Sleep, it’s all in the ZZZ’s

I hope you’re doing well. Today I wanted to briefly chat about another factor besides diet and exercise that may prevent you from achieving your goals. This is part of your tangible results, mental clarity, and feelings of general well-being.

Sleep is something we tend to sacrifice first when we’re trying to reach a deadline or want to party for an extra few hours. While it’s normal that we lose some sleep, it’s actually very important that you get consistently good quality sleep. When we sleep, our body gets an opportunity to rejuvenate and repair itself, our hormones are regulated, and you should wake up with a clear head, ready to make good decisions and smash your daily routines.

Some people are more prone to having sleep issues, which you should speak to your doctor about, but there are some things we can do to help us sleep better.

Our hormones play a huge role in our behavior. Men low in testosterone tend to be more lethargic and thus demotivated so if you’re feeling off for a long period of time, you may want to get that sorted by visiting your doctor. In women hormone levels typically fluctuate quite rapidly so you need to bear this in mind on your journey. During the pre-menstrual cycle, you will experience more hunger because the body is preparing to undergo an energetically exhaustive process, you will also retain a lot of water, so weight gain at this time is normal but not permanent. Keep a track of it.

When we are stressed out, our central nervous system reacts to this, stress makes our body think there’s imminent danger. Stress releases hormones, increasing blood pressure, increasing breathing and heart rate which plays havoc with your body. This affects you physically as well as mentally, some people eat more, others eat less, it makes you more prone to falling sick, and certain mental illnesses can even alter your normal behaviour. So, it’s important to take time out of your day just for yourself. Many successful people carve out 5 minutes to meditate, sitting and breathing without thinking about anything except the present moment. Going for a walk or having a stretch to clear your mind are other ways you can take a little breather and stay balanced.

Firstly, set an alarm, the average human needs 6-9 hours of sleep a night, so depending on when you need to wake up, count backward and decide when lights out need to be. Secondly, practice good sleep hygiene. Keeping your sleeping area free from distractions, no laptop, no phone, no gadgets. The blue light from our screens interrupts the production of melatonin (the sleepy hormone), so put it away. Thirdly, if your mind races, keep a notebook nearby, write them down so that you can sort it out in the morning. Lastly, make sure you time your caffeine intake, as a rule of thumb, none after 4 pm. Stimulants play havoc with our ability to fall asleep so keep them to a minimum.

I wish you a long happy life with some much-needed recharge time.

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