help you focus during the day.  So grab the dog, coffee, kid, etc., and get out there–I wanna see the light, in your eyes. Pause for '80s GIF. 

 

I’m launching a new podcast!  The trailer episode is available now, and I’m kicking off with a great interview next Thursday.  I’ll be releasing weekly interviews along with some extra little tidbits so please subscribe and let me know what you think!
 

Be well, and also have fun.

 

xo,

Erica

 

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