High GI for Better Sleep

How was your weekend? We had a ripper and managed to discover various skate parks around Mullumbimby NSW, and around the Gold Coast in QLD. Gosh I love where we live, half an hour to Byron Bay one way and the other is the Goldie. AWESOME.

Noah ended up saving all his pennies and birthday money gifted so he finally bought his first skateboard. He’s super pumped as he can now compete with Oscar, as he’s hanging to do a “drop in”, in a 8 foot bowl (eek! my adrenalin junkie boys – apple doesn’t fall far from the tree. Legends.)

I also make sure that I bring healthy snacks whenever we go, lunch was left over chicken with roasted sweet potato with my favourite Meredith's goats cheese. Squeeze some lemon and you're done! YUM!

PLUS we had loads of fun this weekend bike riding too, we have the gorgeous Mt Warning as our backdrop and this lovely Cudgen Creek to explore, we had such a fun family filled weekend!

Sleep Challenge

How has your sleep and rest going? Are you getting 7-8hrs per night or 8-9hrs? I’m getting to bed early these days and already know I feel better as a result.

For a mum of 4 very BUSY children who are always on the move, to go from burning the candle at both ends and working late on my computer, to packing myself off to bed early for some seriously long sleeping, it has been a very big shift.

But I knew the rewards would be important – and so far they have been.

I started by looking at the way I used technology and quickly changed that habit after learning about blue light and how it messes with your sleep patterns. Bye-bye to all screens at least one hour before bed and my sleep has been coming faster and deeper than ever.

Now, I am sure you know that caffeine should be avoided at night but it’s good to remind you that caffeine isn’t only in coffee…it’s also in tea and can be found in chocolate as well. So put away the late night Tim Tams for a better sleep! It’s recommended that caffeine be avoided for around 4-6 hours before bedtime so it’s a good time to re-think that afternoon espresso you use as a pick-me-up and trade it for something more soothing and sleep-friendly.

One of my top sleep-inducing food tips?

Try some jasmine rice with your dinner-time stir fry.

Yes! Studies have shown that when healthy sleepers dined on high-glycemic-index jasmine rice (that’s GI rice to you), they actually nodded off quicker than people who ate low-GI long-grain rice. Apparently it’s to do with the larger amount of insulin that is triggered by high-GI meals – something that boosts the ratio of tryptophan (known for its sleep-inducing properties).

And after that? A dessert treat made with walnuts or almonds. Walnuts are packed with tryptophan too and because they also contain melatonin, they help you get to sleep faster. When it comes to almonds, they boost your body’s magnesium levels – something vital for good sleep.

I love the way food has such an important role in healthy living. By noticing what you put in your mouth, your body will thank you for it.

So if you haven’t had a chance to register for the awesome sleep giveaways this month, you can do so here and try and get to bed by 10pm tonight.

Happy Monday!

xxDani