#13 - How to Sleep Like a Baby When You’re Stressed Out

Hi, I'm Jorge Cruise, number one New York Times bestselling author and celebrity trainer, and I want to welcome you to the all-new Jorge Cruise Podcast. Every week I'll bring you the shortcuts to work better, reduce pain, improve memory, garden more, and even sleep better. It's not just about intermittent fasting or getting a flat belly. My mission is to give you simple ways that will empower you to live as you choose. Welcome to the Jorge Cruise Podcast.

All right guys, it's Jorge Cruise. Welcome to the podcast. It is the week of Christmas. This is my favorite week of the year. I don't know why, but I love the holiday season, guys. Hopefully you're having a great start to your week, and I'm so excited because joining me as my guest co-host is Miss Sarah Smith from Prevention Magazine. She's right here with me. How are you?

I'm good. How are you?

How's your week been? I mean, I can't believe— can you believe it's this week.

I can't believe it's this week. It's been so much constant leading up to it, and now it's here.

Oh, I mean, it feels like Christmas. New York is gorgeous. Yeah, I know California's warmer, so I'm excited about that. And you know, I'll be in California with my kids and all that, but I feel like, wow, what a year. I mean, what— I mean, I don't even want to know how many days till the end of the year, but it's soon.

I mean, it's next week.

Oh my gosh. And Christmas is this week, so— oh my gosh, guys. So Super excited to have Sarah here because as you've been listening to the podcast, we've been talking about the January issue of Prevention magazine, which I'm just so honored, Sarah, to have had you and my dear friend Jane Francisco, who runs kind of Hearst. She is such— I want to say thank you, Jane, to her and to you both for being the smartest ladies I know.

Well, Jane's terrific for connecting us and knowing that you would be the perfect fit in Prevention so that we could share your message with everyone in this really great way.

Well, thank you, Jane, and thank you, Sarah. And I'm just so excited. And maybe I'll let you kind of share, because you've been doing such an extraordinary job of kind of explaining what it takes to do a cover. I mean, maybe we could tell them just about our picture. We spent a day taking pictures for the editor's letter, your editor's letter.

So the editor's letter, you know, I mean, your article is our main really exciting story in this issue, the 19-day weight loss plan. The COVID says, "Lose weight in 19 days." And so, you know, I wanted to write my editor's note and make sure people know who you are if they don't already, although I think, a lot of our readers are going to be excited to see you in, in, in here. Um, so we took a picture together, and I mean, we had—

but you had a full-on photo shoot. I felt like it was like some movie.

Well, we started— oh, someone was going to just come, you know, with a, with an iPhone, and then the photo editor said, no, no, no, we are going to do this properly. We're going to have—

this is Hearst publication, big deal. Jane says this has to look good.

It's got to look good. So, um, right, so I mean, I We had clothing, I mean, I had a clothing change, although we ended up with my first outfit, which is fine.

Oh, you did?

Yeah.

No, it's a great picture. You're wearing green, I'm wearing blue. And do you want to read them the letter? I mean, might as well. Do you want to?

Sure. You want me to read this letter?

Well, it's your, this is your letter. It's yourself.

I'll read it. Okay.

She'll do a little reading.

All right. So I said, here's what I said. I said, I'm not big into resolutions.

Oh, Sarah.

But I'm a huge believer in optimism.

Oh, I love that.

And that's what's behind this prevention partnership that I'm really excited about. 2020. So Jorge Cruise and the 19-Day Weight Loss Plan. This is a man who brings a smile and a yes to everything he does. I love that. He works with celebs, which is cool, but he believes in people like you and me just as much, and his enthusiasm is contagious. The weight loss plan he's passionate about is on page 34, and if you can get— and you can get even more specific advice and motivation from Jorge by following us at PreventionMag and him at Jorge Cruise on social media. Starting January 6th, the first Monday of 2020, we'll have 19 days of recipes and advice to get you feeling great about yourself.

Oh, I love that.

Yeah, we don't have to officially plug it since you read it perfectly. I mean, it is your letter, and we are— I mean, tell them what— I mean, I know we're gonna have some of my cheat meals so you can eat while you fast with the chia seeds, right? Also the different lattes and coffees and teas that use healthy fats.

But then, but I think it's also just really helpful to have guidance for what to eat during the eating, you know, about the eating time too, because I think people worry, okay, if I only am eating— you know, only, it's a perfectly reasonable amount of time, right?

It's an 8-hour window. Yeah, some do a little less, but at least 8 minimum, right?

It's a great goal, right? So we're talking 8 for people who've never done it before.

Yeah, but 8 hours of eating, guys. 16 hours of fasting, right? 16/8 intermittent fasting.

But I think a lot of people are concerned, well, what do I eat during that time so that I'm doing it right? Yeah, so that I'm not going to be super hungry during the other part. And of course, you have your amazing which is great, but I think part of what makes this so great is, you know, some of the recipes that we're gonna be sharing that are for the, you know, the eating, the 8-hour eating period because they're delicious and filling and the kind of food you wanna eat. And I think people are really looking for that.

Oh, I mean, I think, you know, what I love, when I was designing this 3 years ago, I was in Malibu and I was working with a lot of my celebrities out there and, you know, the keto diet was a big deal and keto's usually a higher level of fat. Now the fat on here, you guys, We have this on page 38 in the magazine here. And I have to say, visually, you guys, we've been bragging about it. At least I have.

I'm glad.

That it looks so gorgeous. And as much as I love my book, Cruise Control Diet book, which is mentioned in here.

Which is very sharp looking. It is. It's clean and great.

No, it's gorgeous.

No. Right. But we have color, more, you know, we have pictures.

You have pictures. All the colors and photos. Photos of the food. And you get to see it and you learn how to fill your plate up. And I love that it's so concise. It's not a one-pager. This is the big feature.

No, it's our big story. It's like 10 pages long. 8 or 9, 10 pages.

Yeah, 9 or 10 pages long.

And we just wanted people to see how lush it is to eat delicious food.

I love how you say that.

Right?

No, 'cause it is and it's filling and it's, I mean, shockingly, I remember in the '80s and '90s, that Susan Poutter, she's like, fat makes you fat, don't eat fat.

Right.

But not all fats are the same.

No, it's important.

And avocado is coconut oil, olive oil, even butter, guys, whole creams. You can use these natural, healthy fats to turn off hunger. That's why we have a 50% ratio. Then carbs, 30% carbs, guys, yes.

Hi, this is Jorge, and I wanted to interrupt the show just for a minute because I want to make sure that you're on my VIP mailing list for future podcasts and for insights and shortcuts on how to improve your health, from everything on intermittent fasting to yoga to 8-minute workouts. To how to just work better and how to have less stress and also how to manage pain. I mean, you name it, all my best shortcuts come out every Monday and it's totally free.

You heard it right.

So I'm gonna encourage you right now to take a second and jump onto your laptop and go to JorgeCruise.com, or you can do it on your mobile device, obviously, and sign up for the Jorge Cruise Report. And it's totally free. Tell your loved ones about it, join it. It's over a quarter of a million people that are getting this email. And it's going out every Monday and I want you to be a part of it so you know what's coming up next every week.

All right guys, let's get back to the show. That's why it's better than keto and I love what you guys picked out. I'm a big fan of rice.

Yeah, we've got this brown rice. Bread. Beautiful, you know, brown.

Are people in shock that we can have bread?

They're like, "No, I'm on a diet and I can eat bread?" I went down to the photo shoot and they had all this beautiful food and they were like—

And you guys shot this just for this, right?

Oh, absolutely. And the food stylist loved it 'cause, you know, they love Prevention 'cause we have all this beautiful, whole, whole food and it's not cheesy and gross, right? But she was like, can I put this bread on? I was like, this bread is perfect. You got the perfect bread. I was like, don't put the whole loaf on because nobody eats the whole loaf, right?

No, I hope nobody eats a loaf. You gotta get—

Because you don't, that's gonna not make you feel full longer. You want the bread with the avocado on top.

Well, yeah, the ratios, I mean, 50% healthy fats, 30% of the carbs, and then you do want your proteins. You need to be balanced macros.

Absolutely. These beautiful salmon and shrimp and tuna.

Yeah, and if you don't want seafood, you could do meat or you could do chicken or poultry. And if you're vegan, I have certain clients. I mean, there are people in LA like Ellen who's a vegan. And I have clients that are very much like her. They won't do that. But you could do plant-based protein.

Yeah, absolutely.

But you got to get your protein and it's balanced. It really, really is. And if you're hearing some sirens, guys, we are in a big city called Manhattan.

Yeah, it's always something. It doesn't matter if it's a holiday. It is.

And even on a Monday, there are—

Helping people, hopefully, right?

Yes, I'm sure they are.

That's what they're rushing to, to go do, guys. So pardon that the sirens in the background, they're very loud. It sounds like we're in the middle of the street, but what floor are we on?

Like 28?

We're high in the sky looking Central Park over here, guys. And, uh, sorry for the noise, but you know, um, regardless, I'm just so excited that we've brought, or you've brought to life, the, the concept of fasting. But you can see how you get to eat for 8 hours, and more importantly, there are these little tricks that we'll be doing online so you can then kind of eat while you're fasting and not break the fast. And that's what I'm so excited to be doing on January 6th.

Yes, so join us.

Yeah, and it's all online, right? This part will be— is it more on Facebook or how are we doing it? Since that's in a couple weeks, Facebook, Instagram, Instagram, and our site.

Perfect.

Yeah, prevention.com. Yep. So, all right, so now let's get to what the theme of today's podcast was. As much as I love eating and fasting and losing weight, sleep Sleep is a tough thing and I talked about how to sleep like a baby when you're stressed out and I think this is the one week that everyone is heightened stressed out.

Right.

Is that even a word? I don't even know, heightened, but it's like maxed out on stress.

Oh sure. You are. Stress is definitely heightened right now. There's so much drama with the holidays and the pressure and the expectations and the family. Family is a great source of comfort and stress.

Yes, it's like both sides of two coins or a coin, double-sided.

Point. Yeah, I mean, the irony of family is that they can stress you out so much, even as they're also maybe the place that, you know, you can find comfort.

Comfort.

Yeah, you love them. Yeah, well, hopefully.

And not always, you know. A lot of people are with probably family this week and it's just stress, right?

Yeah. And it's hard for me because I come from, you know, my, my boys live with their mom half the time and half the time with me, so we're divorced. And it's tough because I know on Christmas Day they go to their mom at 1 o'clock, and I miss them at 1 o'clock. I'm sad, you know. And then I know she misses them on Christmas Eve, and I feel like You know, but I don't interfere with her boyfriend. She has a new person in her life and I have someone in my life. So I feel like, you know, you just have to learn to have a little— how you have to share. And it's stressful to share sometimes if you're not having those.

Recognizing that you have those different emotions is probably a really great way of getting through them and not pretending that you don't miss them or pretending, you know, trying to horn in or, you know, you just have to— that's part of what's hard about being an adult is that nothing's just 100% perfect.

Totally right.

Ever. No, no, but that's what makes life great, right?

Well, that's how we grow. They always say, and you know, I'm doing my yoga training, guys, and yoga is about bringing that balance in, but it's about overcoming obstacles too— physical ones, mental ones. And it's hard, and you have to have a practice. And for me, I'll be doing a lot of yoga this week and breathing. We've talked about breathing. Yeah. But something I want to share with you guys that I have, and, uh, and you've mentioned that you've I don't know if you've used or read about this.

We've covered it, yep.

Weighted blankets. For me, this is what I'm giving away, not giving away, but gifting to some of my clients. A lot of my clients, I'm working with the Housewives of New York, the Real Housewives of New York, like Countess Luann and Dorinda Medley and Sonja Morgan. And we all, and they're in their 50s, you know, Sonja just turned 56 and she and I had a great time. I had the best, I never told you about my Halloween party that Countess threw, or did I tell you?

I saw some pictures.

Oh my gosh, what a wild night we had. It was fun. I was a voodoo doctor. Oh, the headset fell.

Don't worry, you got it.

That's okay. This is, you know, this is live and real and all that. But what a fun party. And I'll tell you, as much as having a drink at night can help you sleep better, they say— and you've read about this, I'm sure— about REM sleep being altered when you drink alcohol sometimes. And so we don't want to overdo that. And even though it's the holidays, I wanted to share with everyone my thoughts on weighted blankets It's because I feel like it literally mimics, like, I don't want to sound corny, but like a hug.

It does.

I mean, so you talk a little bit. Yeah. So you've read about this as well. I'm going to get you one.

Okay.

Okay. Would you mind? Would you try it?

I have one under my desk that I haven't brought home yet because it's heavy.

You got to carry it home. It is. It's 20 pounds.

I'm waiting until my husband comes and has lunch with me next week.

Yes.

When in January.

But I'm going to have him take it home for me.

The strength building guy.

Yeah, right. He's tough. I mean, I'm stuck too, but what have you read then?

Share with us what you've read on this.

Well, just the— and so I've tried it, I've tried it out, and just the way the pressure on your body, it just, it's calming and soothing in a way that when we were talking about breathing, that kind of has that same quality that it just—

totally.

I know it is like a hug. It's like, it's also like when my cat sits on me, it's like, oh, oh, and it's so—

and for me there, I've seen— like Good Morning America did a whole show on weighted blankets. They showed all the brands, and you want one, in my opinion, that actually has weight in it. You don't want it to be light and padded. It has to be like— I sleep with one every night here in New York that's 30 pounds, and they customize them. Certain brands do. One brand that I've been using is Gravity Blanket because they have a 20, a 25, a 30, and I think they go up higher. And now they have a queen-size one. And regardless, when you throw the— I mean, it is, as you said, heavy.

Yeah, because they've got these like weighted beads.

It's not something you want to travel with a lot. No, that's a workout in itself, right? That'll be your suitcase, right?

Yeah, they make them in different ways, but the one I have has beads.

Yeah, exactly. Yeah, same thing. And you, when you put it on, it just feels like you're wrapping yourself in a, um, like— I mean, I've read articles that we talk about that mimics the womb, you know, where you're very comforted in there. You're in that little— yeah, you're cozy, you're cozy, and you're hugged. And it's that feeling of comfort and You know, I would say if you guys haven't done Christmas shopping yet, which back in the day I used to shop the night before Christmas. Oh my God, talk about stress. Your brother too?

Yeah, yeah, yeah. This year I think he's, he's done, but in the past he'd be calling me on, you know, I'm at Barnes Noble on Christmas Eve, right?

Oh, I've done that. I've done Target and Walmart on Christmas Eve. I'm like, oh my God, I need one more gift for this or that. And you just, you're just anxiety in us. We have to go shopping. And now, I mean, this is back when there wasn't and online stuff. And now, right, right, press a button, it's there the same day, right?

Yeah.

I don't— do you think they'll do that on Christmas Eve? Can people shop? Literally, I bet Amazon does. I'm sure. Literally, you probably could shop in the morning. I don't know if you could do it at night. I mean, literally, they'll deliver it when Santa comes. I don't know if they do that.

Yeah, they— Amazon is Santa. Is that what we're saying?

I think maybe they kind of have become that, you know. So we kind of live— I mean, I, I want to say it's 2020, but it really is just what, next Wait, I gotta look at the calendar. When is 2020? It starts, I know it's the first, but how many days from today?

From today? Well, it's next Wednesday, so.

Ah, you're right.

Yeah.

Oh my gosh, yep, as we have one more Monday, the 30th, and then, yeah, the first of January is a Wednesday, guys. So we literally just have one more week, and it's not even a full week of December because it begins in January on Wednesday. So this is the time to kind of self-care, and if you want to get yourself a gift, gift. I think it's a good gift.

That's a good idea.

Comforting, right?

Yes, I've heard people recommend always make sure you buy yourself a Christmas present.

I like that. Amen to that.

When you're shopping, you know, my problem is, oh, buy myself that present and that present and that other present.

You're kind of a Santa yourself.

I'm a Santa to myself.

The best Santa out there.

But you should definitely do that. And a weighted blanket is a good idea. You know, I've heard that if you're just starting with a weighted blanket to go for about 10% or so of your body weight. So, but you, you know, you're a pro now.

And well, you know, I mean, I think most— it depends on the brand, I'm sure, but they have— at least the one I was looking at, this Gravity Blanket, that you can— they have like a chart.

And yeah, depending on your weight and your height, and they make them again in different ways. And yeah, so you should—

you want to customize, like you said, looking, you know, at what that— because if you're a petite little person, you don't need a 30-pound one.

No, you have a little one.

Yeah, you're more petite.

Yeah, mine is pretty big guy, so I need a 30-pound one.

But you know, and then you know, some people don't like that much pressure, so you can have a lighter one. But shockingly, it does comfort you. And I sleep— oh, and I have a weighted eye mask. Oh, I love— and I— and it's weighted.

Yeah.

And it literally, it's like an eye mask, like not a massage. I don't know, it just puts that—

no, it sounds like it feels really good.

It's just— and you don't— and it like totally darkens the room even if you have the windows open and lights coming in.

I swear by an eye mask.

Right? You too?

Yes. I don't have a weighted one yet.

All right, then I'll get you that for Christmas. All right, I'm sending it to you right now. You are going to shop on Christmas Eve. Oh my gosh. Today, Monday.

Yeah.

I'm not going to wait till the very last day.

No, I love a super dark room, which is really actually good.

And it does. I mean, yeah, you guys have talked about that in the magazine, but it is. I mean, I think that kind of impacts our circadian rhythm.

Circadian rhythm.

Yeah. The light. And we got it. We should rise with the light and should go to bed when it's dark.

Right. And there's so much light in our world. You know, there's streetlights outside. There's your partner on the computer. There's your own phone, you know, having alerts come up up or whatever. Totally. So the more darkness, the better for sleep.

It's, it's a key thing. That and, you know, maybe a weighted blanket is a great way to start the new year. And yeah, and as you said, let's get a gift for ourselves, right?

Hug yourself.

What would you get this year? Do you have something on your list? Can you reveal? What am I— make sure your husband doesn't hear this, or Santa.

Well, I mean, this makes me sound like such an old person, which I'm not.

No, no, of course.

Um, but I want socks for Christmas. I want, do you know Bombas socks?

No, tell me.

They are the best socks.

Who makes, I mean Bombas?

Bombas is the name of the company.

I gotta get a pair of them.

They're just like warm and they fit right but not too heavy. They're just like super nice socks and they're kind of—

They're not like yoga ones with the toes.

No, no, they're just nice socks.

Wool or cotton or?

They have a couple different blends I think. I don't know, there's just something about, just the weight of them.

Tell them the brand one more time.

Bombas, B-O-M-B-A-S. Bombas.

It sounds kind of hot.

It's like super nice.

They're not too expensive?

They're kind of expensive, is the thing, which is why it's—

but they last.

Yeah. Yes. Yes. Oh no, they really last. They wash really well.

How expensive? Like super, super?

Like $15 to $17. Still, that's okay.

That's an affordable gift.

You can go to Target and get socks for, you know, $4.

But well, it's a special. They feel that good?

I love them.

Oh gosh.

Wow.

Well, I'm not getting myself a weighted blanket because I already have one. I was thinking For me, with my kids and all that, I'm just trying to— I'm trying to get more— I love massage, so I was going to get myself a massage.

Oh, that's nice.

The week— well, my kids go back to their mom on Christmas Day in the afternoon, so I was gonna go get a Christmas night massage.

That is perfect.

And I'll be in San Diego then, so— and they have these little massage places that are open all the time. Do you ever get— do you take time for a little self-care like that? Do you want I mean, I haven't done a massage in 6 months, so I need one.

Yeah, yeah.

I mean, my yoga helps, it's self-healing, but it's nice sometimes when you get those—

inspiring me to—

would you do it?

Would you do that?

Yeah.

I mean, you kind of deserve it, right?

Yeah. What I want is to sleep in though.

Oh, the ultimate gift is just being left alone.

When I'm at my mom's though, it's like, it's like being at a spa because your mom helps, because she does everything with my son when I'm there, and he doesn't want anyone. He has eyes for no one but her. Oh. And so they're just off having a great time, and I sleep.

And you're like, I'm out.

The best. Sleep. My husband's like, you sleep more at your mom's house than you do, because I sleep in and then I'm like, you know, I think I need a nap, and then I'll take a nap in the afternoon. Yeah, he's like, you get all your sleep for the year in, in the 4 days we're at your mom's.

I don't know about that, but oh my goodness. Well, so you'll be seeing your mom this week?

Yeah, yeah, we can't wait.

Oh good.

Well, lots of family.

I can't believe it's Christmas, guys. So Merry Christmas.

Merry Christmas.

And, uh, for those celebrating Hanukkah and all that, I I think Hanukkah. When was Hanukkah?

Is it— do you know?

I feel so bad I'm not Jewish.

I know.

So happy Hanukkah. I'm just gonna say it.

I don't want to say it wrong, so I'm not going to say it, but happy Hanukkah.

Happy holidays, guys. Please, and know that we're thinking of you. And obviously, let's end with our weight loss challenge on January 6th.

Yes.

Because that'll be around the corner, and I'll let you plug it, right?

We've got our energy back. Have a happy new year. Yeah, you know, get organized yourself over the weekend, and then on January 6th Start your 19 days and you can do it. That's what I love about this. Totally, right? You know, if losing weight and getting healthier is on your list, like, start it. You can do it.

Yeah, no, it's great.

This is doable.

And this magazine is available everywhere, newsstands, everywhere magazines are sold on newsstands. So I don't care if you go to Target, Walmart, it's everywhere.

It's all the places. And it's digest size. It's smaller than most magazines, which makes it extra easy to carry around. So, you know, we've got the 19 days and that's our main story, but we've got a lot of really great stuff. Yeah, in this issue that you'll—

and I love that you also included on page the exercise stuff. It's kind of— yeah, we've got some nice yoga, you have my planks in there, shadowboxing, and the garland pose. I mean, a lot of this is— and it's all easy workouts, guys. And I'm gonna be leading more yoga classes on Facebook, so come join me on that, guys. And then we're gonna be starting this challenge on your guys's Instagram and Facebook. Yes, on January 6th. So this is the time, guys. I mean, you know what to do, guys. Let's do this, look at the glass half full and take a breath this week and enjoy, right? You have to enjoy the holidays.

Yeah, enjoy yourself.

Yeah, totally, guys. All right, well, thank you so much, Sarah, for all your support.

Thanks, Jorge.

Great being with you. No, I'm so excited to have had you here. And you, like, believe me, I'm so thrilled with the magazine. So guys, pick it up. It's going to change your life, in my opinion. It's going to transform it. And, uh, and have a beautiful holiday week and enjoy it. And we'll I'll be talking to you guys next Monday. Okay guys, enjoy. Peace and purpose from New York City. Bye guys.

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Take good care.