Most people will know if they aren’t sleeping well or enough – even Fitbit uses this as a fitness marker – however in case you aren’t sure then here are some signs to keep an eye out for.
- Daytime yawning.
- Fatigue.
- Irritability.
- Inability to focus.
- Poor memory.
- Reduced performance (in all areas of your life)
Lack of sleep may not be the only cause of these, but if you suffer from any of the above symptoms then it’s a good place to start. If sleep is not a priority in your life then try to make it one.
Here are 7 easy steps to follow to improve your sleep, and get more ZZZZZZ time!
1) Go to Bed Earlier
Go to bed at a time that will allow you to obtain 7 – 9 hours of sleep time. Ideally, this would coincide with going to bed at night and rising with sunlight which is the way our circadian rhythm prefers. Remember, our body prefers routine so even on a weekend try not to throw everything out of balance by laying in too long.
2) Read a Book
This is a great way to relax the mind but, in a perfect world, the book would be something that won’t stimulate the brain or imagination too much. This means no educational or training books that require the brain to process new or complicated information – really, the sweet spot would be a book that offers a bit of escapism.
Also, it can’t be a screen (such as your phone) because these devices emit blue light which suppresses melatonin – this means that your sleep/wake cycle will get screwed up and you won’t be able to drop off to sleep when you want to.
For this reason, it’s also good to try and dim the lights in the few hours before you go to bed.
3) Train Earlier in the Day
If you have trouble sleeping then you may want to consider the time that you train. Training later in the day is likely to awake the nervous system and keep you stimulated. For this reason, you should try and train in the morning or early afternoon it fits in with your lifestyle. Apart from anything else, this frees up your evenings to do other activities.
4) Get Some Sun
If you can get 20-30 minutes of sunlight each day, then this will help improve your natural melatonin production. Even being outside in natural light during the winter makes a difference. I know we don’t have as much sun as we like here, but that’s even more of a reason to get out when you can. Also on a side note, consider supplementing with vitamin D because without adequate exposure to the sun a large percentage of people have become vitamin D deficient, and this can have a negative impact on our training and bodies.
5) Get Rid of the TV from the bedroom
The bedroom is for sleeping – having a TV in the room not only emits blue light but it makes it too easy to fall in to the trap of watching TV for the sake of it. When this happens, before you know it it is midnight and you have to be up for work in 5 hours. You’ll regret it tomorrow!! I know. It’s sad but true.
6) Eat Earlier
Try not to eat your dinner too close to bedtime if this keeps you up or you have trouble sleeping. Two to three hours between your last meal and going to bed is a good place to start but experiment with different timing and see what works best for you.
On a similar note, I know that if I drink water too late in the evening then I’m guaranteed to be taking a leak at 0300hrs – I used go to bed thinking I needed a leak but believing I can get through the night and save it for the next morning. But rest assured I always had to get up at 0200 or 0300 wishing I hadn’t been so stubborn. Listen to your body.
7) Meditate
It sounds a bit “out there”, but the ability to meditate offers so much benefit to people with busy lives. You only need 10 minutes a day and it will help you to quieten the traffic in your brain so that you can give your mind the rest that it needs. There are plenty of apps out there such as Headspace – give it a try, it might be the one thing that changes your life and helps you attain a clearer mindset every day.
I hope you found this 2 part sleep series informative. Take your sleep just as seriously as you do your training and nutrition and you’ll be an unstoppable force!
Be bulletproof,
Coach Craig.
Author - Craig Peterson - Personal Trainer & Mentor
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