what greets me in the wee hours of the morn <3
We’ve previously established I sleep like a toddler.
I’ve bravely asserted I’m not sleep deprived!! and can easily continue my wonky ways for a few more
I’m up at 4 each morning and sound asleep by 10.
When asked (I am repeatedly) and I share my sleep-pattern the most common response is:
Wait, but you’re not up around 4 am on weekends–right?
I rise at the same time each morning no matter what my days holds.
It was the late 90’s and I’d recently opened my training studio.
I was *stressed* yet already a believer in the power of harnessing stress and making it work for–not against–us.
Stress for Success was good not great, yet one notion stuck with me.
Our daily rituals — eating, sleeping, working, exercising — enhance our ability to respond to stress.
More specifically, the book addressed waking at the same time daily is a helpful tool for keeping stress at bay.
Those words resonated with me.
The time we wake-up serves as an anchor to our day (not to mention our circadian rhythm demands consistency).
16 years later I *still* wake at the same time no matter my day’s schedule.
Given the number of my sleep-hours, however, I’ve wondered about studies which show not enough sleep results in too much adipose tissue.
Which is precisely why these statistics in Women’s Health Magazine caught my attention:
Stress for Success may now be dated, but apparently my consistent wake time may contribute to my staying lean—even when the sleep isn’t as prolific as I’d like.
Quality + consistency = two sleep-stuffs I rock.
The thing is (I know–there’s always a “thing.”) the more I considered it the more I questioned the statistics:
- Do our bodies thrive on sleep routines OR are routinized individuals more “disciplined” and is that what keeps ’em lean?!
(Alas, this is not a rhetorical query. I’m still pondering and await your thoughts.)