Do you struggle from sleep deprivation? Do you have a mother, father, sibling or friend who seems to always complain about their lack of sleep?
At Super Seniors Fitness, we understand the importance of achieving a good night's sleep. We know that with age, sleeping may become more frequent, but just because we're sleeping more often doesn't mean we're sleeping better.
In today's blog post, we're going to run you through the reasons as to why finding good sleep matters as well as looking at some tips to help your improve not only your sleep, but also your routine!
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Sleep is vital to ensuring the body can recover from any physical activity, as it allows the muscles to heal and energy to be regained.
In the words of David Robson, "sleeping for 8-10 hours per night is similar to fasting and this is catabolic to muscle growth."
Our sleep is measured by experts in four stages. These are outlined below.
As you can see from the descriptions, REM sleep is the 'deepest sleep' we can achieve yet it only accounts for 20-25% of a normal night sleep in an individual with a steady sleeping pattern.
However for someone who suffers from sleep deprivation, these numbers can sometimes be misunderstood.
Sleep deprivation has a huge impact on the human brain and bodily functions, impairing cognition, motor abilities and our mood. This can lead to more visible effects including our judgement, attention to detail and memory.
With sleep deprivation comes anxiety and tendency to think and feel negative. Individuals become irritable and your relationships with those around you break down.
These are symptoms that we all suffer from time to time. However, it's minimising the frequency of these times and learning how to deal with these symptoms which can improve the way in which you sleep.
Here are a few tips to help you achieve a deeper, less stressful and more meaningful sleeping routine.
Techniques to help improve your balance!
Don't eat just before you go to bed!
This is a common mistake made by many individuals who are just craving a late-night snack. Eating sugar before you go to bed can heighten your blood sugar levels when it is crucial for the body to stabilise your blood sugar to achieve meaningful sleep.
Hydration is key:
Like every health situation, hydration is key but it's important you take note of what you're drinking. I myself drink a litre of water each night before I sleep. Now while this might be over the top, it makes me feel very refreshed and relaxed before I head to sleep. Not to mention, it will help you with getting up the next morning!
Keep an even schedule throughout the day:
We all understand that some parts of the day are busier than others. However, try your best to keep an even schedule/workload throughout the day to ensure you're stress levels are under control. Going to bed after completing multiple tasks can have your mind ringing for hours upon end! While some of these situations are unavoidable, do your best to calm your mind before you rest up.
Avoiding Technology:
This one is a given. Just avoid technology. Swap your phone for a book and don't look back. Oh and be sure to turn your phone on silent as well!
Control the room temperature:
This is always overlooked by anyone who has a sleeping problem. An excuse such as, "it was too hot/too cold last night" can be overturned by a bit of proactivity! If it's too hot, make sure you're air condition has adapted or bring a fan into your room. If it's too cold, ensure you have plenty of sheets and duvets at hand!
