Sleeping on the idea of imperfection with Helix Sleep

I was going to write this entire piece on why sleep is important but I’m pretty sure we all know how vital it is to get a good nights sleep and why its essential for our beautiful bodies and I’ll get to that. But first I’m going to share my day with you and how rough yesterday was for me. I’m still learning the ins and outs of this concept of letting go and allowing the little things to roll of my shoulders and not stress over them. Some hours I really feel like I’m excelling in this area and other days I’m failing with a capital F. I swear it changes throughout the day and I’ve learned to embrace it. 

Yesterday was a busy morning, I woke up later than usual because its summer and the fact that I don’t need to wake up at 5 am or 6 am to start my day because of my kids going to school has been amazing. EXTRA SLEEP! Sorta… As you guys may have read I’ve been getting terrible sleep so Helix Sleep was kind enough to send the entire family brand new mattresses to help reconnect with our REM. So yesterday we decided to run to IKEA to pick up some new bedroom furniture for miss little Olivia. IKEA can be a jungle sometimes but thankfully yesterday wasn’t so bad. We got all our things and Airis had a teenage girl moment at IKEA so we spent a good 20 minutes talking about feelings, issues, what caused it, and what she could’ve done to prevent it. More importantly to not speak to me in a disrespectful manner.

We left IKEA during rush hour traffic which doubled our travel time home. As soon as we got home we started to set up Olivia’s new bed frame and get our new mattresses all set up. Airis was first since all we were doing was setting up her new mattress. It was such a fun experience opening up the Helix box and seeing a Twin sized mattress shoved into a tiny box. Amazingly enough the set up was easy enough for her to do with very little help.

Next came Olivia’s which was short of a minor shit show. We began to set her bed frame up and realized we picked up the wrong slats for her bed. It was already 9PM, IKEA was closed. The kids hadn't eaten dinner yet and my anxiety was starting to stir up. We opened up her mattress, and as soon as we laid it on the floor I jumped right on top of it and about 20 minutes in I fell asleep. That just speaks to how comfortable this mattress really is. 

This morning I woke up this morning to Olivia reading me a list of birds. Sharing me with me her journaling and telling me how she's going to dress me to match her for the day. 

I thought I should share this with you because often times I think as women and mothers we’re so critical about our days. If they don’t go the way we planned it in our minds we begin to stir thoughts like lack of self worth which is definitely is not good for our overall health. Anxiety can begin to rise and all of a sudden you're stuck in this conversation with yourself that's leading you to no where but a negative mindset. Number one rule: DON'T BE SO HARD ON YOURSELF! Which of course is my note to self as well. 

Now on to the health benefits of sleep...

“Sleep is the most devalued component to our health. ”

Think about it. In our society we have a tendency to praise those who are always on the go and consider those who rest lazy. We say things like “Let them sleep while you grind.” or “I’ve got a dream worth more than my sleep.” Amongst all the other health benefits of sleep a few that aren’t discussed are how sleep can cause metabolic disruption. 

Some of these metabolic disruptions are: 

1. Impaired glucose tolerance

2. impaired insulin resistance

3. increased ghrelin aka the hunger hormone

4. decrease leptin aka the satiety hormone

5. increased body mass index (BMI)

The benefits of quality sleep include the following: 

1. increased energy to make beneficial lifestyle choices 
2. strengthen immune system
3. heightened alertness, focus, and creativity
4. improved mood by reducing anxiety, irritability, and mental exhaustion 

In our household we need a lot of sleep to function. We’re a busy family who’s constantly running around, utilizing our brains for creativity in different ways: photography, art, and writing. 

Here are some things you can do to get better sleep. 

1. Maintain a consistent daily schedule. 
2. Reduce your daily intake of coffee/caffeine
3. Get off any electronics two hours before bedtime 
4. Don’t go to bed on a full stomach
5. Don’t go to bed on an empty stomach
6. Exercise regularly 
7. Invest in an amazing bed that’s customized for you like the ones from Helix. 
8. Invest in comfortable bedding. 
9. Go to sleep and wake using your internal clock (meaning, don’t fight it when you’re tired)
10. Sleep in a dark room and diffuse ess

I’m partnering up with Helix to giveaway a free mattress of your choice. 

To Enter! Just head on over to my INSTAGRAM and head to my sponsored Helix post. Follow GOFITJO and Helix and tag a friend on the photo for one entry and for an additional share a photo that shows me what it means to #sleeplikeyourself.

Disclaimer: This contest is in no way sponsored, administered, or associated with Instagram, Inc. By entering, entrants confirm that they are 13+ years of age, release Instagram of responsibility, and agree to Instagram’s term of use.

I was gifted product by Helix in exchange for this post. However all these thoughts and opinions are my own!