Fall In Love With Mondays

Unpopular opinion alert: Monday’s aren’t that bad! Yes, there are aspects that might not be that glamorous, but I bet when you get down to it, it’s not Mondays you are mad at. It’s your choices from the weekend. 

Face it. You are not a teenager anymore (or if you are, listen here to your much wiser, much more tired elders). Between the months getting colder and your social habits, I bet I can pinpoint the reasons behind your mood shift and gloomy Mondays.

Social Jet-Lag

Have you ever been jet-lagged? That unending tired that does not leave you alone. The clock tells you that you should be wide-awake but keeping your eyes open is a major chore. It’s frustrating because you should be out exploring this beautiful destination you traveled to, climbing mountains, zip-lining over Buckingham Palace, taking the world by storm! But you are too tired to keep your head out of that giant bowl of pasta you ordered.

Did you know it’s possible to face the same effects of jet-lag without the fancy trips? Your circadian rhythm is the natural cycle that regulates your sleep and wake process. It helps regulate things like body temperature, melatonin production and depth of sleep.

Social jet-lag is a result of two separate sleep cycles. Usually, this is one that you uphold during the week and one that you uphold on weekends (re "social"). Because your circadian rhythm is a sensitive cycle, this approach to your sleep health can have drastic fallout. You can read more about social jet-lag here.

Signs of Social Jet-Lag

Easy to identify symptoms:

You are tired no matter how long you slept the night before

Come Monday night, you have a hard time going to sleep when you need to 

Headaches

Lightheadedness 

More severe fallout:

Increased risk of heart disease

Increased risk of obesity and weight gain

Misdiagnosis for more serious sleep disorders

*Warning* this is not to disregard more serious diagnosis or to be confused with more serious diseases such as chronic fatigue. If you have chronic fatigue or other sleep-related disorders, connecting to your circadian rhythm and having a consistent sleep schedule will benefit you as well. HOWEVER, please do not dismiss more severe symptoms for merely being social jet-lag.  

**Warning part II** If you are experiencing the symptoms of social jet-lag, don’t ignore the greater risk. There is an easy cure for that headache and it starts with your bedtime (and maybe some Curamin).

Sunny-Side Up

I have said it before and I will say it again: you need SUNSHINE. It is vital to avoid low levels of Vitamin D. I detailed the why in previous blog posts, so right now, I want to focus on what this looks like specifically in congruency with your sleep cycle. 

Vitamin D is a great way to boost your natural energy and bone health. It is nearly impossible to achieve ideal Vitamin D levels through food consumption alone, which is why certified Vitamin D supplements are a super idea for anyone wanting to optimize their health. When taking Vitamin D supplements, however, there are a few ideas to keep in mind:

1) Take With Food

High-fat foods, to be specific. Vitamin D is not water-soluble and is absorbed best when paired with a meal that contains a good amount of fat. I recommend making this meal breakfast as taking Vitamin D in the morning gives it all day to be absorbed. Plus, starting your morning with a high-fat, high-protein meal comes with a plethora of benefits of its own. 

2) Take it in the Morning

As much as Vitamin D can have a positive impact on your mood and energy, if you are taking a supplement (which you should be), it can disrupt your sleep. When taking a Vitamin D supplement, avoid taking it at night. Some studies show that the boost of Vitamin D right before bed may reduce the melatonin your body produces to help you sleep. 

If you are facing persistent tiredness, headaches and have a gloomy disposition, start with these simple steps to healing your body. Remember, your body will often let you know what's wrong, you just have to know how to interpret what it is saying. Start with a consistent bedtime and time that you wake up, take a Vitamin D supplement in the morning and journal how these two things impact you. I bet you will notice a significant difference in your Monday morning outlook.

Find you are still struggling or want advice on other on-going health problems you might be facing? Schedule your free 15-minute consultation here.