If you are anything like me (and Lord have mercy if you are!), you are one active son of a gun.  You most likely do more in one day than the average person does in 3 days.  Knowing this, sleep may not always be your priority.  And if this is the case, you are really doing yourself a disservice.

Honestly, I can almost say with some level of certainty that the majority of us know that we should get a good amount of sleep every night and how truly important it is to our success.  And if you truly do not know and are sitting there still scratching your head as to what I am talking about, here are some quick facts for you:

*        You do not grow, lose weight or repair muscle tissue while you are awake—you do it when you sleep.

*        You eat more junk when you are tired—whether you want to or not—due to elevated cortisol levels.

*        You have better cognitive function after a full night’s rest.

*        Your workouts are better.  Your diet is better.  Your mood is better.  Must I go on?

Knowing all these things, I am not going to lecture you about the health benefits of sleep.  Instead, I am going to appeal to your sense of vanity and tell you what you are missing out on when you do not get a full 8 hours of sleep a night:

Ø  Tight abs

Ø  Tight butt

Ø  Bigger shoulders

Ø  Leaner physique

Ø  Better perf4mance

Then, I am going to proceed to yell at you to go to bed.  No need to beat around the bush!

I already know what you are going to say because I used to say it to so let me just beat you to the punch, “But Jodi, I don’t need that much sleep.  I function fine on 5 to 6 hours a night.  When I sleep more than that, I am actually tired.”  I knew you were going to say that!  However, it’s not true.  You really do need about 8 hours per night—if not more—if you truly want to Look Good Naked.  You can get away with 6 to 7 for a while, but true success comes from 7 to 9 hours every night consistently.  Having one random 8 hour night only increases your fatigue because you begin the process of healing (i.e. catching up on the lost sleep) and then cut it short before you truly finish the task.  You then believe because you are more tired that you slept “too much” and somehow you are now suffering for it.

I say this all the time but it bears repeating, if you go on vacation and you lose weight, you are not getting enough sleep.  If you take a week off from the gym and you lose weight, you are not getting enough sleep.  If you feel like Night of the Living Dead after a full weekend of sleeping, you are not getting enough sleep.   I am sure right now that you are reading saying to yourself, “Thanks Capt. Obvious, I know I am not getting enough sleep!  But…”

There are no “buts”.  I have spent the past 4 years of my life saying BUT.  There is no time like the present.  At this point you are a hamster in a wheel.  All I can hear is George Jetson yelling, “Jane, stop this crazy thing!”.  Remember when I spoke about ‘I want what I want’…here is a perfect case.  You will not achieve what you want to achieve without going to sleep so…

ü  Create a schedule that truly works and is realistic.  If you cannot make it happen right now, don’t write it down.  This isn’t the Make A Wish Foundation so be honest and forthcoming with your daily schedule.

ü  Set real boundaries that you will honor.  If you know you have to watch a certain show or go to a certain class and etc., don’t try to cut that out and think you will stick with it.  You won’t!

ü  Do not try to radically change your schedule.  Life is habitual.  Trust me, you won’t do it if it causes you mental stress just trying to remember all that you have changed.

ü  Cut the stimulants at night: caffeine, thought provoking shows, bill paying (oy vey)…  Start winding down at least an hour before you want to go to bed.  Invest in some fuzzy slippers.  Buy a Snuggie (I’m obsessed).  Put on some Jammies.  Get comfy and you will knock out.  Better yet, simulate your desk at work in your home somewhere and sit at it.  I give you 5 min. and you’ll be out! J

ü  Try audio books.  I know folks say reading puts them out.  Not me.  You want to knock me out?  Have me try to concentrate on listening to an audio book.  There is something about listening to someone blather on and on about a topic without being able to see them or read the words that just knock you right out.  It’s a shame!   

It took me a long time before I was truly honest with myself as to how important sleep was to my everyday bodily functions.  My brain power alone improved by leaps and bounds just by getting 8 hours of sleep every night.  This is not a lecture folks, this is a demand.  And this is not a fluffy, “How sleep can benefit you…” type of article.  This is me yelling at you with my finger pointing in your face saying, “Stop lifting more!  Stop doing more cardio!  Stop trying to cut your cals!  Stop looking for the next best supplement to increase your run time!  Your biggest hold up is your lack of sleep—not your program!  Go to bed and make a hot body, will ya?”