Sleep your Way To A Healthier You
I know trying to achieve a balanced life of health and wellness can sometimes be a bit overwhelming. As a personal trainer and nutritionist in Westfield, NJ I’m here to tell you that it is quite simple. In fact you can do it in your sleep. Which brings me to the topic i want to emphasize. It’s sleep.
Sleep is the most important aspects in living a vibrant and healthy life. It affects everything from our hormones, exercise, performance, brain function, and weight management. Poor sleep can even increase our risk for disease and cause us to make poor food choices, too… like that time you skipped the nutrition food and went right for the ice cream or chips!
But far too often alot of us find ourselves not getting the proper time and quality of sleep our bodies need. Don’t worry, however, because I’m going to give you a few dos and don’ts so you can get a great night’s sleep. Trust me, I’m not just a personal trainer. I’m a sleep expert as well. 😀
BRIGHT LIGHT EXPOSURE
It’s no mystery that the sun plays a huge part in our circadian rhythm (our body’s internal clock). This is why during the day when the sun is out, it’s important to spend a little time soaking in some of the sun’s rays. This has been shown to improve sleep quality, but also daytime energy. We’ve all felt that midday slump, like our battery is on empty and we feel like napping just to recharge. All it takes is a little sunlight or bright light mimicking the sun’s rays(if you can’t find the time to make it outside) to liven up just like you woke up fresh in the morning.
DECREASE BLUE LIGHT IN THE EVENING
While getting bright light during the day is important, decreasing your exposure in the evenings is equally as important. Specifically blue light. Blue light is one of the light spectrums emitted by the sun which lets your brain know it’s time to be awake. Many devices we use everyday emit large levels of blue light such as our cellphones, computer/laptop monitors, and televisions.
When you use these devices in the evening the blue light is constantly telling your brain it’s time to be awake, even though you know it’s time to start winding down. This suppresses your body’s melatonin production(the sleep hormone) keeping you up till all hours of the night, which is not good. There are a few ways you can combat blue light in the evening.
Try turning off all devices at least 1-2 hours before bed. Phones even have a setting nowadays that will shift the tint of your screen to a more amber color so it doesn’t emit as much blue light. If you’re like me and you get caught up on your phone or wrapped up in a tv show, try blue light blocking glasses. These are glasses with an amber/orange tint that help reduce the amount of blue light that gets through to your eyes helping you keep on a steady sleep schedule.
BEDROOM ENVIRONMENT/NIGHTTIME ROUTINE
I once read an article about how Tom Brady takes his night time routine very seriously. He’s one of the most decorated athletes on the planet and in order to keep up his performance, sleep is one of the most important tools in his arsenal.
It’s hard to disagree with Tom Brady and that’s why setting up your bedroom environment and routine is key.
Create a routine fulfilling whatever tasks you need to do before laying your head down on the pillow. Whether that be brushing your teeth, meditating, or just getting in that last tinkle of the day. Stick to it and you’ll notice your sleep will benefit. In the same realm, make sure your bedroom environment is set up so you can have a great night sleep. That means making sure there’s no light like I’ve previously stated. making sure there is no noise, such as your television going in the background.
Many TVs today have timers on them that you can set so the tv turns off even if you fall asleep before it does. Finally, there’s temperature. Your body’s temperature needs to cool down for you to fall asleep. If it’s too hot your body won’t relax and you won’t drift off into dreamland. Anywhere from 60-70 degrees has been proven to be optimal for sleep.
NO ALCOHOL
This may come as a surprise to some of you, but alcohol is not good for you. For a number of reasons. But for today let’s just focus on the effect it has on sleep. If you’ve ever had a few too many and woke up in the morning and felt terrible, even though you fell right asleep and slept for 8 hours, well there’s a reason for that.
Booze negatively affects your sleep and hormones. It has been shown to increase the symptoms of sleep apnea, snoring, and disrupted sleep patterns. It also alters your nighttime melatonin production and decreases your body’s natural HGH(human growth hormone), and both play important roles in your circadian rhythm.
EXERCISE
As a personal trainer and nutritionist I am thrilled to say that regular exercise is incredibly important for many, many reasons, but for sleep it has been shown to increase just about everything in regards to it. It has been shown to reduce symptoms of insomnia. It also nearly halved the time it took to fall asleep and allowed for 41 more minutes of sleep time. However, performing it too late in the evening may have the opposite effect due to its stimulatory nature.
Of course, this varies and can depend on the individual. If you find late exercise keeps you up, try a cold shower afterwards. I know that sounds like crazy talk, but a cold shower can reduce your body temperature, which gets elevated during exercise, and put you back into a more neutral and relaxed state.
NO CAFFEINE LATER IN THE DAY
A cup or two of coffee is a great way to start your day. I love coffee. However, caffeine too late in the day can affect your sleep in a negative way. Caffeine keeps you awake and alert. That’s the opposite of what you want when trying to fall asleep.
The crazy part is caffeine can stay elevated in your blood for 6-8 hours after consumption. That is a good chunk of the day. So before you reach for that midday cup o’ joe keep that in mind. If you just enjoy the taste of coffee like myself, try opting for decaf. There is little to no caffeine in it which will make falling asleep so much easier.
TRY SOME SLEEP AID SUPPLEMENTS
I just want to get this out of the way. Although i have chosen natural and safe supplements, before taking any, please consult with your doctor or medical care professional, and i implore you to do your own research to make sure they are right for you. Everyone is different and has different needs.
Melatonin-The first one is a quality melatonin supplement. Melatonin, like I’ve previously stated, is the sleep hormone our bodies naturally produce. Sometimes, though, our sleep schedules can get out of sorts, and our melatonin production can go with it. A good melatonin supplement can help get you back on track to a more regulated sleep pattern and schedule. Its non habit forming which is great, however if you rely on it too much it can suppress your body’s own ability to produce it. Again this is only to get your body back on schedule to producing its own melatonin. Somewhere between 1-5 mg 30-60 minutes before bed usually does the trick.
Magnesium- magnesium is a common deficiency in many people. It plays a huge role in many of our bodies functions. It can help improve relaxation and improve sleep quality. It’s actually found naturally in many foods. So before taking a magnesium supplement, make sure you get a count on how much you’re consuming already so you can get an idea of the dosage you need to fill in the gaps.
Those are probably my two favorites for improved sleep quality, but here are just a few more.
Glycine– a common amino acid.
Valerian Root– found in supplement and tea form.
Lavender– can induce a calming effect to improve sleep.
Sleep is one of, if not the most important thing for your health and wellness. If you find yourself having trouble with falling, and/or staying asleep, try a few of these tips and tricks. I’m sure you’ll notice that when you get good, quality sleep at night it will improve every aspect of your day.
Yours in health,Tony Bianchino
Out Run Your Fork Personal Training and Nutrition
PS, whenever you’re ready here are two ways to work with us:
- Talk to us on the phone.
- Book a free consultation. Click Here to SET UP Your FREE No-Obligation Personal Training Session or Nutritional Counseling Session