Posted on January 25, 2016 by Jenny Cromack
Sleep is not only crucial for mental and physical health but it is important in order to achieve your fitness goals. To ensure you have a good nights sleep you must alter your circadian rhythms aka your biological clock. This can be influenced by a number of factors such as genes, light exposure, frequency of meals, hormone balance and physical activity.
Here are some top tips about how to get more sleep, remember though it’s not just about how much sleep you get but the quality of your sleep which is important, especially when smashing those fitness goals!
1) Watch what you drink
Caffeine should be avoided or dramatically limited especially in the afternoons if your struggling to sleep. Although it might perk you up in the afternoon, for many, the afternoon caffeine fix can be enough to affect your sleeping patterns in the evening.
2) Dim the lights…..
Too much light in your bedroom can affect sleep patterns. Fitting black out blinds and unplugging appliances that give out light can help your circadian rhythm and help you get to sleep quicker and limit disturbed sleep.
3) Ditch the tech…
ok, we’re not asking you to ditch technology forever, how ever would we survive?! But sitting in front of your TV, laptop or playing on your phone during the evening causes your melatonin levels to decrease. Melatonin is a hormone that is needed to sleep, so less of this equates to a poor nights sleep. Avoid using these devices for up to an hour before you want to sleep so prepare your food for the next day or read a book (no iPads or kindles) and if you do need to work dim the brightness of your screen.
4) The perfect temperature
Cold temperatures during the day and warm temperatures in the evening can inhibit your circadian rhythms so keep warm during the day and set your thermostat to cool down an hour before bed.
5) Magnesium before bed
Taking a magnesium supplement 30 minutes before bed can help improve the quality of your sleep. Magnesium also has a lot more benefits, click here to read more.
6) Sleep app
I bang on about sleep apps a lot but, I and many of my clients have noticed a difference so click here to find out how it can help you feel more alert in the morning click here