Improve Your Sleep
by Andrew Berry on July 21, 2022So right off the bat, the objective of this article isn’t to go over and explain the many benefits of sleep, but rather give you 5 quick tips you can use to improve your sleep today. Let’s suffice it to say that getting adequate sleep is important for mental acuity, emotional balance, digestion, insulin sensitivity, energy and of course fat loss and muscle gains, recovery and much, much more. We are going to focus on a few things you can do to help improve your nightly rest. This is something I spend a lot of time working with clients on because it is such a crucial factor to their success. Some things I want to focus on include temperature, stimulant use, hygiene and light. While there are supplements that may be of benefit, I always like to incorporate solutions that involve behavior changes before adding supplements in where possible to try and save clients’ money.
- Temperature- your body temperature wants to drop for adequate sleep- about 2 degrees. Make sure that your bedroom is nice and cool. 60-65 degrees is ideal.
- Schedule- get on a regular sleep wake cycle to keep a healthy circadian rhythm.
- Stimulants- avoid preworkouts and drinks/foods with stimulants like caffeine at least 6 hours before bedtime.
- Sleep Hygiene- make sure your bedding is comfortable and clean. High quality sheets go a long way. Make sure your room is clean and in order that is pleasing to you.
- Blue light- invest in blue light blocking glasses. Blue light is stimulatory to the brain and can make it harder to wind down. Blue light is mostly found in screens like cell phones, tv’s and computers. You also want to dim lighting in your house in the evening in general.