089: Shawn Stevenson on Why Sleep Is More Important Than Diet & Exercise

If you haven’t heard of Shawn Stevenson, you’re about to meet your new best friend in health. I’m excited because he’s also one of the most knowledgeable people on the topic of sleep , one of my favorite things to research. (And something I dream about as a mom!) You can get to know Shawn by reading his international best-seller, Sleep Smarter , or checking out his podcast “The Model Health Show,” which is usually somewhere around the #1 spot on health podcasts on iTunes. Shawn has been featured in Entrepreneur magazine, FAST Company, Men’s Health , and so many other outlets … and I can see why. He has this amazing way of explaining his technical knowledge in a way that’s really relatable and easy to implement. He truly believes that health (and a good night of sleep) is within everyone’s reach! Shawn Stevenson Shares His #1 Health Secret: Good Sleep We don’t get far into the interview when Shawn makes a rather shocking statement: Sleep has more impact on health than nutrition and exercise combined. Of course, we instinctively know sleep is important. One night of bad sleep and how we feel the next day proves it. But we kind of expect to just lay down and sleep … and that there’s not much more to it. There are countless ways to “eat right” and exercise. But isn’t there just one way to sleep? Shawn doesn’t think so. Even if you manage to sleep a decent number of hours per night, you might not be getting the benefits of all that sleep … unless you learn how to optimize sleep by understanding how it works! In This Episode You’ll Learn: how Shawn overcame degenerative bone and spinal disease (it’s an incredible story!) why sleep—not nutrition or exercise—is the foundation of all health the 4 pillars of health according to Shawn … and why without these supplements are useless how to get more out of the hours you do sleep (must-have info for all moms) what “fake medicine” can actually cure you 33% of the time! the “nocebo” effect: what it is and what it can do to you stages of sleep and what they do to restore the body what powerful anti-cancer hormone your body makes while you sleep surprising connections between sleep and memory easy ways to increase your odds of getting great sleep at night why Shawn advises sleeping naked and braless (it’s all the interest of health!) the form of exercise all women should try an extra reason to exercise that most people don’t know and more! Resources We Mention Shawn’s Podcast: The Model Health Show Book: Sleep Smarter: 21 Essential Strategies to Sleep Your Way to a Better Body, Better Health, and Bigger Success The ChiliPad (enter code Mama20 for 20% off!) More From Wellness Mama 515: Dr. Michael J. Breus on How to Energize by Understanding Chronotypes, Sleep, Fasting, and Movement