Easy Tips to Sleep Better
Whether you struggle with poor sleep; waking up during the night OR if you want to get consistently good sleep - this blog post is for you!
This week on Fitness To A Tee I've been giving you tips on how to get better sleep throughout the week.
Up to 48% of adults (Sleep Foundation) suffer from insomnia and other sleep-related conditions.
One of the biggest issues when clients start with me, is poor sleep. I also used to suffer from insomnia myself and also use all the tips I recommend in this blog.
Why sleep matters
Sleep is essential for a healthy body as poor sleep affects the body and brain. Consistently poor can lead to effects such as:
🌿low concentration + memory
🌿poor mental + emotional health
🌿obesity
🌿struggling to lose weight
🌿unhealthy weightloss
🌿higher risk of type 2 diabetes
🌿high blood pressure etc.
So whatever goal you're trying to achieve, sleep is one of the biggest tools not many people talk about.
7 tips for better sleep
Here are my top, easy tips for better sleep. To see a video with the tips, click here now.
Exercise
The Sleep Foundation states that sleep and exercise have a bi-directional effect i.e. exercise helps you sleep better, whilst sleeping helps you exercise more efficiently. Research found that moderate to vigorous exercise can help reduce the time it takes to fall asleep and improves sleep quality.
For some people exercising too close to bedtime may not be good as endorphins (feel good hormones) released during sleep, can over stimulate the body/brain before bed. It is wise to exercise in the day and as far out from bedtime as you can - if you can avoid it.
2. Stretching
Stretching is great for relaxing and relieving tension in the muscles. It can be done before or in bed.
It is calming because of the slower breathing and it helps the body to regenerate and recover as you do it, along with after.
3. Meditation
Meditation is also a great way to wind down and I love it because I almost always fall asleep during it. There are also so many different type of meditations out there including guided ones on sleep; faith based variations e.g. Christian meditations and so on.
4. Deep breathing exercises
Fadzai (above) - 1 of my clients loves the customised deep breathing exercises in her plan, which she uses alongside the resistance based/weight training.
She says,
"The FTAT plans have really helped to improve my sleep pattern. I suffered serious insomnia before I started exercising, but I now sleep like a baby. On days when I'm anxious, the deep breathing exercises + meditations also help me a lot. They have kept me sane as I have a very busy lifestyle.
The breathing exercises really help me to calm down when I'm upset. They have become my secret weapon whenever I feel that I'm losing my calm.
The holistic health techniques have turned around a number of things in my health + life. So I'm now more energetic, I have a terrific glow + I'm more engaged with myself, others + life in general!"
5. Herbal teas
I am a huge fan of herbal teas and what better way to get good sleep than through natural remedies. So think a relaxing cup of chamomile; lavender; lemon balm or Valerian tea an hour before bed to help give you the sleepy vibes.
6. Other nutrition
Other foods which help support better sleep are e.g. sweet potato; kiwi; cherries; strawberries; spinach; chia seeds etc.
7. Gadget boundaries
There are so many ways we overstimulate our minds with screens and scrolling. Even if not scrolling, we are writing emails or using other devices most of the day.
Shy away from using your phone at least an hour before bed; use app timers; bedtime mode and schedule breaks away from social media.
With breaks away from social media, I started off in 2020 by taking half days off; then I moved into full days in 2021 and this year - I can take weeks off and really unwind. It helps you reconnect to yourself and can be the burst of rejuvenation you need!
For Fitness To A plans which also help you get better sleep - take a peek here and feel free to get in touch with me for any questions here.