Sleep... How's yours?
Nutrition and Training… these two are often considered the “big players” when it comes to a healthy lifestyle.
Yet this is only a partial truth.
You see, both puzzle pieces are often influenced by sleep.
Crappy sleep? Insomnia? Not enough zzz’s?
All these scenarios will often have a ripple effect on what and how much you eat and how well you’ll perform in your training.
A Few Facts:
Sleep is anabolic which means it helps BUILD whereas training and food are catabolic
Sleep balances our hunger hormones (ghrelin and leptin)
Sleep release HGH (human growth hormone aka anti-aging hormone)
Sleep helps muscle recovery
Sleeps helps cognitive function
In a nutshell, it’s the glue that holds our entire health ecosystem together! From recovery to longevity, it remains, in my POV one of THE MOST IMPORTANT elements especially when it comes to weight loss or muscle building.
“But what happens if my sleep sucks?”
“I’ve always been a bad sleeper”
“I don’t really need more than 5 hours to function just fine.”
I’ve heard all of these over the past 3 decades when helping clients take control of their health and my answer remains… YOU NEED IT. It’s a non-negotiable and so we need to seek out ways to build better sleep hygiene because it will change your LIFE! For real.
Because…
Even just one bad night’s sleep can wreak havoc on your body and hormones the next day to up to 4 days later! Studies have shown that we have less resiliency the day after a bad sleep. In other words, your emotional self will be much more reward-seeking (sugary foods anyone?) and negative situations will impact you more. Cortisol levels will rise which lead to inflammation and compromise immune function. Check out our February Zoom Q&A to learn more about Cortisol and how to balance this all-important hormone.
So, we know it’s a problem, for some more than others, but how can we begin to change our sleep patterns and learn how to achieve better sleep?
Here are some ways to start…
1. GET LIGHT early in the day: Upon waking, it’s essential to get light to our eyes (retina). On a cellular level, this sets up our circadian rhythm, which is our natural sleep-wake cycle throughout a 24-hour period. Ideally, get natural sunlight early in the day.. even if it’s for a 2-10min period. Natural light (even on a cloudy day) starts the day right.
2. GET IN THE DARK: Sleep in a completely dark night. Melatonin (sleep hormone) is produced when your eyes do NOT see light. In fact, even if your eyes can’t pick up light, your skin can which can send signals to your brain to remain alert! Crazy, right? Thick blinds, dark room, no nightlight, or wear an eye-mask…these are some ways to ensure a dark environment to help the production of melatonin.
3. GET EXERCISE in the DAY: Why? Because your body needs to gradually cool itself by the end of the day. Exercise will rev it up and can be quite the sleep disrupter. Apart from raising core temperature, exercise also raises cortisol. Cortisol increases energy which is great at 9am or noon… not so much at 10pm. If evening workouts are a no-choice option for you, make sure it’s at least 2-3 hours before you hit the sack and take a hot shower or bath after you train which will encourage your body to cool itself before sleeping.
4. GET COOL: Sleep in a cool room so body temperature stays low… breathable sheets, light sleep wear, open window, or lower room temperature. The best “sleep” temperature according to the National Sleep Foundation is around 15-19 degrees Celsius.
5. BUILD a Sleep Routine: Often times, our minds are on “overthink mode” during the night. It’s essential to “change gears” from go mode to relax! This is likely the hardest part to navigate. Creating a relaxing environment and setting some time to unwind before bed can make a huge difference in sleep quality. Chamomile tea, magnesium supplements (Theonate or Malate), Epsom salts bath, lavender essential oil, limiting caffeine in the afternoon and avoiding alcohol (which initially relaxes but in fact disrupts deep sleep)… these are some “sleep hacks” worth exploring.
Final Thoughts…
Sleep, much like nutrition and exercise is a PRACTICE. In fact, for some who’ve had habitually poor sleep, it’s a skill to learn or “un-learn”. Because, most likely, at some point in your life, sleep wasn’t an issue. Sound sleep was a given every night… remember your teenage years?
So if years of poor sleep has now become your default setting, it’s not easy to change that pattern and it definitely won’t happen “overnight”.
As women, hormonal fluctuations can further disrupt sleep, as do kids waking up at night needing your attention.
Though we can’t control ALL things, we need to control what we can.
Take steps to promote sound sleep, make it a practice, prioritize it and your body and mind will thank you!
Is sleep an issue for you?
What steps can you begin to take to help you master your sleep habits?
Comment and let me know!
Coach Lisa 💪❤
