That's Fit

Life is too short not to be fully "turned on." The Daily Turn On! energizes all aspects of "you." Every Monday The Daily Turn On! with That's Fit Life Fit expert Laura Lewis will provide you with ideas and tips to awaken your mind, your body and your life as you journey through each day of the week! Check in each Monday to get your tip for Turning On every day of your life.

There is no doubt our economy is experiencing some form of a recession. While I am certainly not an economist, just about everyone I know is experiencing some form of a financial squeeze. With 62,000 Americans losing their job in June alone, and the cost of price ever increasing, chances are you may be feeling a little stressed out too. Stress management is one of the most important aspects of living a healthy and fit life. There are many things we can't control -- the economy, war, politics and all the domino effects they have on our lives. But there are things we can control such as our responses to external stimuli and how much we sleep. When life gets stressful, making sure to catch plenty of ZZZs becomes increasingly important.

Benefits of Sleep

1. Sleeping at least eight solid hours can reduce blood pressure and the elevated levels of stress hormones caused by external factors. Stress increases the body's natural rate of aging and degeneration of organs, cells and other body parts. Sleep helps to reverse these effects and encourages a state of relaxation.
2. Our bodies shift into repair mode while we sleep generating extra protein molecules that mend the body at a cellular level. Stress, pollutants, infection, sun exposure and other forms of cellular damage is repaired during our REM sleep.
   
3. Our cardiovascular system takes a "beating" when life gets stressful. Sleep helps to reduce the levels of stress and inflammation in the body. Inflammation in the cardio system can lead to heart disease. Sleep allows the cardiovascular system time to heal itself while also keeping blood pressure and cholesterol levels lower.
4. Sleep also assists in regulating the hormones that affect and control our appetite. When we do not get enough sleep, our normal hormone balances are interrupted and our appetite increases. Our bodies begin to crave high-calorie foods in order to maintain sufficient energy. Sleeping well is one of the first steps towards eating well.
   

When life gets stressful, remember to take extra care of your mind, your body, and your spirit. Sometimes the best thing we can do is to simply close our eyes!