Some interesting stuff affects our ability to sleep. According to Dr. Dautovich from the National Sleep Foundation, our sleep chronotype can genetically set us up for how we sleep. Your chronotype (circadian typology) refers to your natural levels of alertness over a 24-hour period. That is part to explain why someone wakes up at sunrise while others stay more alert at night. Dr Flynn-Evans, a sleep and circadian researcher, states all the evidence found recently suggest that your specific chronotype is a genetic, heritable trait.

I know out of 5 of us siblings in my family, 3 of us don't sleep well. My father was not a good sleeper but my mother could fall asleep and stay asleep no problem...both were Larks though.

1) Morning Lark: Early birds rise at 5-6 am without an alarm and are ready for bed by 9-10 pm.

Hummingbird: Most people are hummingbirds - they have variations in morningness and eveningness. They tend to have energy later morning and early afternoon vs the morning lark "morning person".

Night Owl: Typically this type is still awake at midnight and struggles to wake at 7 or 8 am.

Young adults tend to be night owls more so than older adults. Hence, some of us work better on day shift, pm shift, or night shift. Expose yourself to sunrise / morning light if you need to shift yourself to a morning lark schedule and sit in low light in the evening. Melatonin supps earlier in evening for night owls and light boxes in am may help a night owl shift if needed.

2) Eating late and high carb diets (after 7 pm) can contribute to difficulty sleeping. Alcohol intake is a culprit too. Watch caffeine after 12 pm as studies show caffeine after noon can affect sleep. Eat your smallest and lowest carb meal at dinner time. Drink water throughout the day. Caffeine tends to spike cortisol then you may get a crash effect. So stop your midday caffeine habit and allow your body good nutrition and movement throughout the day.

3) Taking a 20 minute rest or cat nap shouldn't upset the apple cart. But more than that can cause difficulty falling asleep, staying asleep or early awakening.

4) Blue light is what comes from all our LED screens - TVs, computers, and phones. Constant exposure alters the pineal gland's (tiny gland in brain) ability to produce melatonin which triggers our sleep hormone processes. Try wearing blu blocker computer glasses when working, communicating, or gaming. UV light also comes from these sources and can hurt the eyes and skin.

5) Doing dishes, cleaning, laundering, or running your home-based business or remote work up until bed time keeps your "to do list" going when your body should be settling in. Cortisol continues to spike from your adrenal glands and it may be difficult getting to sleep and or staying asleep.

6) Worry and stress also contribute to the adrenal glands surging cortisol. If we can't find time to practice self care and turn off our adrenaline system, we may chronically not sleep well.

I am so excited to bring back our online exercise schedule. I also have SUPER ENJOYED my private yoga crew group that requested my services this summer and we continue to meet. Wellness is so important to me and I love sharing with others. Thank you all who have joined me!

Starting September 27th, I will be having Chair Yoga on Tuesday evenings at 6:15 and September 29th, I will be offering a NEW chair fitness class on Thursday mornings at 8 am. We will see how this new schedule goes. Please feel free to provide me your availability and type of class you are looking for.

For those of you that enjoyed my HIIT classes (truthfully MIIT - moderate intensity interval training), I plan on resurrecting those at the Union Grove Municipal Building (UGMB) on the 2nd and 4th Saturday mornings of the month at 9 am (off holiday weekends). I am waiting on confirmation from the village, so watch your emails and the schedule. (These classes are separate from my online and package options - 12.00 per session paid in person at the village).

Please share this email/blog with anyone you think would be interested. I would love to see you all online and in class.

Wellness programs will continue throughout the year. Watch for information and check out offerings on my website. Anyone can request a wellness evaluation - zoom call individually set up via appointment request.

I offer 5 and 10 class packages that give you a discount on price of sessions. There are no expiration dates so you just use these credits as you register for classes until they run out. (HIIT sessions at UGMB excluded).

As always, I appreciate you and am here to help you on your journey to health.

Hope to see you soon,

Janet