Sleep

The Paleo diet is not just a diet it is a lifestyle. When following this lifestyle not only are food choices important but so are daily choices such as exercise and sleep. Most diets and healthy living require these things. Maybe these facts seem more important to me because I truly believe in this way of life. The facts behind it make sense to me. It just clicks with me to think for many many years our ancestors ate a certain way and lived a certain way and their health was much better than ours. Yes the average life span was short but life was also extremely perilous, I mean running from predators all the time probably sucked. It has only been in recent human history that we have started to consume grains. It has also been very recently that we have modifying our crops for better growing success. All of these changes have changed our health and many people are suffering from many different diseases.

This blog entry was not going to be about trying to persuade someone or making a stance it was supposed to be about sleep. Sleep is a very important thing and when you don't get enough it can spiral a day out of control. No your day might not be doom and chaos but when we lack sleep many of us turn to caffeinated beverages and supplements to help keep us awake. Although coffee in its black state is not all that bad for us in moderation it is all too easy to drive down the road and get some beverage that may have started out as coffee but is now loaded with cream and sugar or other sweeteners. In fact this morning I am guilt of that although I made my coffee here at home. Last night I decided to stay up later than I should knowing that I have a wonderful son who would wake up bright and early to start his day. So when I did finally decide after midnight to go to sleep I was then stalled by Laura who was having a crisis at work. After talking to her and getting her calmed it was now 1:30am and I was exhausted. Yet, I was not able to instantly fall asleep. So I laid there and this morning I am paying for it.

During the summer I followed the Paleo lifestyle strictly for two weeks and I felt great. I was refreshed and had less stomach problems and just generally felt good. Did I lose any weight? No. But did I feel good? Yes. To me that is more important than weight lose, which I know will come in time. I know that when I begin to follow the lifestyle fully again life will feel better. I will feel better. The stresses will be gone and I won't feel as sad. Sleep contributes to a lot of things in your life and not getting the 8 hours at least a night can screw up a lot. Although changing what I eat is no easy task making myself get the proper sleep and going to bed at a good hour is even more of a challenge, but I am working on it. I have a family who counts on me.

Until later
- Christina