Other than looking like a certified Boss on the cover of her new book Sleep Revolution, author and editor-in-chief of the Huffington Post, Arianna Huffington, has all the right things to say to make you want to invest more time in your beauty sleep. The book idea came to her after she realized her dangerous lack of sleep one day when she passed out while doing work, resulting in a broken cheekbone. A busy mother, wife, co-founder of her namesake news company and much more, she needed to reprioritize sleep to make it work better for her body and mind. In the book, she says getting less than seven hours of sleep per night can have affects on your mental alertness, work productivity, weight and mood. Getting only a few hours of sleep per night (about 4-5 hours) for two weeks will give you the same feelings of going without sleep for a whole 24 hours.
Her Sleep Revolution manifesto below outlines things to change about our sleep habits, especially catering to a young audience of readers who can make the changes necessary now to succeed in school and later on in careers. Unlike the US, employers in other countries like Japan have a tendency to work employees to death, which the book touches on. Like most things we blog about on Her Campus, the book highlights the necessity of finding a balance. Huffington acknowledges that something might have to ‘give’ in your life, but it cannot be sleep or else you will be depleted of energy. She will be going on tour of 50 US colleges to promote her book and share the benefits of restful Zzzz’s. Here are some key points Huffington hammers home; number eight really resonates with me:
“1. Sleep is a fundamental and non-negotiable human need.
2. Sleep allows us to see the world with fresh eyes and a reinvigorated spirit.
3. We may be what we eat, but also, to be sure, we are how we sleep.
4. Exhaustion is a sign of chaos, not a badge of honor.
5. A good day starts the night before.
6. We will treat ourselves as well as we treat out smartphones, making sure we sleep until fully recharged.
7. The bedroom is for sleep, not for work.
8. We will usher our smartphones out of the bedroom when we go to bed.
9. We will not drive if we are drowsy!
10. Great pajamas are a great investment.
11. We will choose sleep over busywork.
12. When we walk through the door of our bedroom, we will leave the day–with all of its problems and unfinshed business–behind.”
In addition to the book, we received a sleep kit featuring some goodies to help us create a peaceful sleeping environment. In this tranquil box of goodies, we received Tazo calm chamomile tea, Healthy Nights aloe infused satin pillow protector, a portable essential oil diffuser, Mrs. Meyer’s Clean Day lavender aromatherapeutic dryer sheets, Truce lavender and citrus room and pillow spray, Little Flower Shop grapefruit bath salt, Woodstock sweetened dried cherries and a sleep mask.
Grab some lavendar pillow spray, a sleep mask and get busy! You can pick up a copy of Sleep Revolution everywhere books are sold.