08 Mar Are you Getting Enough Sleep??

So you have put together a thorough and effective workout and cleaned up your diet, but if you are not getting a minimum of 7-8 hours sleep per night, you could be seriously hampering your progress. Regardless of how intense your workouts are, you need enough sleep to make sure you get to perform at peak level and get maximum recovery for muscles.

Here are a few tips to ensure you get excellent quality sleep at night.

1. Stick to a schedule. Make sure you wake up and go to bed at approximately the same time. Oversleeping on weekends to 'make up' for lost sleep throughout the week does not help in the same a consistent schedule does

2. Try light stretching before bed. Although you will be providing oxygen to the muscles, you will be easing your mind and relaxing the body

3. Relax in a warm bath with epsom salts

4. Incorporate a sleep ritual like washing your face, brushing your teeth and reading a chapter or 2 from your book

5. A glass of warm milk or chamomile tea can help

6. If you have a busy mind then write down your worries in a journal or a to do list for the following day to give you peace of mind

    

Recent studies show that people who sleep 5-6 hours are 35% more likely to gain 5 kilograms over a 6 year period then those who sleep 7-8 hours. Add in the fact that lack of sleep makes you grumpy, feel irritable, forgetful and with less energy to continue your workouts!