All you need is SLEEP.

Feeling pretty average about life? Wanting to make some drastic changes or post something super honest on Facebook so that people know how you really feel? Sleep on it.

Yep- as simple as it sounds, a good night’s sleep will do you a WOLRD of good and chances are, things won’t look quite as bad in the morning.

When we say a good night’s sleep, we mean a minimum 8 hours.

We know, you feel pretty stoked when you make it through on 4 hours sleep, but your body wasn’t actually made to live on that little rest. It can survive for a little while, but there are a bunch of studies that we won’t bore you with, that go into detail on the long term damage of not getting at least 8 hours a night. 

Check out our top 5 reasons for giving your body the shut eye it deserves!

1

You'll be in a great mood

Studies show that nearly two thirds of people blame lack of sleep when they feel cranky. When you don’t get enough sleep, your ability to process, change, solve problems and be creative are super decreased. Everything seems FAR more dramatic when you’re tired and your emotions go into hyper drive! Sleep is the best ‘chill pill’ around!!

2

Keep a healthy weight

Not getting enough sleep can slow down your metabolism and prevent your body from maintain a healthy weight.

3

You'll look more attractive

Getting more sleep actually makes you look healthier and more attractive. Apparently some study published in the British Medical Journal saw 23 people photographed after a period of sleep deprivation and after a normal night's sleep of eight hours. Then they got 65 people to rate each photo based on health, attractiveness and tiredness. In each of 3 categories, the sleep deprived group scored lower- we’re not shocked by that, but we are considering going and getting some shut eye before we even finish writing this article! Beauty sleep is totally a thing!?!

4

You're less likely to get sick

Not enough sleep can weaken your immune system, which makes you more vulnerable to infections and colds. ‘Smart people doing scientific’ research found that sleeping less than seven hours a night increased the risk of catching a cold by up to 3 times more than those sleeping 8 or more.  

5

You'll remember things clearly

During deep sleep, the brain goes through our impressions and experiences from the day in a way that is really important to memory formation. So, if you want to remember all of that study you did today, you should probably make sure you give your brain enough sleep time to store it properly.

Moral of the story- if in doubt, sleep on it!

Growing food

Just like that car you are saving up for, your body needs fuel to run. 

You wouldn't run your new car on no oil and cheap junky fuel, so why would you want to starve your growing body or just put junk food in it?!? 

These are some of our ideas around giving your growing bones and muscles the best chance at a creating a healthy YOU. 

• Eat breakfast EVERY DAY: We know, your bed is sooo comfy, and you leave just enough time to throw on your uniform and get your hair looking like you didn't do it, but breakfast wakes up your metabolism and lets your body start burning energy for the day. It will also help your brain in that first period maths class! Try wholegrain cereals or porridge with fruit or wholemeal toast- they will keep you full 'til recess. 
   
• Don’t skip lunch or dinner either. Skipping meals messes with your metabolism and makes it think it needs to store energy and then it gets all confused- don't confuse it!
   
• Fast food, Soft Drinks and Desserts are definitely only sometimes food- even the Cookie Monster had to change his habits...
   
• Look for food that says it is Low GI- it has a slow release of energy and doesn't give you big spikes in your blood sugar level meaning you stay fuller longer and don't feel the need to snack on junk food all the time.
   
• Great healthy snacks:
  • A Banana or Apple with a tablespoon of Peanut Butter
  • Almonds
  • Plain popcorn
  • Baked corn chips
  • Sweet Potato chips
  • Yoghurt- throw some chia seeds in for a Low GI hit along with all of their other goodness!
     
• Have a glass of milk- not flavoured sugary milk, but make sure it is in your diet somewhere, giving you strong bones!
   
• Learn to say 'I don't' instead of 'I can't' when refusing junk food. You are 8 times more likely to stay strong when it is a decision you are making by choice rather than feeling like you're not allowed.

Water Water Water

Water is a pretty big deal right- your body is made up of about 50-65% water, so saying it's not really your thing, or you don't like the taste? Yeh that's not gonna cut it...

Unfortunately adding cordial or drinking Red Bull to get hydrated doesn't work either as high levels of sugars and fructose reduce our body's ability to absorb water *sigh*

See some of the facts below that might make you want to crank out that BPA Free bottle!

Brains for days- Around 80% of your brain tissue is made of water so if you're always passing up the water fountain after recess, maybe give it a whirl before that maths class you struggle in?

Killer smile- Keeping hydrated can help reduce cavities and tooth decay (meaning less time in the dentist chair wearing those funky shades). Water helps produce saliva, which keeps your mouth and teeth clean. 

Better breath- Pass up the creepy breath freshener, keeping hydrated goes a long way in keeping bad breath away. Now you can confidently whisper your history questions to that girl you like in class. See? we've got your back! 

Dinosaur juice- Apparently there is the same amount of water on the earth now as there was when it was created and if you listened in science when they talked about the water cycle, you'll know that it doesn't really go anywhere.... Do you get where we're going with this? You could be drinking the same molecules that dinosaurs drank.  *mind blown* 

"My entire life revolved around how I could eat as little as possible."

Growing up, I was a pretty active teenager, riding horses every day and working around the farm, so I was naturally fairly fit and slender.  Even so, I was quite conscious of my body and my appearance...as most girls are, I suppose.  I would evaluate my body and always focus on the things I didn’t like, the things I wanted to change; pimples on my face, my thighs…I always wanted skinnier thighs.

I can’t pinpoint how it changed, but early on in Uni I started virtually starving myself. It was like I gained super-human control over my ability to not eat. I also became obsessed with exercise. My entire life and all my thought processes revolved around how I could eat as little as possible and exercise to burn the most calories. In my eyes, skinny = beautiful and  beautiful = loved.

It honestly hasn’t been until the last few years that I have truly found freedom from this total control that food and my weight had over my life.  I finally started to see all the negative effects that my obsession was having.  Firstly, it was exhausting, that continual mental energy of working out how I’d avoid food that day without people realizing I had an eating disorder and trying to change me. Change would mean weight gain.

It was also hurting my friendships. I was jealous and threatened by girls who were slender, and disdainful of anyone who was even slightly ‘bigger.’ I think most of all though, I realised that the ultimate driving force in this obsession was my desire to be accepted, wanted, and loved. And I realized that I was never REALLY attaining that through my weight and appearance.  Being skinny gave me a sense of control in being able to gain them, but I was never able to rest.  I always had to work to make sure my weight didn’t go up. 

I also realised that if I have to control and strive for people’s love and acceptance of me…then it’s not really the deep kind of love and acceptance that I craved.  That we all crave?

For me, breaking free was scary, but I was also so exhausted and worn out from years of striving and control that I was READY for freedom. I wanted some peace in my life! I had to truly understand that I am a unique individual of infinite worth; that my appearance does not alter or define that.

I am loved unconditionally.

I am significant and valued.

I had to be aggressive in this, in thinking and speaking those things, and in rejecting the old thoughts that had ruled me for so long.  But it has been SO worth it. 

Thinking correctly about myself is still something I need to do. It’s easy to start comparing myself to all the glowing, air-brushed girls on TV and in magazines, or even the ones around me in daily life who I deem ‘more beautiful’ than myself.  But then I remind myself that beauty and worth lies in every fibre of who I am; that we can’t reduce it to a physical thing.  The temptation to gain love and acceptance from my appearance is an evil lie that promises security but never truly delivers.  It always keeps me running on the treadmill to maintain other’s opinions. 

I am beautiful because I have been deliberately, uniquely made, just as I am.  Now and every day.  Whatever I look or feel like.  It’s settled. I am loved, I am beautiful, I am worthy. I am free!

Lizzie

Totally get what Liz is talking about? Tell us in the comments below what you're doing to get healthy and have a chat with some of our friends who totally get it too!