We have a lot of words for sleep—like slumber, shuteye, and snooze—but so many of them pertain to the sleep you do in the daytime when you don’t get enough at night! Here’s how to forgo the forty winks, catnaps, siestas, and even power naps. 

Why don’t we sleep well? Perhaps it’s our busy schedules—getting up at the crack of dawn to get ready for work, cooking dinner, lugging our children to this activity or that, finishing work on our own time, maybe doing something relaxing for ourselves (watching TV, catching up with Facebook, visiting with friends) until we pass out from exhaustion.

But sleep—in quantity and quality—is crucial. How much you need, most research concludes, really doesn’t vary much from person to person. We all have a biological clock called a circadian rhythm. Our brains respond to the changes from daylight to darkness by producing the hormone melatonin, which helps us feel sleepy. 

Here are some good rules for great sleep:

• Set a bedtime. Going to bed and waking up at the same time sets your internal clock and allows you to get sleepy on time each night and wake up rested each morning.
• Say no to naps. Napping can affect your ability to sleep at night. And if you’re getting enough at night, you won’t need a nap!
• Decrease nighttime stimulation. Your pineal gland is light sensitive. Turn off all glowing electric technologies thirty minutes before bed. Don’t disturb sleep with last-minute emails and more things to add to your plate in the morning.
• Avoid exercise within two hours of bedtime. Exercise in the day helps us sleep at night, but it’s too stimulating to our bodies close to bedtime.
• Resolve disagreements and schedules. Make your lists and settle your arguments before bed so that nothing disagreeable keeps you from sleeping well.

Ask me, your OPTAVIA Coach, about other ways to practice sound sleep habits while on the OPTAVIA Program!

Where’s your “happy place”? When we close our eyes and imagine a stress-free place, we often see ourselves in a tropical paradise, waves lapping the shore, sand between our toes, and sunshine on our shoulders. Sunscreen never plays a part in that daydream.

The sun emits energy in the form of rays, but only the UVA and UVB rays are significant for us in terms of health because of the damage they do to our skin cells and our skin’s DNA.

Here are some tips for selecting a sunscreen that’s right for you:

• Look for UVA and UVB or the words “broad spectrum” on the label. Concentrate on that, rather than getting something with a high SPF. “
• Choose an SPF of 15 minimum (for most people), 50 maximum (for those with fair skin, a family history of cancer, or a disease that increases sun sensitivity, like Lupus).
• Pick lotions, instead of sprays, to be sure you’re covering your whole body.

Of course, sunscreen isn’t the only type of protection. Here are a few commonsense tips for sun safety:

• Avoid peak radiation hours. The sun is strongest between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m.
• Protect your eyes. Choose sunglasses with total UV protection.
• Cover up. If you’re prone to burning, wear long sleeves and long pants.
• Wear a wide-brimmed hat. Hats not only protect your face and scalp from the sun; they also protect your eyes.
• See a dermatologist, and perform self-exams. If you’re in the sun regularly, or you didn’t practice safe sunning in the past, be sure to get annual checkups by a dermatologist, who will check places like your scalp.

Now you’re ready to go to your real-life happy place.

Ask me, your OPTAVIA Coach, about other ways to stay safe in the sun this summer!

Full Transformation

“I was always on the chubby side. I had a sweet tooth that wouldn't quit and when I moved out into my own apartment in my senior year of college, I knew how to bake, but not how to cook and I started a decade of slowly gaining weight.”

By 2013 Katie was 200 pounds and miserable. She had to go to physical therapy for her knees and back, and she had developed plantar fasciitis because of horrible digestion problems. Worse yet, she wasn't happy.

“I had turned sour and angry. This isn't a great combo for someone in middle school youth ministry.”

But, a friend started posting some amazing transformation stories on Facebook and Katie was intrigued. The Program her friend described was all-encompassing and that was what Katie needed - someone to cut through the myriad of "ways to get healthy" and just walk her down the path.

“I ended up losing 78 pounds* total, and just in time for my wedding. As I got lighter, my mood lightened and I started to connect relationally with others better than I had in years.”

It was a bit "too little, too late" for Katie’s full time job, however. Right after getting married she was unexpectedly let go, the day after she gave her husband permission to resign from his nightmare of a job.

“Fortunately, I had started Coaching and, I was making the same (or more) than I was as a Youth Director.”**

Over the next year, Katie’s income grew.** She was able to volunteer her time, her spiritual life flourished, and she made great friendships through becoming an OPTAVIA Coach.

“Now I'm (more or less) maintaining my weight, working on optimally healthy finances, and my emotional/mental health is greatly improved. I LIKE people again!”

As an OPTAVIA Coach, she has assisted people in amazing weight loss results. She’s posted cooking videos on Facebook, and now she’s excited to help other people find joy in Coaching.

“The next step for me is to rediscover my athletic side from high school!”