I have said it before, and I will say it again, don’t overlook recovery. If you are spending a good portion of your week pursuing your ultimate form, then you should spend the other portion focused on recovery. It is the ying and yang my friends. You train hard, you recover hard! You lift heavy a$$ weights, you stretch those tight muscles out, got it? One task many, myself sometimes included miss is adequate amounts of sleep. Sometimes, we end up burning the candle at both ends and find ourselves slowly losing recovery speed. For many, the shortcoming stems from not being able to put themselves in a position to get good sleep. Hakuna Matata gang, I got you covered. Here are tips and tricks I have used to get the best sleep of my life.
Tip #1 Relocate the Tech
For most of us we use our cell phones as our alarm in the morning. This means the phone is relatively close to us while we sleep. The light from the phone along with alerts can wake you up. Instead of keep the phone right next to you, turn the alarm volume up and place the phone somewhere further away. This will also help to fight off the evil snooze button. You will be forced to get out of bed and actually walk over to turn the alarm off.
Tip #2 Find a Relaxation Technique
One reason a person may have issues getting to sleep is the amount of energy they still have from earlier in the day. Whether it is stress from work earlier, later workout, or too much food at dinner time we hold onto energy. To help shift the body into a state of relaxation I recommend some slower yoga practices paired with deep diaphragmatic breathing. You can also use some guided meditations specifically made for sleep. An even simpler technique could be listening to calming music and reading for up to one hour before bed. Which ever technique you decide to try, my suggestions or something different, be sure to focus on the goal.. relaxation.
Tip #3 Get hot before you get cold.
Maybe it is widely know, maybe not, but sleeping in a colder room in recommended. They generally recommend to have your bedroom temperature between 65-72. I like to keep the room around 65 as I run normally run hot. Bringing the body’s temperature will naturally induce sleep in most individuals. So, what I am recommending is taking a warm shower or soak before going to bed. This will get the temperature up before you set foot into the cold bedroom and into your cold bed. The body’s temperature will start falling, and again induce sleep.
Tip #4 Timing is everything
To really get the quality sleep your body needs, you should be getting not only the recommended number of hours, but also the correct time frame. Going to bed and waking up at the same times will set a rhythm for the body to follow. You will be able to fall asleep more easily and stay asleep.
Sleep may not always come easy in a hectic lifestyle. We are constantly running around and having to keep our focus on a million tasks. Must of us understand the power in getting good sleep, but never take the time to practice quality control. Using the tips I have listed, I am sure you can start to develop a pattern of restful sleep. Remember, be patient and consistent with your sleep schedule. If after trying these new ideas, your a still unable to get quality sleep, please consult your physician. Quality, efficient sleep should not just be for a few, but for all.
HoWEtrain 