5 Tips for better sleep
We've all had those nights where we toss and turn and just cannot seem to get to sleep.
A number of factors can affect our sleep including our lifestyle e.g. jet lag, environment e.g noise, psychosocial e.g. anxiety, sleep disorder e.g. insomnia and medical conditions e.g. pain.
Whether it be from overthinking about something, feeling stressed out about something, or just not being able to get comfortable, this can all impact the quality of your sleep and often hence the quality of your day.
But, as we know if you've slept well, then you're likely to enjoy your day to its fullest. In athletes sleep helps to reduce tension levels and for exercise and sleep have positive effects on one another in the general population too.
Aim for eight hours of sleep per night to reset your circadian rhythms and bring hormones back to balance. Your body heals and resets over night!
Your mindset will go along way to helping you to stay positive even when it seems a long way off. See you on the other side!
So how can you help to promote a great nights sleep?
1. Lower your activity level.
If you're having trouble sleeping, then an hour before you go to bed try turning off your TV, your iPad, your PC and your phone. The reduced level of stimulation from all of this equipment will help your parasympathetic nervous system do its job, and activate relaxation mechanisms.
2. Check your nutrition.
Sleep quality is affected by what we consume, though can be improved by eating fruits, vegetables and fish and reducing the consumption of processed foods . Eating protein and carbohydrates an hour or so before bed can also help to ensure a sound sleep. Though whilst, increasing protein may help to improve sleep quality, low calorie, high fat diets will reduce sleep.
Zinc, magnesium, B- complex vitamins are important minerals and vitamins that help with a number of body functions, one of these being sleep.
3. Have a bath.
If your one of those people that loves a long soak. Try running a bath before you go to bed. The warm water will help to ease any tension in your muscles, help to warm the joints and generally soothe you. Add some Epsom salts to your bath for an extra boost.
4. Change your routine.
If you usually train late in the day, then train a little earlier. This way your sympathetic nervous system won't be so active close to bed time, and everything in your body has a chance to slow down and reset. Also don’t eat a heavy meal before going to bed, your digestive system slows down at night and so
5. Try a Body Scan
Try a Body Scan last thing at night to help you sleep better- Serendipity Wellness® with Tracy Richardson
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