If you’ve been following ANY of my content for even just a few months, you know the topic of sleep continues to surface. Interestingly, it was a subject I never took too seriously — although I pretended I did — until the devastating results of my brain scan. And it was at that life-changing moment I decided to change my sleep habits. Part of this process has included understanding the difference between deep sleep and REM sleep.
I think when most people say…
“Okay, not bad, I slept for 7 hours last night.”
…they’re really just accounting for the time in bed, asleep, and not the kind of sleep they got.
Now, tracking your sleep — with an app, for example — is super helpful because then you start to understand what your brain is doing while you’re sleeping.
Deep Sleep.
It is deep sleep that:
- makes us wake up and feel energized and restored
- repairs our muscle tissues
- allows us to recover quicker from our workouts
Rem Sleep.
It is REM sleep that actually organizes and stores all of our memories and cognitive functions.
That’s why, clearly, it’s really important to have BOTH every night.
Personal anecdote: I really have trouble getting REM sleep, but I get massive amounts of deep sleep. I could seriously make people jealous with my deep sleep — which explains why I wake up super high energy, but I can’t remember my name or whatever day it is.
To be frank, it drives me crazy about my brain that no matter how much sleep I get, I wasn’t getting enough REM! Trust me, I really don’t want to:
- get Alzheimer’s
- feel foggy
- struggle with remembering things
And Bret (my husband), by the way, is the total opposite. He often struggles with deep sleep but gets tons of REM.
Anyway, as I do with many things, I decided to hack this REM issue. Why assume that it’s just my biology and can’t be changed? No, thank you.
And so I’ve done the research — for years and years — and I’m thrilled to announce I’ve finally found a way to get both deep sleep and REM. Like, a solid balance.
What is it and will it work for you?
Well, check out The Chalene Show below — where I interview Mike Lee (co-founder of Soul CBD) and he answers all the most pressing questions about sleep, melatonin and CBD! Plus, his story is crazy inspirational.
If you’re short on time and need to listen later, make sure you at least check out Sleepi Gummies, stat! These bedtime besties have proven to be what I need to ensure I get the right kind of sleep. I’m not saying it’ll do for you what it does for me… but I have a sneaking suspicion you’re going to be obsessed. Plus, with this link, you’ll get 15% off!
And hey, don’t forget to subscribe to TCS for weekly shows featuring all kinds of healthy hacks!
