Exercise and good nutrition go hand in hand to achieve good health, but what about sleep? Most of us know the importance of regular physical activity and getting your 2 fruit and 5 veg per day, however sleep is also just as important for good health. If you find yourself tossing and turning night after night and feel like you’ve tried every trick in the book, we’ve researched the best ways to get more quality ZZ’s.
With good nutrition and exercise, sleep is now recognised as one of the pillars of good health. A lack of sleep has been shown to have a major impact on mood, memory, and quality of life.
We spend a massive 1/3 of our whole lives asleep. A good night’s sleep is key for optimal health, keeping you focused and sharp throughout the day and making sure you kick your goals, no matter what they are.
We at Athletic Sport are busy bee’s just like you and know that to get a good night’s sleep, we need to create a schedule, just like you would for your diet or your exercise regime. Grab a pillow and curl up - here are our 6 ways to a better night’s sleep!
1: Have a regular sleep pattern
Aim to go to bed and wake up around the same time each day. This helps your body’s natural body clock aka circadian rhythm work efficiently. While you won’t hear it tick, your body’s clock is a major part of regulating your sleep wake/cycle. Helping you to feel sleepy at bedtime and energised as soon as you open your eyes.
2: Bed is for snoozing not entertainment
While we all love a good Netflix binge with some delicious snacks, try to avoid the bedroom unless you are sleepy. If you use your room for more than just sleeping, having dedicated sections can help you create the distinction between sleep, relaxing and work. Avoid having a tv in your room if you can and always do work at a desk rather than sitting in bed. These tricks of the trade help your body to sub-consciously make the link between bed and sleep, helping you to get a more quality rest. If you find you can’t lie down and sleep straight away, invest in a good read and do this to wind down before bed.
3: Don’t watch the clock
If you find yourself lying awake and looking at the clock, you can find yourself feeling anxious about how much sleep that you are getting. If possible, remove all electronic devices from the bedroom, or if that is not possible, make sure that alarm clocks are not visible near your bed.
4: Make your room comfortable
Making sure your bedroom is dark and as quiet as possible helps to regulate the production of melatonin, a hormone which is responsible for telling your body when to sleep and wake up. Ensuring that your mattress and pillow provide support for body and keeping the room temperature around 24 degrees, helps to ensure you get a quality and restful sleep.
5: Add more nuts to your diet.
Nuts like walnuts, cashews, almonds, and pistachios are loaded with magnesium and melatonin to help you relax and get a better night’s sleep.
6: Add Adrenal Cort to your diet.
We are faced with more stress and pressure then ever before. Juggling work, family commitments and taking time out for self-care can be quite the difficult act. Adrenal Cort is our solution to making sure you have the energy and stamina to get through your day. We’ve harnessed the benefits of the adaptogen Ashwagandha. This helps to balance cortisol aka stress hormone levels in the body, ultimately helping you to relax in the evenings. We’ve also added Magnolia to help you unwind and relax. To find out more about Adrenal Cort you can read our blog post here.
Getting a good night’s sleep can be an impossible goal, especially when your wide awake at 3am. But taking steps to ensure you create a healthy sleep habit as well as supplementing your diet with Adrenal Cort are simple and easy ways to help you get a better night’s sleep.
