Sleep like a teenager!

Photographed by: her dad! 

Alana just turned 13. To celebrate, I took her on a whirlwind tour of the major theme parks in southern California. We hit four parks in four days: Disneyland, Disneyland California Adventure, Knotts Berry Farm, and Universal Studios. The lines and rides wore us both out, but she was the one who slept like a teenager. 10-12 hours per night! What I would give for that much quality sleep.

Do you feel me? Middle age folks covet sleep so much because most of us rarely get the quality sleep we need. Yet, sleep is an essential component of a healthy lifestyle and has numerous benefits for our physical, mental, and emotional well-being.

• Sleep helps consolidate memories and enhances learning and problem-solving skills.
• Sleep is linked to a healthy heart, better immune function, and a reduced risk of obesity, diabetes, and other chronic diseases.
• Sleep plays a vital role in regulating our emotions and improving our mood. Adequate sleep can reduce stress, anxiety, and depression.
• Sleep enables us to be more alert, focused, and productive
• Don't forget the beauty benefits. A lack of sleep leads to wrinkles, fine lines, and dullness.

Tomorrow, I'll write a post on techniques for improving your sleep, even if you're not a teenager anymore.