Sleep quality is just as important to overall health and wellbeing as exercise and nutrition.
It is your body's opportunity to rest, recover and repair itself; however, it is usually the first area we sacrifice during busy and stressful times.
Poor sleep can impact areas such as our cognitive function, hormones, immune system and for those embarking on health journeys, even things like hunger signals and adherence.
Our body has an internal clock, a Circadian Rhythm, that is constantly trying to find balance - and this regulates your entire system.
There are a number of things that can impact the quality of your sleep:
(1 ) Your nutrition - and the foods and quantities you eat on the lead-up to bedtime
(2 ) Your psychological and physical stress levels
(3 ) Alcohol intake - albeit you fall asleep but your sleep quality will be greatly affected
(4 ) Your sleep environment - such as lights, sound, temperatures and even smells
(5 ) And finally, stimulants - such as caffeine, for example.
So here are some easy to implement actions you can try tonight to improve your quality of sleep:
(1 ) Create a sleep routine - aim to have a consistent pattern of when you go to bed and when you get up each day. Try and keep this consistent and give your body time to adapt to a routine schedule.
(2 ) Where possible, try and get outside into natural light for at least an hour or so every day.
(3 ) Avoid bright screens an hour before bed - the blue light exposure can prevent your body from winding down in preparation for sleep. Switch off your phones, laptops and TVs and allow yourself to unwind properly. There are only two things that should be going on in the bedroom and one of these is sleep.
(4 ) Your room should be free from light and sound as these can potentially disrupt your sleep.
(5 ) Both heat and cold can disrupt your sleep quality, so make sure that the temperature in your bedroom is comfortable - err on the side of being cooler. You could even have a warm bath or shower before bed to assist this.
(6 ) Exercising during the day can help your sleep in the evening. For some people, it may be best to avoid exercise before bed as it can increase stress and in turn impact sleep.
(7 ) Limit caffeine after 1pm. Caffeine is a stimulant and your body takes time to fully process it, therefore it can disrupt or hinder sleep if taken before bed.
(8 ) If you find your brain is racing at 100mph when you try to doze off, try to have a wind-down pattern in the evening - meditation, reading, planning your next day or taking a hot bath. Some light stretching or yoga can also help you wind down.
Making rest, recovery and sleep a priority will not just benefit your quality of sleep but carry over into how you feel the following day and can improve your overall quality of life and longevity.
Micheál Penston is the Head Coach at FM Fitness & Nutrition. They specialize in helping busy men and women to create the healthiest versions of themselves through educating and empowering around all areas of their lifestyle from fitness, nutrition, recovery and behaviours. Find out more about their methods at www.fmfitnessnutrition.com or social media handles @fmfitnessnutrition
