The one thing I have learned over the last few years, sleep is one of the most important processes most of us take for granted. It becomes a badge of honor to say you stayed up until 2 or woke up at 4 to get moving.
Sure, if you are young, it’s easy. Let me offer this piece of advice: Sleep should be #1 if your health both physically and mentally is important to you.
I track my sleep and have for about 3 and a half years now. I use the Oura Ring for my tracking, but there are all sorts of tracking devices out there you can use. I really don’t think you need to use them for long either. Once you figure out what triggers bad sleep habits, you can pretty much count on those triggers disrupting your score time and time again. I have proof of that.
I will be completely honest with you, this is an area I haven’t quite mastered yet because I won’t give up my TV at bedtime. Mainly because I love to watch the comedy Modern Family or The Office to fall asleep. I love to laugh before I sleep.
Is this good to have the TV on? Nope. I know that due to the light. However, I set the TV to turn off completely so that helps. I also make sure I go to bed at 8:30 or 9 so my body has the time to relax and unwind.
It’s crazy what can keep you from having good sleep. If you eat too close to bedtime that will affect it. I try to eat as early as I can in the evening around 5 to have time to digest my food. I eat more dense food like steak so I do feel I need more time to let my digestive system do its thing!
Now a BIG thing that disrupts sleep is alcohol. ANY alcohol…period. I have proved this time and time again even if I only had a 1/3 glass of wine. So all of you out there who think having a drink before bed calms you down and helps your body sleep you are sadly mistaken and so many people I know do this NIGHTLY.
If you look at the numbers on the pictures I included, you will see what I mean. I had two drinks at dinner at 4 o’clock. (It’s not a normal thing for me. I usually don’t drink, but this was a family celebration. Still not needed, but every now and then I do, and I know I am going to pay the price.). I went to bed at 9 pm, 5 hours later and my numbers were STILL horrible. My deep and REM sleep was way below my average, even though I had over 6 hours of sleep. (I do try to get 8 hours)
Basically, your sleep is when your body recovers both physically and mentally. Try taking the next 5 days to test it yourself!
Do these things and make a note each morning how you feel.
- go to bed at 9
- Don’t be on your phone or computer scrolling past 8 pm
- Don’t eat past 5:30.
- Don’t drink during these 5 days
- Get some sort of exercise each day. Walking most of those days with some resistance or weight training in between. I do CrossFit because I love to be in a group setting and I have to be pushed or held accountable or I won’t do it. Get your resistance or weight training in how you want to…just do it!
Because my numbers were terrible, I will take it easy at CrossFit today. I know my body needs to move, but I also don’t need to stress it more with too high of intensity. I want the exercise to work in my favor, not against me.
There are other things I do, but I believe those are the top 5 most important. I usually add in a cold plunge or cold shower, grounding, and red light therapy.
If you do this let me know how it goes!
