Everyone knows how important sleep is, it has a huge amount of benefits yet so many of us continue to suffer from lack of it and are continuing to go about our days in a sub optimal state. This short blog will cover some simple ways you can make the most of your sleep and start to feel the benefits during the day. I got the majority of this info from a t-nation article, one of my favorite sites. You can read the original article here.
First, some basic strategies you can implement right away.
Strategy 1 – remove any light
The light from electronic devices such as phones and laptops interrupts the quality of your sleep. A way you can block out any outside light is to use blackout curtains.
Strategy 2 – Avoid excess fluids before going to bed. This includes things like alcohol and any caffeine based drinks as these will prevent effective sleep.
Now for some more advanced strategies
Strategy 3 – Spend a few minutes the night before planning your next day.
Before you get to bed you can spend a short amount of time planning out exactly what you need to do the following day. You’ll be surprised at how quickly you can do this. Writing down your three most important tasks and seeing yourself getting them done is a great way to reduce any anxiety you might have before going to sleep. As a side note, its a great way to boost motivation the next day when you can tick off each task and have a more productive day. And so the cycle goes on.
Strategy 4 – writing down positive thoughts
Writing down things that you are thankful for creates positive thoughts which in turn reduces stress levels even more. These thoughts can be literally anything but are guaranteed to leave you feeling better and ensure a fuller nights sleep.
Strategy 5 – reducing low blood sugar crashes
Low blood sugar can be a common reason why people wake up throughout the night. Removing alcohol helps but there are other methods you can implement too. Consuming something which is high in fat before bed can really help, something like peanut butter or cashew nuts are a good choice.
So there you have it, some simple and effective ways you can help boost the amount and the quality of your sleep.
About the author
Michael is and Osteopath, trainee strength coach and competitive powerlifter