Let’s Talk About Healthy Minds, Bodies & Souls + The Most Amazing Giveaway (worth $1,799)!!!

Good morning everyone!  I hope you woke up feeling refreshed and ready to take on your day.  Today we are talking about something that is a part of life for EVERY SINGLE ONE of us—>  SLEEP!  I want to share with you about how important sleep is for our health and wellness!  This post is sponsored by Sleep Number® and they have an INCREDIBLE giveaway for you today (I’m talking incredible!!!) so don’t forget to enter at the end of this post!

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I think sleep is kind of a funny thing.  The other night I woke up to Andrew snapping his fingers while he was asleep.  I think he was having a dream about Beretta because he snaps his fingers at her when he wants her to do something.  I snore, always have and I don’t know how to stop.  I have a brother that used to sleep RUN occasionally from the ages of 5-9.  He would be sleep running through the house and my dad would have to catch him.  He even went out the front door one night during his sleep run.  When I was a little girl and didn’t fall asleep at the exact time that I wanted to for school the next day I would cry to my parents.  I was so stressed that I would not wake up on time for class and get a tardy (I was quite the punctual student;).  Each night our kids fall asleep holding on to a toy or crayon, sharing the bed with the dog or with 2 of their 4 limbs hanging off of the bed.  Some nights I can’t remember any of my dreams and other nights I wake up thinking that whatever happened in my dreams must have actually happened in real life (sorry, Andrew about being mad occasionally over what happened in my dreams).  Whenever Brooke wakes up and I ask her what she dreamed about, she replies “Mama” in her most sweet voice (because she knows exactly how to butter me up for the day;)  While sleep can be kind of strange and so unique for each of us, sleep is so important for every single one of us!

I think that a lot of times we focus our health efforts mainly on our nutrition and physical activity but we cannot forget the huge role that sleep plays on overall health & wellness!  I think sleep is something that we can all make improvements with including putting our to-do lists away when we should be resting our bodies from all of the running, playing and working all day long.

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Here are a few common side effects for me when I am not sleeping well (aka after my divorce for a while or when I was having all of those gut issues or when I’ve been stressed out about family things):

*My mile splits aren’t what I want them to be, I have a harder time finishing workouts and goodness gracious race day does not go well if I have not been sleeping well.

*I make poor eating choices.  When I am tired, I reach for sugar all day long hoping that it will give me the energy I am missing from not sleeping well.

*I have lower motivation with work, with taking care of the house, with getting things DONE.

*It’s hard for me to focus on things.  I feel like my brain is everywhere except for where I want it to be in the moment.

*Overall, when I am not sleeping well or making sleep a priority I just feel like I’m not tapping into my potential as a wife/mom/runner/daughter/blogger/sister etc. and I don’t like that feeling at all.

Turns out that when I’m not sleeping well, SO many things in my life are effected negatively.

When I am sleeping well, it feels like life just goes so much more smoothly.  My overall perspective about life is better and I eat a lot better.  I notice progress in my running and I can focus on my work.  I’m a much better wife and mom (just ask Andrew and the kids;).  The positive things that come from sleeping well are definitely the best motivation to make sure that I take care of myself, my health and go to bed at a good time.  Time for us all to make sure that we are sleeping better!

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I kind of tricked Andrew when we were dating.  I was all about staying up late with him and watching movies or talking until way too late.  And then a little bit into marriage, he realized that sleep means a lot to me.  I look forward to it, I want to be in my bed for as many hours as possible and anytime that I can get in bed early, I do.  Since I first met Andrew, he has gotten a lot better at getting in bed at a good time and making more time for sleeping BUT our old mattress was killing his back.  We were using my old one and I would wake up in the mornings some days with him sleeping on the floor because the mattress hurt his back so bad.  For a few years I was single and all I had to worry about was how the mattress worked for me (and for Brooke when she would climb into my bed each morning).  We got married and all of the sudden I needed a mattress that was perfect for TWO people!  Between Andrew’s back killing him and the fact that I’m always game for finding more ways to have a better night’s sleep, we were so excited to try Sleep Number!

Great sleep starts with your mattress.  We went to the Sleep Number store and had an awesome experience there!  We brought the kids and my mom.  The team members there were so friendly and helpful! They helped us to really personalize what we needed and what would be the best solution for Andrew’s back problems along with our desire for two very different mattresses.  I prefer a softer mattress and Andrew prefers a more firm mattress.  I think that this has to be my favorite part about our Sleep Number mattress, it is a win-win situation for the two of us.  Neither of us has to settle on one type of mattress, we both get what we love!

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It is so easy to adjust each side of our Sleep Number mattress.  You can use the bed remote or your phone to get to the exact Sleep Number® setting that is perfect for you (I am at a 35 and Andrew is usually around 60 or more and you can choose anywhere from 5-100)!   I am SO comfortable on my side at 35… it feels like I get to have my mattress exactly where my body is it’s happiest.

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We are learning A LOT about our sleep with our Sleep Number mattress.  Through the SleepIQ™ technology I get to see exactly how well I sleep each night.  The information that is gathered from the mattress is shown on an app on my phone and it tells me when the best hours of sleep are for me, how many breaths per minute I take, when I am restless and restful and even my average heart rate while I am asleep.  Having all of this information and seeing where I can improve has provided a way for me to challenge myself to get a better night of sleep each night.  Also, Sleep Number mattresses actually adjust to better fit to your own personal needs which I am excited to see how that continues to help me to sleep better!

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Andrew has been loving adjusting his side of the bed to meet his needs and to make his back happier.  Hallelujah for no more floor sleeping, right Andrew?

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Overall, we are loving our Sleep Number mattress and we are really happy to have such a great solution for the two of us.  Now we each get a good night of sleep while sleeping on the same mattress.. it is wonderful:)

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Sleep is so important for everyone but remember, as runners we really have to make sure we are getting enough sleep each night if we want to continue to train hard and recover well!  “It’s during the third and fourth stages of a typical sleep cycle when a body heals itself.  That’s when the human growth hormone (HGH) is released from the pituitary gland.  Although it’s gotten notoriety as a performance-enhancing drug, in its natural form it plays a key role in building and repairing muscle tissue and bones, as well as acting as a catalyst for the body to use fat as fuel.  Without the right amount of HGH in the blood, recovery from workouts is hindered, prolonging the time it takes the body to build a strong aerobic engine.” (source)  Don’t let your lack of sleep get in the way of recovering from your workouts!

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Time for you to go out and visit a Sleep Number store near you to help you on your way to sleeping and feeling better!  HERE is a store locator!  We learned a lot about the importance of sleep and what is best for what YOU need!

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Now is YOUR chance to win an amazing Queen Sized p5 Mattress!! ($1799 VALUE)!!

To enter the giveaway:

1.  GO HERE to visit the Sleep Number store locator 

2.  Find out which store is closest to you

3.  Comment below the name of the store along with any sleep issues you’ve been having and why you would love to win!!

*NO PURCHASE NECESSARY.  Open to eligible legal residents of the 50 United States and D.C. at least the age of majority in their jurisdiction.  Begins:  Thursday, April 27, 2017 at 12:00:00 AM ET.  End Saturday, May 6, 2017 at 11:59:59 PM ET.  Subject to Official Rules available at http://mediakix.com/sweepstakes-hungryrunnergirl/.  Void where prohibited.  Sponsor: Mediakix LLC.

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1,082 comments

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Polaris Fashion Place. Backaches thanks to three sweet kids that come in and out all night and bounce on our bed.

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White oaks mall
My husband likes super firm. I like softer. I would love it if we were both super comfy!!

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Covington -marketplace

Like soft my husband has back issues and likes firm.

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Bozeman MT. I would love to win because my mattress is SO old and makes my back hurt!

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Mission Viejo Mall. My bed is super old.

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Twin Falls, Idaho! Brand new store in our small-ish town. I will go check them out.

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Denver Colfax West. I sleep like a baby. . .unless I’m tapering!

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Sandy Utah

Winning this mattress would be real treat, And this tired teacher spends all day on her feet!

After a long day at school-I need a good place to rest, so that I can recover and give those kiddos my best.

The mattress we have now is just alright,
But a Sleep Number bed would equal a peaceful night.

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Alderwood Lynwood My husband loves his mattress firm and me on the other hand like it soft.

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Closest to me is the Cherry Hill Mall store! My mood gets so crabby after a poor nights sleep ? ?

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Closet store is right near me at the Temecula Promenade. Would love to have a solution to the firm/soft preferences I argue with my hubby over! Neither of us are comfortable in our bed right now..

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Billings MT
I am the fussiest sleeper and wake up a million times every night because I’m uncomfortable! Would love to have the freedom to adjust to the perfect firmness!

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Metuchen Sleep Number. As I get older, I’m finding harder to get a good nights sleep which definitely affects my day in a not so good way. I’m so intrigued by the Sleep IQ technology!

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Lincoln Nebraska! Besides having a little 1 yr old waking me up through the night, I blame a lot of my sleep problems because I mostly sleep on my side….wake up with back and neck pain. Thanks for doing the giveaway!

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Mishawaka University Crossings. I always wake up with hip and shoulder pain. I’d love a new mattress!

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Deer Park Mall. I have been having a lot of low back pain lately and I have been wondering if my mattress is part of it!!

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Flatiron crossing. Back is screaming!! I would love to sleep all night!

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Kendall store in Miami, FL
I have lower spine and hip problems that cause lots of pain during the night. I toss and turn all night so I don’t sleep very good. I’m always exhausted. I typically like a softer mattress but there are days when I need something more firm and end of lying on the floor. A new Sleep number bed would solve that problem and hopefully relieve some of the pain.

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Mayfaire Town Center in Wilmington, NC. My husband and I have opposite sleep schedules much of the time, as well as opposite ideas of what constitutes a comfortable bed — he likes marshmallow, I like solid ground!

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South Windsor, CT. I toss and turn all night!

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The closest store to me is the Valley West Mall store — and I’m pregnant so I see sleep issues in my future!

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