Here’s the question for today: what if you felt so energised and vibrant that you not only felt motivated to exercise, but could perform with the strength, endurance and intensity that you’ve always dreamed of? Many of us strive for optimal or peak performance but constantly find ourselves falling flat mid-day and reaching for that third cup of coffee by 3pm. As the work weeks get longer and work loads increase striving for peak performance and energy seems like distant memory.

Ironically, when we are trying to get ahead, we deprive ourselves of the one thing we need more than anything to be strong, sharp, and creative: SLEEP! Is the answer to peak performance  really that simple, you ask? Not entirely but sleep, according to Harvard University is critical to our health and our daily performance.

Sleep is the time that your body uses to restore its energy, do repair work, and to build cells, tissues and muscles. Without proper sleep, your body is running on half empty, which disrupts all functions of the body and most importantly prevents you from feeling the way you want to feel. Harvard notes the following six reasons why proper sleep is so important to our health and performance:

1. Learning and memory: Sleep helps the brain commit new information to memory through a process called memory consolidation. In studies, people who’d slept after learning a task did better on tests later
2. Metabolism and weight: Chronic sleep deprivation may cause weight gain by affecting the way our bodies process and store carbohydrates, and by altering levels of hormones that affect our appetite.
3. Safety: Sleep debt contributes to a greater tendency to fall asleep during the daytime. These lapses may cause falls and mistakes such as medical errors, air traffic mishaps, and road accidents.
4. Mood: Sleep loss may result in irritability, impatience, inability to concentrate, and moodiness. Too little sleep can also leave you too tired to do the things you like to do.
5. Cardiovascular health: Serious sleep disorders have been linked to imbalances in hormone levels and cardiovascular issues.
6. Immunity: Sleep deprivation alters immune function, including the activity of the body’s killer cells.

Tulsi Tea

As a lovely part of your evening routine try drinking a cup of Tulsi tea an hour before bed. We suggest using a small mug rather than a large one to avoid nighttime bathroom visits. If you’re really struggling with insomnia, try drinking one cup late in the afternoon and drink a second cup one hour before bed.

The following delicious Ayurvedic blends are all certified organic, caffeine free and begin with a base of Tulsi (Holy Basil) which helps to alleviate anxiety and promote a calm and restful sleep.

Tulsi Gotu Kola, Tulsi Honey Chamomile, Tulsi Lemon Ginger, Tulsi Sweet Rose, Tulsi SLEEP, Tulsi WELLNESS.