Probably the most neglected health tool today is sleep. It is looked at as a waste of time, unproductive, and for the weak-hearted. What is missed is that sleep is actually the most important thing you can do to run your best, and if we are talking productivity, it is sleep that can double or even triple what you can get done because you are actually able to use your brain! Add to this the fact that if sleep is shortened, interrupted, inconsistent, or disturbed by food or drink, you will never achieve the level of health needed to make significant fitness gains. Poor sleep is almost synonymous with being overweight, and it’s not just because of late night snacks.
Why Is Sleep So Important?
The main reason sleep is so powerful is due to its ability to help you recover. If you consistently sleep 7-9 hours, you will have improved hormone regulation, synthesis of information and learning, regeneration of muscle and tissue, increased immune functioning, and elevated energy and mood.
Sounds like a miracle pill to me! And it is. But it cuts both ways…
Did you know that just one sleepless night can leave you functioning worse than someone who is well over the legal alcohol limit, leave your insulin sensitivity resembling that of a Type II diabetic, send your fat storage through the roof, and actually lead to a breakdown in muscle?
And that is why sleep is so important. We often think that just because it is common for people to be sleep-deprived, or overweight, or sick, or moody, that it is “just how things are”. The truth is, our bodies are not meant to feel terrible all the time. We are SUPPOSED to be healthy, and not just for a few weeks here or there. It should be the rare occasion that we get sick, feel unrested, have low energy, etc.
How to Get More Sleep
If sleep is so important, how the heck do we improve our sleep habits?? There are a number of ways that can help you to get more sleep, but let’s go over some of the basics before we get too far ahead of ourselves.
1) Go to bed earlier!
This may seem so simple, but most of the time, the reason we do not get enough sleep is because we choose to stay up late. We watch TV, browse the Internet, go out with friends, or get into a book we cannot put down.
This is in no way saying that these are “bad” things to do, but they are those things for which we tend to sacrifice our sleep to participate in. And this is where sleep issues can begin—when we do not have good nighttime habits. We are used to watching our late-night shows or browsing our favorite websites for a few hours before bed. Again, these activities would be fine if they were not messing with the most important health and fitness activity: sleep!
2) Improve your “sleep ritual”.
Every night, you have a routine. Whether you have created it or you have just fallen into it, the routine is there. This may include some of the activities mentioned before, or others. But every night, before you actually go to bed, there are certain things that you usually do.
The question is, if you have not actively thought about this routine, how do you know that it is helping your sleep situation? What is more likely is that it is hurting your sleep. So what might a good sleep ritual look like? Well, the first thing to know is that whatever your ritual, it should start about an hour before you want to be asleep. Here are some things that can help get you to sleep faster and keep you asleep longer:
- Turn off ALL electronics (TV, cell phones, iPads, etc.)
- Take out a piece of paper and write down all the things you need to do the next day
- Have a fatty snack (nuts, eggs)
- Read a relaxing book in dim light
- Take a warm shower/bath (Epsom salt baths are great for relaxing)
- Use as little light as possible (and use blackout curtains to keep light out)
- Listen to soft music
- Drink decaf tea
- Set bedroom temp to 68 degrees
- Avoid caffeine! (You should actually start avoiding caffeine around noon)
Each of these things can make a big difference in how easily you will fall asleep. Maybe the most important are those is dealing with light and planning. You see, light is a stimulant for our bodies and whether it’s light from a TV or the sun, we are affected by it. As far as planning goes, one of the most common reasons for troubled sleep is anxiety/racing thoughts. If you put it all down on paper, it gets it out of your head and allows you to be more relaxed.
Putting it All Together
However you choose to take this information, please at least know this: sleep is a life changer. If you have ever known someone who has sleep apnea (a condition where it is impossible for them to get deep sleep) and has been treated, you will know just how big of a difference sleep can make. It can take someone from being tired, unmotivated, overweight, and ill-tempered and transform them into a whole new person. Often people with sleep apnea describe the feeling of a full night’s sleep as being alive for the first time in years. They have been lifted from a fog and can actually be themselves again!
What is sad is that we often choose to put ourselves into a state of sleep deprivation when we could easily work on our sleep habits and drastically improve our quality of life. So, start thinking about where you can improve your sleep and start implementing those strategies that work for you. This could be the most important health decision you make this year, but it is up to you to take the first step. Now go grab some ZZZ’s!
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