Even this girl knows how important sleep if for a healthy lifestyle!
I rarely give up exercise time or sacrifice eating (I have to eat something every 3-4 hours or I am a BEAR!), but, I often sacrifice my sleep. This is NOT a ‘healthy CHOICE for a better lifestyle’!! oops!
Over the last few months we have talked about how our eating and exercise habits impact our health. Your sleep habits will also impact the success of your efforts. I tell my clients (and myself!) that our lives sit on a three – legged platform. I first heard the concept described this way a couple of years ago from John Platero (NCCPT, LA Fitness) in my PT courses. He explained how our food, exercise and sleep habits are all choices we make which contribute to our overall health. Making poor choices in any of the three can cause an imbalance, and an uneven or unsteady platform for good health. Not getting enough sleep will sabotage our efforts in the other two areas. Thanks for the good advice, coach John!
I have to admit that I started outlining and researching this article about two months ago and when I sat down today to write it, I had to go back and change all the ‘yous and yours’ to ‘we and ours’-because I am just as guilty of discounting sleep as a good choice as any of you may be! So let’s get back to good sleep choices together~
A few suggestions for better sleep:
- Have a regular routine of sleep; get up and go to bed at the same time, even on weekends or when you don’t have something schedule. This has a lot to do with habits in general and reinforcing and/or monopolizing on the advantages of good habits/routines.
- Turn off the electronics-we have heard about this a lot lately, but I know it is true for me personally, and probably for you, too if you experiment. Instead of the ipad, phone or kindle, read a real book or magazine (try some fitness articles), watch a bit of real TV, or listen to something.
- Try not to exercise too close to bedtime. The body’s response to exercise, though extremely beneficial overall, may not cooperate with sleepiness unless you finish a couple of hours before hitting the sheets. If you are a night time exerciser, consider a long warm shower or bath afterwards to soothe the body and de-stress.
- Eat and drink foods that induce a restful state. Milk and tea are great! I love the ‘sleepy time’ tea, but (warm, yes, especially warm) milk and any naturally decaffeinated teas are good choices! Avoid spicy and caffeine-laden foods and drinks, especially alcohol, of course.
- Be aware of any drugs you may be taking that could impact your sleep. This is often overlooked, so check any prescription drugs for possible side effects. The other, lesser known issue is that some of us have the opposite response to medications meant to induce sleep-Tylenol PM actually kept me awake all night one time!
- Pay attention to other things your body is doing or telling you-in particular, ladies of ‘a certain age’, there are pre-post-peri menopausal symptoms that wreak havoc on our sleep! Your Ob/Gyn can help you with suggestions or medications to ease of eliminate these issues.
- And for you younger ladies with children-something you may not think about: incorporate good habits with your children, most of these tips can be applied to them, in some form, as well. Getting children to bed well before mom/dad needs to be there, gives the body time to adjust to sleep mode, too. Instead of falling into bed, thinking you are exhausted and laying there or maybe sleeping fitfully, you may just be exhausted from the responsibilities of the day. Get the kids to bed early so they get the right amount of sleep (8-10 hours) and you have an hour or two to enjoy some time for yourself. Your body and your brain (and maybe your spouse) will appreciate it, too!
Sleep and be well! Your Best Fitness Friend
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