Is sleep affecting your results!
Jun 08, 2021
Your training really hard, you're eating well and you're committed to your goals. BUT you're seeing slow progress. Sometimes no progress at all, it's frustrating, I know!
So let's look at your bedtime routine and delve into exactly how much sleep you're getting.
Because sleep is where the magic happens!
Your body rejuvenates, repairs and recovers from the day's work.
When Prone (lying down) your muscles switch off and ligaments and tendons get time to recover.
Not enough sleep = not enough time for your body to perform these tasks.
Bedtime routine.
If you're not getting enough sleep or its broken sleep you need to look at what you're doing in the lead up to bed.
Is it watching TV, scrolling your phone, all the lights in the house turned on. Do you drink tea, coffee or other stimulants in the afternoon?
Because all these things are playing a role in your inability to get good sleep.
Here are some things to implement to get better sleep:
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Avoid caffeine and other stimulants from early afternoon.
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At least an hour before bed starts to wind down. Dim the lights, turn off the TV put the phone away. Start to do things that prepare your body and you mind for rest.
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Things like mediation, writing in a journal, stretch or foam roll, possibly read if that doesn't stimulate you too much.
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The most important factor is to reduce the amount of artificial light.
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Then create an environment good for sleep.
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A dark, cool room.
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A regular and consistent bedtime.
How much sleep is enough?
A recommendation for hours per night is 7.5-9hrs a night. Anything less than this is not sufficient and will bank up to what is called the sleep debt.
How many hours are you getting?
Sleep debt.
The sleep debt is like any other kind of debt it can accumulate or it can be paid off. Every night that you don't get enough sleep you're adding to the debt. But, it can be paid off by a few good nights sleep in a row. These are called sleep bombs!
Go to bed when the sun goes down and wake up when the sun comes up. These are great at the weekend if during the week just isn't an option for you, I can guarantee you will feel like a new person!
Sleep-ins are not as effective as going to bed earlier, as you can roll around the bed in the morning and actually wake up more tired.
You don't know how good you can feel!
You really don't know how good you can feel! People are walking around every day in a tired, fatigued, groggy, grumpy, dehydrated, grey haze. And think that this is normal.
IT'S NOT NORMAL!
But you really don't know how good you can feel until you experience it and it becomes clear as to how bad you were feeling and how you were just living your life that way before because that had gone on for so long it had become the norm.
So my challenge to you is......
Get the family involved!
Turn off all electricals /lights, don't look at your phone and scroll Facebook and Instagram
Start to wind down 1hr before bed.
Wake up when the sun comes up and see how good you feel that day.
Try that for a few weeks and see the difference it makes to your body, your energy and your life!
