Catchin’ some Zzz’s

Sleep is one of my favorite things. Last night, I got 11 hours of it! But like many college students, I often find myself only getting a few hours of sleep due to late nights spent doing homework or cramming for a big test. We’re all told that sleep is important, but just how important is it?

Here’s a few facts about sleep deprivation to get us started:
Teens lacking appropriate amounts of sleep (7-8 hours per night) have an increased likelihood to use drugs.
Sleepiness takes an extreme toll on our abilities to effectively make decisions.
Drowsy driving looks very similar to drunk driving.
Sleep deficiency is linked to an increased risk of heart disease, kidney disease, and diabetes.

WOWZERS! Now that I’ve scared you, let’s talk about how we can avoid all that madness.

(But first, here is a sleepy kitty that some of you can probably relate to)

How can we sleep better at night? There’s a few different ways… maintaining a regular sleep schedule, getting anxiety and stress under control, and exercising and eating right can all help. I’m going to focus primarily on getting a grip on anxiety and stress. However, if you are interested in reading more about maintaining a regular sleep schedule or exercising and eating right, click the links!

Stress is necessary in life to get us out of bed and accomplishing things! But too much stress can be a bad thing. Try one of these different relaxation techniques at bed time to get it in check. These are some great starter videos:

• Progressive Muscle Relaxation
• Deep Breathing Meditation
• Peaceful Visualization

If these don’t seem to work for you, you can always use my favorite technique… listening to the most relaxing song ever (yes, there was actually a scientific study done to verify this!). Until next time… happy sleeping, friends!

Let’s Grub

I love food. LOVE. I eat lots. All the time. I can eat just about anything. But remember… with great hunger comes great responsibility.

When you have a big appetite, it very quickly becomes easy to snack on unhealthy treats. Kayla Itsines has a lot to say about what to and not to eat. A little bit about her: Kayla is an Australian personal trainer, and I love following her on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook (@Kayla_Itsines).

She posts all sorts of cool stuff, from daily struggles every girl like myself understands…

Who HASN’T thought this before???

To super encouraging posts to inspire and excite…

It kind of makes you want to be a better person, right?

She also sells her own workout and nutrition Guides. I’m working through her first workout guide, and I love it! It’s definitely something worth looking into if that appeals to you 🙂 This pretty much sums up what her company is all about:

When I was young, I always said: “I don’t know what I want to be. I just want to help people.” Fitness has become my passion, and I now get to help women around the world every single day. I hope to inspire you to be the best you can be.

Basically, Kayla knows her stuff when it comes to nutrition and physical fitness. She recently posted a recipe for Raw Energy Bars, and I decided to test it out. Let me tell you… you definitely want to give them a try. They’re a great source of protein and a nice snack to grab instead of junk food. Go ahead and test it out and enjoy a yummy, healthy treat! XX

Run, Forest, Run

Running. What a fun way to get outside and enjoy the beautiful world around us!
Now, there were probably two different reactions to that first sentence: 1) YES RUNNING IS WONDERFUL, or 2) ARE YOU INSANE

I can relate to both responses. In high school, I was the kid who cried during the timed mile, all the while thinking when will this pain end????  I came to college in the Fall of 2012. I decided to make a new name for myself and become a runner. I joined my university’s running club, and I signed up for a half marathon that would happen 3 months later. I called my mother to tell her my exciting news, and she laughed at me! (I don’t blame her; I wouldn’t have believed me either)

My newfound determination quickly turned to regret and exhaustion as training started. The first day of practice, my coach told us to run 2-5 miles at our own comfortable pace. Two miles?? Is she crazy?? I could barely walk here without losing my breath! 30 minutes and several achey muscles later, I finished my first 2 mile run. As I headed home, the sense of accomplishment I felt made me think this just might be worth it.

After 3 months of training, I ran my first race ever – a half marathon! I finished in 2 hours, at a pace of 9:00/mile. My dad and friends came to support me, and I have been hooked ever since. I share my personal story to say that everyone can be a runner. I never in a million years would have thought that I could do a 13.1 mile race. But I did! And I have now completed 3 of these races, and I have never once regretted my decision to run.

It is possible to run with a smile on your face, I promise 🙂

Running can be a great way to destress. It gives you time to think and reflect on your day and present circumstances. Running has been scientifically proven to have positive psychological benefits. However, at the end of a race, I channel my inner Forest Gump and happily say “I think I’ll go home now.”

Kindness

We’ve all heard about it. But from preschool spats about who gets to use this toy, to mothers-in-law sharing unsolicited advice about your life… we always seem to lack it.

What is so hard about being kind? Why do we find ourselves saying hateful things to one another instead of building each other up in love? I think War summed up all of these exasperated questions best when asking, “Why Can’t We Be Friends?”
(And now that song will be stuck in your head for the rest of your day. You’re welcome 🙂 )

All jokes aside, why CAN’T we be friends? Can you imagine a world filled with friends who take every opportunity to encourage and support one another?

Lauren Paul and Molly Thomson imagined this world. And they liked what they saw. These two women founded The Kind Campaign in 2009. This organization strives to combat “girl-against-girl” crime (a much more fitting name for bullying). Lauren and Molly have gone on three national tours to schools across America and talked about why girl-against-girl crime is so harmful. Schools and community organizations have “found kind” with these two women and have rallied together to fight bullying at a local level.

The Kind Campaign has spread all across America!

What a statement Lauren and Molly have made! I encourage you to check out their website and get involved – there are tons of opportunities to be kind with this organization. Seeing @KindCampaign on my Instagram newsfeed never ceases to brighten my day. I love seeing what this great group of girls is doing to create a more loving world.

Mother Teresa once said, “Three things in human life are important; the first is to be kind, the second is to be kind, and the third is to be kind.” Let’s make mother Teresa proud today. Find one positive and loving thing to say to a peer or coworker today. Tomorrow find two. The next day, three.

As we adopt an attitude of determination toward fostering a kind world, slowly we will see things change. Of course not every day will be cheery and bright. But let’s decide together to look past our daily troubles and share some contagious encouragement with one another, even when it isn’t the easiest thing to do. Who knows, you just might make someone smile!