HOW SLEEP IMPROVES YOUR RESULTS, HEALTH & PERFORMANCE!
You get into bed shattered after a long day. You know you need to sleep but still have a million and one things racing through your mind. You're just about to fall asleep and then you remember that one thing you forgot to do. So how do you ever get a good night’s rest?
This blog will give you 5 practical tips to start improving your sleep that you can start from today.
Sleep deprivation and overall poor sleep quality can set you up for a real groggy start to the following day, leaving you searching for that quick caffeine or ‘mental boost’ to kick start your morning. But as I’m sure you know, that only lasts so long before you're looking for the next kick start, and then you're into a vicious cycle of ups and downs throughout the day.
I remember a time whereby sleep just became one of those hard to come by things for me, and I thought is this the new norm that I just have to get used to? But what I failed to realise is that there are so many beneficial things that happen whilst we are sleeping, that contribute to our health, performance, and ability to focus.
I’ll spare boring you with all the scientific details but here are 3 things to note
Sleep helps to rest and replenish the mind, so that you're able to focus on the tasks at hand and push through a tough workout.
Whilst you're sleeping many hormonal changes are happening, that contribute to muscle repair and recovery, if you're exercising regardless of the goal this is vital.
These hormonal changes directly influence your appetite, hunger, how efficiently your body burns and stores fat
The daily kickstarts may feel great in the immediate, but stands nowhere near what improving your sleep can do for you! Not just today, but for the rest of your life. So here are the 5 tips you can use to start improving your sleep.
Find ways to cool down your body temperature before bed. Research shows that when your body is cool it releases a sleep hormone called melatonin.
Avoid exposure to blue lights 2 hours before sleep, simply put stop scrolling on social media, get off computers/phones, and binging on Netflix before bed. Blue lights delay the release of melatonin and disrupt your sleeping pattern.
Find a good night time routine that will help to de-stress your mind. Reading, yoga, meditation, or a good bath could be a good place to start
No caffeine 5-6 hours before bed. Caffeine can last up to 6 hours in your system, delaying the amount of time it takes you to fall asleep
Green, black or matcha tea are really good choices before bed as they include a hormone that helps to create a state of calm and relaxation.
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THE IMPORTANCE OF WATER FOR HEALTH
You get halfway through the day and then you realise you’ve barely consumed any water, and as much as you know you need it, the hustle of life tends to get in the way. A big part of this may be that there is a lack of understanding of what water does for you, your body and your mind. This blog will look at a few reasons why we need water for our everyday health and practical ways to help you get enough of it.
Amongst all of the other body parts, water actually makes up for a large amount of your body weight and plays a key role in helping to keep your brain, body and tissues hydrated. So it’s essential for us to maintain adequate water levels to support the health of these and ensure that they can function as effectively as possible.
During your day, your body loses water through sweating, breathing, exercise, digestion and being in areas of high temperatures. These are all-natural functions of the body to support you in everyday life. By way of example, sweat is your body's natural response to being hot, and a way of helping it cool down. The problem only begins where we do not replenish the water we lose through these daily activities.
To break it down into information that will hopefully resonate with you, here are a few roles that water plays in helping to keep your body healthy;
Water helps to keep your body and brain hydrated, maximising physical performance and mental focus
It is also needed to help you create saliva, which is responsible for breaking down our food, allowing your body to absorb the nutrients more effectively and put them to use.
Water supports your digestion by flushing out excess waste through sweat, urination and bowel movement
When we are adequately hydrated, water can also act as a lubricant for the joints and the spinal cord making everyday movements more comfortable.
Now that we have some context of how water can help us lead healthier lives both mind and body, the big question is what does a healthy intake of water look like?
For each person, this will vary depending on their level of activity, climate and any underlying health issues. But these 4 points should help keep you hydrated and maintain adequate water levels.
Start your day with a glass of water
Drink a glass of water with each meal
If your urine is dark in colour this may be an indication you are dehydrated
When you feel thirsty, as your body knows you best!