Daylight savings tips. We're springing forward, people!

Daylight savings time is FINALLY here. I'm not sure if you guys know this, but I REALLY like warm weather, so I LOVE this time of year!!

And I live in Southern California, where the sixty degree "cold snap" we've been having is considered freezing. I really can only imagine how you girls in actual winter feel…

Even though Daylight Savings time means we get extra sunshine in the evenings (yay!), it also means we lose an hour of sleep (boooo).

But there's more.

There are actually a lot of negative health impacts to the daylight savings change in the spring. How crazy is this: right after spring daylight savings, car accident rates actually go up and heart attack rates increase! This might all seem like coincidences, but car accident and heart attack rates go down after the fall time change. Clearly something is up with this whole "spring forward" thing.

But the biggest factor isn't so much the time change, but that we are losing an hour of sleep! It makes sense, right!? Sleepier drivers get in more accidents. Overtired bodies run into more problems.

So, if you find yourself not feeling 100% in the morning or afternoon (or when you are about to drive), make sure to add a scoop of Pep Rally to your water to give you that boost of energy for the rest of the day until it is acceptable to get into bed and have Slumber Party;)

The takeaway is that sleep is THE key to our health and happiness.

Sleep loss makes your brain more emotional and more forgetful. So when you're extra tired and stressed, and someone offers you a cupcake…..you're def not going to say no. You're that much more likely to emotionally eat and forget the goals you made for the week. Happens to the best of us.

But your eating habits aren't just emotional: your hormones are affected by sleep loss, too! When you're sleep-deficient, your body produces extra ghrelin, which is the hormone that makes you hungry. But even worse…it ALSO inhibits leptin, the hormone that tells your body when to stop eating. IT'S THE PERFECT STORM…ughhhh.

How to survive and thrive this Daylight Savings

You might be thinking, "Ok, awesome, Daylight Savings is going to ruin my life." And yes, the time change brings a lot of crazy health effects that maybe you never thought of. But don't worry, we can handle this, together!

Here are a few tips for getting through the time change:

1. Have a healthy breakfast on Sunday morning. Eating tells your body "HEY! Time to wake up and start the day!" My Busy Babe Breakfast Bowls are perfect for that extra wake-up boost you might need this Sunday, and the Guiltless Nutrition Guide is full of amazing breakfast recipes.

2. Get out in that sunshine! This is one of my favorite things to do when I'm sleepy. You can trick your body into waking up by spending some time in the sun. Try taking this no-equipment Hot Body HIIT workout to the park to get some energizing vitamin D!

3. Go to bed early on Saturday, March 9th! I mean, duh, if you go to bed an hour earlier than usual, you'll get that full night of sleep and wake up feeling energized. Personally, I'll start going to bed a bit earlier Thursday night, so my body can take this transition in stride.

4. Have some healthy treats on hand for the inevitable sugar cravings that come when you're sleepy. Have your favorite healthy treat ready (Snickers protein bites, anyone!?) , so you'll have a go-to to help you say no to those sugar-bomb cupcakes.

Get that sleep, girl!

We've all heard it about six trillion times: sleep is important. I'm sure this isn't groundbreaking info. But, I REALLY want you ladies to kill it with those goals this month, and I think it's easy to forget that sleep needs to be at the top of the priorities list. Luckily for you, Slumber Party is an easy and delicious fix to help you fall asleep and get a full nights rest!

Love yourself enough to prioritize your rest and recovery this week, even if springing forward basically steals an hour of your life. And don't forget to share your tips and sleep inspo with your pals at #TeamLSF. More reasons to stay in and go to bed early Saturday night???? I think we're all on board.