Your Fitness: 3 tips not to sleep on
Tips on how we can improve our sleep hygiene.
In last week’s article I touched on some of the important benefits that come alongside a good night’s sleep. As promised, this week’s article will offer some tips on how we can improve our sleep hygiene in order to experience the benefits when it comes to your overall health and performance!
Sounds so simple, but I cannot over emphasise its importance! Having a consistent time where you wake up and go to bed at the same time each night is a game changer when it comes to regulating your circadian rhythm (also referred to as your body clock), which can help you to more consistently fall asleep with more ease and wake up naturally at the same times each day.
If your schedule hinders this, why not try to keep either your wake or sleep time consistent. Make an effort to get 7-9 hours each night.
You spend roughly a third of your life sleeping, so it goes without saying that you should put some time and effort into making your environment where you sleep comfortable and tailored toward your needs.
A cool dark room is usually the best environment when it comes to our sleep. Fresh sheets, an eye mask and possibly ear plugs if you live in a noisy area can be helpful aids to have here also. Making sure to invest in a good quality mattress and making your environment as comfortable as possible with a good duvet and sufficient pillows and cushions can also go a long way.
It goes without saying that caffeine doesn’t have the best correlation with a good night’s sleep. However, caffeine consumed earlier in the day is likely to have much less (if any) negative effects on our sleep quality.
Having a cut-off time for coffee, energy drinks and other caffeinated beverages is a great way to manage this.
At least six hours before bed if possible!
Blue light is also something that is worth noting as our world becomes more and more technology focused. Making a conscious effort to implement a cut-off time for phones, laptops and other screens that emit blue light at least one hour before bed is a great place to start.
Try reading a book or listening to an audiobook before bed instead, leave the scrolling on your phone until the next day. You will thank yourself the next morning!
“ ” - Anthony Burgess
Lastly, I would also like to clarify that I am not a registered dietician. All advice disclosed here is simply advisory based on my qualifications as a fitness professional and personal experience and knowledge gained working with individuals and helping them reach their goals.
The advice given is not designed to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any health problem – nor is it intended to replace the advice of a physician. Always consult your physician or qualified health professional on any matters regarding your health.
I hope someone out there found some of this information useful here, just some food for thought.
