So, I'm a little worried that after reading the sleep goal for this week, and finding out just how important adequate sleep is for body composition goals, you may be ready to throw in the towel completely. You figure that you're a lousy sleeper, there's no way you can get 7 hours of sleep each night, so this whole "eating right" thing is a complete waste and you're ready to go back to donuts and pizza. Stop right there...
Yes, a lack of sleep is a huge stressor on the body, but so is poor nutrition. Stress has a cumulative effect, so eliminating stress anywhere you can will help! You only had 4 hours of sleep last night? Well at least you ate whole, nourishing foods so that your body is better equipped to handle the stress of your sleep deprivation. Oh wait... you only slept 4 hours and you feasted on beer and chili dogs, after running 12 miles? Ok, well, that's not so good. You'll probably wind up with achy joints and a fever because your immune system is shot and your body is so inflamed.
Do you see the point here? Eating right, drinking right, and sleeping well are all vital to your health! But it's not an all or nothing deal. If you truly can only accomplish one of those items, that's better than nothing. So don't give up! And while you're working on improving all of these key contributers to health and a rocking physique, here are some tips to help with better sleep:
Lights out
This means a pitch black bedroom, with no light sources. Not even an alarm clock. A sleep mask won't cut it! Believe it or not, your eyeballs aren't the only part of your body that can register light. There are proteins in your red blood cells that can detect light and carry that information to the brain, which can block secretion of the hormone melatonin. You may have heard of melatonin- it tells your brain that it's time for sleep, and helps you stay asleep all night. Do you know what works in direct opposition of melatonin? Cortisol- the stress hormone. When cortisol is high, melatonin is low (this should be happening in the early morning when it's time to start waking up), and when cortisol drops, melatonin is elevated (this should be happening toward the end of the day, when it's time to get ready for sleep). When you are overly stressed, cortisol remains elevated, keeping melatonin from being released, so you lay there staring at the ceiling all night. And then, your cortisol/ melatonin production winds up being flipped, so that you're exhausted in the morning and wired at night. Eliminate stress wherever you can, people!
No screens
Avoid looking at your phone screen or a tv screen for up to 2 hours before bed. I know, this is how everyone winds down for bed! But these screens emit bright, blue light, which signals to the brain that it's day time, time to get up and at 'em! If you have trouble falling asleep, switching to reading rather than watching TV would probably be helpful. If you can't handle the thought of no screens before bed, download the app f.lux. This free app automatically dims bright white and blue light on your phone, tablet or computer and emits a warm light that won't shout "DAYTIME" to your brain. There are also blue blocking glasses you can wear to prevent the daytime-looking light from your TV and lightbulbs from entering your eyes. There are many out there- just do a search for blue blocking glasses.
Avoid sweets and alcohol before bed
Consuming sweets or alcohol close to bed time can cause a middle of the night sugar crash, which can wake you up and make it nearly impossible to fall back asleep. I know, that nightcap sure is great for helping you fall asleep, right? Maybe, but it's not good at all for helping you sleep all night! You're better off without it!
Temperature
Make sure the temperature of your room is cool enough to send you off to sleep. Your body temperature decreases to prepare for sleep, and a cooler room temperature can help facilitate this process and thus, your ability to fall asleep. How cool does your room need to be? Studies have shown that temperatures between 60-67 degrees are ideal. Go ahead and splurge on the energy bill to keep your night time temps low! Your sleep is worth it.
Exercise
Some people can really konk out and get a great night's sleep after a tough evening workout, while others feel totally amped up and can't settle down for several hours post workout. Know what works for you and get in your exercise, either in the evenings or early in the day! Everyone should be shooting for 3-4 workout sessions per week, but avoid high intensity exercise daily, as it can wind up being another source of stress, rather than stress relief. It's all about balance... be sure your are giving your body time to rest and recover between workouts. How quickly you are able to recover is greatly dependent on your overall stress load (good nutrition and sleep mean you'll be recovered and ready to workout again sooner!)
