Saturday Workout & SPoH: Day 13 - Sleep Aids

I was pleasantly surprised today that my body clock actually woke me up at 5:45am!  One of the ways that you know your body is getting enough sleep is that you wake up naturally, right?  I guess going to bed at a decent hour and then getting up at the same time everyday sure does help.  I am feeling quite refreshed today.  I also have been drinking more water with lemon.  It will definitely take some getting used to.  I still pucker just about everytime I take a sip.  Maybe I put too much in.

So today I did Denise Austin's 3-Week Boot Camp video again.  I liked the video a little more today.  I had my HR monitor on and my heart rate was consistently between 145-165.  If you are not sure where your heart rate should be, check out the International Fitness Association's Chart.  If you have a watch like I do, you may be able to adjust the settings to let you know when you are in a certain zone.  The nice thing about having the HR Monitor watch is that you don't have to take the time to figure out how many beats per minute your heart is going.  You can just take a glance at your watch and know if you need to push yourself harder or take it easy.

SPoH: Day 13 - Is it ok to take a sleeping aid?  Basically, medications should be avoided at all cost.  They can become addictive as well as mess up your bodies natural ability to sleep.  Colbert recommends that if you must have a sleeping aid, stick with the natural stuff, such as valerian, 5-HTP, Calcium and Magnesium (together), L-theanine, and Melatonin.  Be aware that some supplements may have an effect on prescribed medications, so please check with your doctor to make sure that it does not conflict with what you are already taking. 

Something that I like to drink before I go to bed on occasion is Sleepytime Tea by Celestial Seasonings.  It is a natural tea that contains no caffeine and Colbert says that it contains Valerian in it.  Just remember if you drink tea to be sure to drink it a couple of hours before going to bed that way you are not rudely awakened by your bladder in the middle of the night.  Maybe have a cup of tea with your little snack. :)