- in guest/interview , health by julie
Sleep smarter | Shawn Stevenson
Shawn Stevenson is the creator of The Model Health Show, the number one fitness and nutrition podcast on iTunes. He also founded the Advanced Integrated Health Alliance and is the author of Sleep Smarter.
In his early 20s, Shawn was diagnosed with degenerative disc and bone disease. At age 20, he had the spine of an 80 year-old person and couldn’t change positions in his sleep without waking up. This had a critical impact on the quality of sleep he was getting. He made a decision to take action and was able to completely regenerate the tissues in his spine. As a result, he began working with thousands of others in similar situations through his clinic.
However, some patients were not seeing results. Once Shawn quizzed those patients about their sleep patterns, he wondered if there might be a connection. Shawn helped these clients employ proven strategies to improve their sleep, and interestingly enough, they began seeing positive results in their health.
Shawn explains that sleep is very important to our overall health, noting that sleep deprivation is one of the biggest factors that can reduce our lifespan. Additionally, taking 20 Ambien pills per year doubles one’s risk of dying early. While the true impact will be different from person to person, everyone can use documented, natural methods to improve sleep. Medication should be used only where deemed extremely necessary.
One factor that can be detrimental to sound sleep is inner chatter. While the bed should be a place of calm and relaxation, often times the brain is hyperactive at night. This can make it difficult to go to bed early. The key is to train your brain to calm down, which is typically achieved through meditation. An effective treatment for insomnia, meditation enables you to channel your focus. Incorporating deep breathing exercises can also help you feel more at peace and more present.
Sleep Smarter contains 21 sleep strategies and 14-day makeover plan—everything you need to reboot your sleep. To connect with Shawn Stevenson directly or to get the book, visit www.sleepsmarterbook.com or http://www.themodelhealthshow.com/.
