#79 Why Should We Go To Bed Early?
11/01/19 • 63 min
Welcome to Season 3 of the Body Wisdom Podcast with Dr. Michele.
This season the podcast will be focusing on healthy habits. As your host, I’ll be recording solo episodes which will answer some of the most common questions I’m asked as a physician such as “how do I build a new habit?” "which habits are essential to get healthy again?" "what can I do to lose weight?" "how can I look and feel younger again?" "how can I start exercising again if I haven't done it in years?" and more. I will also be coaching patients and clients live on-air, and conducting interviews with other health & wellness experts. Of course, I am always open to new topic ideas, so if there is a topic you would like me to address or if there is a question you would like answered, please reach out. Email me directly at [email protected].
Today Dr. Michele answers the question "Why Should We Go To Bed Early?"
I hope you enjoy the show!
About Dr. Michele:
As a physician & surgeon, certified Ayurvedic and Autoimmune health coach, yoga/anatomy teacher, and overall health & wellness expert, Dr. Michele Summers Colon is an Advocate for Women's Health. Her passion is helping women help themselves to heal their body. She is the author of Body Wisdom: 10 Weeks to Transformation, the creator and host of the Body Wisdom with Dr. Michele Podcast, and the leader of the Body Wisdom Membership Program.
She has been interviewed and quoted in many prominent publications including USA Today, US News & World Reports, Health Magazine, Yahoo! Makers, and Bloomberg BusinessWeek. One of Dr. Michele’s greatest strengths is her ability to help women create balanced, healthy lives by looking at the whole picture. She combines the best of Eastern and Western medicine to create individualized health & wellness plans for her patients and clients. For over 24 years, Dr. Michele has dedicated herself to maintaining a private medical practice and providing exceptional care to her patients while at the same time studying holisitic and integrative medicine. Dr. Michele believes that food is medicine and that yoga, Ayurveda, and meditation are the keys to perfect health.
Dr. Michele has a Bachelor’s degree in Physiology from UCBerkeley, a Master’s degree in Biomedical Sciences and a Doctorate degree in Podiatry from Barry University, and graduated from a Foot & Ankle Surgical Residency in Los Angeles. Dr. Michele is also certified in Ayurvedic as well as Autoimmune Health Coaching, Yoga, Reiki, Reflexology, and Laser Therapy. Dr. Michele specializes in Yin Yoga, Restorative Yoga, and Therapeutic Yoga to provide the most healing, relaxation, and rejuvenation to her patients and clients. Dr. Michele has studied Ayurvedic Medicine extensively and has worked with some of the best practitioners throughout the United States to bring Ayurveda to the forefront of medicine.
Combining yoga, Ayurveda, and meditation is one of Dr. Michele’s passions so that she can spread the word to as many people as possible that this is the path to perfect health.
Show Notes:This season we are going to be talking about Healthy Habits so that we can feel younger and healthier.
Why is it important for us to go to bed early? What is 'early'? And how much sleep do we really need? We're going to talk about that today.
From an Ayurvedic perspective, there is a 'natural' time to have an evening meal, which is just before the sun goes down. If we eat early enough and it's not stressful, then there is a natural relaxation and feeling of ease in the early evening because dinner isn’t overwhelming. Dinner should be simple, from a physiological perspective and from a practical perspective. It is starting the cycle of winding down for the night.
This is Kapha time. It is the heavier time of day. The early evening cycle has the heavier qualities of earth and water, like fluid, gooey, mud-like, and cloudy, but also stable. It is more stable than the energies that precede it. Kapha is so much about ease and taking it easy. If we are not revved up, we will start to wind down and take it easy after dinner.
When you have a late dessert and have sugar to stay up later, this is what breaks down your immune system. Kapha is in charge of congealing the immune system and creating integrity through connectivity of the immune system when it is allowed to be refined through the application of consciousness. It builds ojas. It gives rise to immune integrity. There are so many immune issues out there like allergies. If we rev it up at night, we are blowing up our immune system. We either pay for it now, or we pay for it years later. We know that there are massive issues.
It’s so crucial to wind down before bed. If you don’t, you are crashing your immune system, you are creating inflammation, you are not able to tap into the causal energy of deep sleep. When you go to bed too late, ...
Welcome to Season 3 of the Body Wisdom Podcast with Dr. Michele.
This season the podcast will be focusing on healthy habits. As your host, I’ll be recording solo episodes which will answer some of the most common questions I’m asked as a physician such as “how do I build a new habit?” "which habits are essential to get healthy again?" "what can I do to lose weight?" "how can I look and feel younger again?" "how can I start exercising again if I haven't done it in years?" and more. I will also be coaching patients and clients live on-air, and conducting interviews with other health & wellness experts. Of course, I am always open to new topic ideas, so if there is a topic you would like me to address or if there is a question you would like answered, please reach out. Email me directly at [email protected].
Today Dr. Michele answers the question "Why Should We Go To Bed Early?"
I hope you enjoy the show!
About Dr. Michele:
As a physician & surgeon, certified Ayurvedic and Autoimmune health coach, yoga/anatomy teacher, and overall health & wellness expert, Dr. Michele Summers Colon is an Advocate for Women's Health. Her passion is helping women help themselves to heal their body. She is the author of Body Wisdom: 10 Weeks to Transformation, the creator and host of the Body Wisdom with Dr. Michele Podcast, and the leader of the Body Wisdom Membership Program.
She has been interviewed and quoted in many prominent publications including USA Today, US News & World Reports, Health Magazine, Yahoo! Makers, and Bloomberg BusinessWeek. One of Dr. Michele’s greatest strengths is her ability to help women create balanced, healthy lives by looking at the whole picture. She combines the best of Eastern and Western medicine to create individualized health & wellness plans for her patients and clients. For over 24 years, Dr. Michele has dedicated herself to maintaining a private medical practice and providing exceptional care to her patients while at the same time studying holisitic and integrative medicine. Dr. Michele believes that food is medicine and that yoga, Ayurveda, and meditation are the keys to perfect health.
Dr. Michele has a Bachelor’s degree in Physiology from UCBerkeley, a Master’s degree in Biomedical Sciences and a Doctorate degree in Podiatry from Barry University, and graduated from a Foot & Ankle Surgical Residency in Los Angeles. Dr. Michele is also certified in Ayurvedic as well as Autoimmune Health Coaching, Yoga, Reiki, Reflexology, and Laser Therapy. Dr. Michele specializes in Yin Yoga, Restorative Yoga, and Therapeutic Yoga to provide the most healing, relaxation, and rejuvenation to her patients and clients. Dr. Michele has studied Ayurvedic Medicine extensively and has worked with some of the best practitioners throughout the United States to bring Ayurveda to the forefront of medicine.
Combining yoga, Ayurveda, and meditation is one of Dr. Michele’s passions so that she can spread the word to as many people as possible that this is the path to perfect health.
Show Notes:This season we are going to be talking about Healthy Habits so that we can feel younger and healthier.
Why is it important for us to go to bed early? What is 'early'? And how much sleep do we really need? We're going to talk about that today.
From an Ayurvedic perspective, there is a 'natural' time to have an evening meal, which is just before the sun goes down. If we eat early enough and it's not stressful, then there is a natural relaxation and feeling of ease in the early evening because dinner isn’t overwhelming. Dinner should be simple, from a physiological perspective and from a practical perspective. It is starting the cycle of winding down for the night.
This is Kapha time. It is the heavier time of day. The early evening cycle has the heavier qualities of earth and water, like fluid, gooey, mud-like, and cloudy, but also stable. It is more stable than the energies that precede it. Kapha is so much about ease and taking it easy. If we are not revved up, we will start to wind down and take it easy after dinner.
When you have a late dessert and have sugar to stay up later, this is what breaks down your immune system. Kapha is in charge of congealing the immune system and creating integrity through connectivity of the immune system when it is allowed to be refined through the application of consciousness. It builds ojas. It gives rise to immune integrity. There are so many immune issues out there like allergies. If we rev it up at night, we are blowing up our immune system. We either pay for it now, or we pay for it years later. We know that there are massive issues.
It’s so crucial to wind down before bed. If you don’t, you are crashing your immune system, you are creating inflammation, you are not able to tap into the causal energy of deep sleep. When you go to bed too late, ...
Previous Episode
#78 Why Earlier Lighter Dinners Work
Welcome to Season 3 of the Body Wisdom Podcast with Dr. Michele.
This season the podcast will be focusing on healthy habits. As your host, I’ll be recording solo episodes which will answer some of the most common questions I’m asked as a physician such as “how do I build a new habit?” "which habits are essential to get healthy again?" "what can I do to lose weight?" "how can I look and feel younger again?" "how can I start exercising again if I haven't done it in years?" and more. I will also be coaching patients and clients live on-air, and conducting interviews with other health & wellness experts. Of course, I am always open to new topic ideas, so if there is a topic you would like me to address or if there is a question you would like answered, please reach out. Email me directly at [email protected].
Today Dr. Michele discusses "Why Earlier Lighter Dinners Work."
I hope you enjoy the show!
About Dr. Michele:
As a physician & surgeon, certified Ayurvedic and Autoimmune health coach, yoga/anatomy teacher, and overall health & wellness expert, Dr. Michele Summers Colon is an Advocate for Women's Health. Her passion is helping women help themselves to heal their body. She is the author of Body Wisdom: 10 Weeks to Transformation, the creator and host of the Body Wisdom with Dr. Michele Podcast, and the leader of the Body Wisdom Membership Program.
She has been interviewed and quoted in many prominent publications including USA Today, US News & World Reports, Health Magazine, Yahoo! Makers, and Bloomberg BusinessWeek. One of Dr. Michele’s greatest strengths is her ability to help women create balanced, healthy lives by looking at the whole picture. She combines the best of Eastern and Western medicine to create individualized health & wellness plans for her patients and clients. For over 24 years, Dr. Michele has dedicated herself to maintaining a private medical practice and providing exceptional care to her patients while at the same time studying holisitic and integrative medicine. Dr. Michele believes that food is medicine and that yoga, Ayurveda, and meditation are the keys to perfect health.
Dr. Michele has a Bachelor’s degree in Physiology from UCBerkeley, a Master’s degree in Biomedical Sciences and a Doctorate degree in Podiatry from Barry University, and graduated from a Foot & Ankle Surgical Residency in Los Angeles. Dr. Michele is also certified in Ayurvedic as well as Autoimmune Health Coaching, Yoga, Reiki, Reflexology, and Laser Therapy. Dr. Michele specializes in Yin Yoga, Restorative Yoga, and Therapeutic Yoga to provide the most healing, relaxation, and rejuvenation to her patients and clients. Dr. Michele has studied Ayurvedic Medicine extensively and has worked with some of the best practitioners throughout the United States to bring Ayurveda to the forefront of medicine.
Combining yoga, Ayurveda, and meditation is one of Dr. Michele’s passions so that she can spread the word to as many people as possible that this is the path to perfect health.
Show Notes:This season we are going to be talking about Healthy Habits so that we can feel younger and healthier.
Habit change = habit evolution.
Why is it important for us to eat an earlier lighter dinner? Because eating and sleeping goes hand in hand. It sets you up for having a good energetic day the following day.
Eating late at night is a bad idea because it makes you feel heavy and sluggish the following day. Also, the energy that was supposed to be used for rejuvenation and replenishing your energy stores is now going to digesting your food while you sleep.
The key is to eat four hours before you go to sleep. If you aim for eating dinner around 6pm and going to bed around 10pm, you will start to feel better in the morning which leads to having more energy the next day and so on.
Also, make sure the foods you eat are light, like salads and soups, so that you can digest everything before you go to sleep.
Just having the recipes doesn’t help to have an earlier lighter dinner. Aim to be in the kitchen at 5pm. Focus on soups, salads, and roasted vegetables. Prepping in the morning for more complex meals saves a lot of time at dinner time. Batch task when you’re in the kitchen. You can also do kitchen sadhana, where you spend a lot of time in the kitchen but you do it every week or two. Sodhana is like the essential, the fundamental things that need to get done, and that becomes your spiritual practice. Body, mind, and spirit are all dependent on how we nourish ourselves, so we need to take these spiritual practices to the kitchen.
This is also a good time to do menu planning for the week. Make your salad dressings and sauces, and prep your veggies. Start with what you want to eat when meal planning and prepping. Foods lose their prana, or life force energy, as time goes by. D...
Next Episode
#80 Take the Chaos Out of Your Morning Routine
Welcome to Season 3 of the Body Wisdom Podcast with Dr. Michele.
This season the podcast will be focusing on healthy habits. As your host, I’ll be recording solo episodes which will answer some of the most common questions I’m asked as a physician such as “how do I build a new habit?” "which habits are essential to get healthy again?" "what can I do to lose weight?" "how can I look and feel younger again?" "how can I start exercising again if I haven't done it in years?" and more. I will also be coaching patients and clients live on-air, and conducting interviews with other health & wellness experts. Of course, I am always open to new topic ideas, so if there is a topic you would like me to address or if there is a question you would like answered, please reach out. Email me directly at [email protected].
Today Dr. Michele discusses "How to Take the Chaos Out of Your Morning Routine."
I hope you enjoy the show!
About Dr. Michele:
As a physician & surgeon, certified Ayurvedic and Autoimmune health coach, yoga/anatomy teacher, and overall health & wellness expert, Dr. Michele Summers Colon is an Advocate for Women's Health. Her passion is helping women help themselves to heal their body. She is the author of Body Wisdom: 10 Weeks to Transformation, the creator and host of the Body Wisdom with Dr. Michele Podcast, and the leader of the Body Wisdom Membership Program.
She has been interviewed and quoted in many prominent publications including USA Today, US News & World Reports, Health Magazine, Yahoo! Makers, and Bloomberg BusinessWeek. One of Dr. Michele’s greatest strengths is her ability to help women create balanced, healthy lives by looking at the whole picture. She combines the best of Eastern and Western medicine to create individualized health & wellness plans for her patients and clients. For over 24 years, Dr. Michele has dedicated herself to maintaining a private medical practice and providing exceptional care to her patients while at the same time studying holisitic and integrative medicine. Dr. Michele believes that food is medicine and that yoga, Ayurveda, and meditation are the keys to perfect health.
Dr. Michele has a Bachelor’s degree in Physiology from UCBerkeley, a Master’s degree in Biomedical Sciences and a Doctorate degree in Podiatry from Barry University, and graduated from a Foot & Ankle Surgical Residency in Los Angeles. Dr. Michele is also certified in Ayurvedic as well as Autoimmune Health Coaching, Yoga, Reiki, Reflexology, and Laser Therapy. Dr. Michele specializes in Yin Yoga, Restorative Yoga, and Therapeutic Yoga to provide the most healing, relaxation, and rejuvenation to her patients and clients. Dr. Michele has studied Ayurvedic Medicine extensively and has worked with some of the best practitioners throughout the United States to bring Ayurveda to the forefront of medicine.
Combining yoga, Ayurveda, and meditation is one of Dr. Michele’s passions so that she can spread the word to as many people as possible that this is the path to perfect health.
Show Notes:This season we are going to be talking about Healthy Habits so that we can feel younger and healthier.
This habit is about lining up with nature. Waking up at the right time of day to be aligned with the expansiveness of the universe’s energy is important to feeling great energy in the day. When you’re lined up, you are more at ease. When we aren’t in alignment, we experience stress, there’s a loss of energy, and we feel dull and out of tune. Habits that we have that don’t line up with nature don’t serve us.
Look at the big picture: why are we doing all of these habit changes? They’re hard. Tap into your WHY. Why do you want to feel healthier and younger? Don’t try to be a perfectionist. Success isn’t doing any of this perfectly. Perfectionism will get in the way of you experiencing success along the way. Perfectionism leads to “the what the hell” principle: throwing in the towel if you can’t do it perfectly and don’t do it at all.
Starting the day right is all about the energy in that part of the daily cycle, during vata time. Movement stimulates the peristalsis. We experience time opening up. The sacred time of day is the early morning.
When we start our day right, we wake up with the sunrise, connect to the universe (in our own way), hydrate, and eliminate. That's it!
What is one small change you can make with getting up early, connecting to the universe, hydrating, and eliminating?
You can do a very quick and simple one-minute meditation to get in alignment with the expansiveness of the universe. What also helps me on some days is to just take a minute to connect with my breathing or with a feeling of gratitude for the day ahead. I lay in bed for a minute, do a minute of deep breathing, and with my eyes closed, I get right into gratitude for my day, for my life,...
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