Low blue light blocking galsses If you wake up and still feel tired, this is for you…
In my last article, I explained some of my tips for a speedy recovery from hip surgery, which can also be applied to recovery from a difficult workout. And I’m happy to report that ten weeks after surgery, I’m off my crutches and am back to swimming and cycling (no hills). I ran on an AlterG treadmill last week (thank you FORMA and Dr. Carvalho) and am on target to start running a regular treadmill after the July 4th holiday. The range of motion in my hip is incredible and I hardly have any scar tissue buildup from the incisions (thank you bone broth!). Now the training for the Malibu Tri begins. We’ve got 2 months baby!
In my recovery tips, which again are applicable to daily life as well for overall wellness, I mentioned that I would write a follow-up article to specifically focus on the importance of quality sleep. So let’s jump right in!
If you know me, you know how demanding my schedule is. I get home from work around 7:30 or 9 pm most nights. I have an hour to prepare my meals and pack for the next day, which begins at 4:30 am. With this kind of schedule getting relaxed and to bed quickly is key. But what would life be if I couldn’t sit and watch a little TV with loved ones before bed?! I mean we have to be realistic, right?
So a few nights a week, especially when I get home closer to 7 pm, I allow myself some TV time (read: ‘So You Think You Can Dance’ is starting soon!). As you can see from the not-so-attractive picture here, I wear the dorkiest low blue light blocking glasses one could ever find. And here’s why. When we expose our eyes to the low levels of illuminance in the blue or white fluorescent spectrum of artificial lights, it disrupts melatonin secretion, the so-called sleep hormone. So if you find that you are having a difficult time falling asleep at night, it could be that you’re not giving your body enough time to produce melatonin. Or you ate too much, which I sometimes do!
If you’re time crunched liked me, these glasses allow me to watch TV and walk around the house to make my food and pack for the next day, while still allowing my body to produce melatonin so I can fall asleep quickly.
In addition to my dorky glasses, I also use an Earthing mat while I sleep. Before I explain what it is, let me explain why it’s important. You know that feeling you get when you take your shoes off and walk in the sand or grass? It feels pretty cool, right? Well, that’s basically all that Earthing is. It’s allowing our body to “recharge” from the Earth’s natural energy (something we used to do when we farmed and/or lived off nature – in today’s modern world, we rarely have opportunity to touch Earth with our bare skin). Radiant Life recently wrote about this:
Earthing is the landmark discovery that the ground’s energy upholds the electrical stability of our bodies and serves as a foundation for vitality and health. Modern lifestyles with cars, buildings and rubber shoes however, have limited our direct contact with Earth’s surface, making us more vulnerable to stress and disease. Growing scientific research proves that in this age of rampant chronic illness, reconnecting with the Earth’s energy provides a way back to better health.
This earthing phenomenon is not a simply a pleasant theoretical concept, but is rather based on scientific fact supported by substantial research, laboratory testing and basic physics. Studies have revealed that our Mother Earth emits a constant flow of direct current that it continually stores from the sun’s energy. This current flows in the form of electrons from the earth and moves relatively fast throughout the body, having wide-ranging natural anti-inflammatory effects. We were meant to have this electrical balance in our bodies, and we can all (along with our furry friends) benefit from tapping into this energy force by simply touching the Earth’s surface.
Pretty cool, right? Seeing as how we expose ourselves to pretty toxic stuff throughout the day – I like to give my body its best fighting chance to undo all the damage I did to it during the day. So when I plug in my iPhone to charge at night when I go to bed – I plug myself in too. I have an Earthing mat that I place at the end of my bed, so I expose the bare skin of my calves to it every night while I’m sleeping. Personally, I have to say that I wake up more refreshed (I have a bad case of adrenal fatigue right now from chronic stress: the usual work stress, hip surgery, moving, a very sick mother). Given all the stress I’m under – I remarkably feel very rested when I wake up in the morning, so I’m a believer!
If you have chronic illness or you’re an endurance athlete, I would highly recommend some high-quality earthing time and make sure you are able to get the usual eight hours of sleep per night to give your body enough time to recover/heal.
In my last article, I explained some of my tips for a speedy recovery from hip surgery, which can also be applied to recovery from a difficult workout. And I’m happy to report that ten weeks after surgery, I’m off my crutches and am back to swimming and cycling (no hills). I ran on an AlterG treadmill last week (thank you FORMA and Dr. Carvalho) and am on target to start running a regular treadmill after the July 4th holiday. The range of motion in my hip is incredible and I hardly have any scar tissue buildup from the incisions (thank you bone broth!). Now the training for the Malibu Tri begins. We’ve got 2 months baby!
In my recovery tips, which again are applicable to daily life as well for overall wellness, I mentioned that I would write a follow-up article to specifically focus on the importance of quality sleep. So let’s jump right in!
If you know me, you know how demanding my schedule is. I get home from work around 7:30 or 9 pm most nights. I have an hour to prepare my meals and pack for the next day, which begins at 4:30 am. With this kind of schedule getting relaxed and to bed quickly is key. But what would life be if I couldn’t sit and watch a little TV with loved ones before bed?! I mean we have to be realistic, right?
So a few nights a week, especially when I get home closer to 7 pm, I allow myself some TV time (read: ‘So You Think You Can Dance’ is starting soon!). As you can see from the not-so-attractive picture here, I wear the dorkiest low blue light blocking glasses one could ever find. And here’s why. When we expose our eyes to the low levels of illuminance in the blue or white fluorescent spectrum of artificial lights, it disrupts melatonin secretion, the so-called sleep hormone. So if you find that you are having a difficult time falling asleep at night, it could be that you’re not giving your body enough time to produce melatonin. Or you ate too much, which I sometimes do!
If you’re time crunched liked me, these glasses allow me to watch TV and walk around the house to make my food and pack for the next day, while still allowing my body to produce melatonin so I can fall asleep quickly.
In addition to my dorky glasses, I also use an Earthing mat while I sleep. Before I explain what it is, let me explain why it’s important. You know that feeling you get when you take your shoes off and walk in the sand or grass? It feels pretty cool, right? Well, that’s basically all that Earthing is. It’s allowing our body to “recharge” from the Earth’s natural energy (something we used to do when we farmed and/or lived off nature – in today’s modern world, we rarely have opportunity to touch Earth with our bare skin). Radiant Life recently wrote about this:
Earthing is the landmark discovery that the ground’s energy upholds the electrical stability of our bodies and serves as a foundation for vitality and health. Modern lifestyles with cars, buildings and rubber shoes however, have limited our direct contact with Earth’s surface, making us more vulnerable to stress and disease. Growing scientific research proves that in this age of rampant chronic illness, reconnecting with the Earth’s energy provides a way back to better health.
This earthing phenomenon is not a simply a pleasant theoretical concept, but is rather based on scientific fact supported by substantial research, laboratory testing and basic physics. Studies have revealed that our Mother Earth emits a constant flow of direct current that it continually stores from the sun’s energy. This current flows in the form of electrons from the earth and moves relatively fast throughout the body, having wide-ranging natural anti-inflammatory effects. We were meant to have this electrical balance in our bodies, and we can all (along with our furry friends) benefit from tapping into this energy force by simply touching the Earth’s surface.
Pretty cool, right? Seeing as how we expose ourselves to pretty toxic stuff throughout the day – I like to give my body its best fighting chance to undo all the damage I did to it during the day. So when I plug in my iPhone to charge at night when I go to bed – I plug myself in too. I have an Earthing mat that I place at the end of my bed, so I expose the bare skin of my calves to it every night while I’m sleeping. Personally, I have to say that I wake up more refreshed (I have a bad case of adrenal fatigue right now from chronic stress: the usual work stress, hip surgery, moving, a very sick mother). Given all the stress I’m under – I remarkably feel very rested when I wake up in the morning, so I’m a believer!
If you have chronic illness or you’re an endurance athlete, I would highly recommend some high-quality earthing time and make sure you are able to get the usual eight hours of sleep per night to give your body enough time to recover/heal.
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