Most athletes focus on their training programs and nutrition plans, but what about rest and recovery? Good sleep is one of the cornerstones of good health and is a powerful “training tool” in itself. While 7 to 9 hours is widely accepted as the optimal amount of sleep for most adults, getting too little can negatively affect your health. Sleep deprivation has become so common that many people may not even realize they are suffering from it. Some of the serious problems that a sleep deficit can cause include:

  • A weakened immune system
  • Poor memory
  • Poor concentration and mental performance
  • Poor physical performance
  • Stress related disorders such as heart disease, ulcers, and depression
  • Reduced growth hormone produced (accelerating the aging process)
  • Hunger and weight gain

Persistent lack of sleep has a cumulative effect when it comes to disrupting your health and can make your life miserable, as you may already know. Conversely, getting enough good quality sleep can improve fat metabolism, increase GH production, support muscle building, improve recovery, increase strength, improve physical and mental performance, and boost your immune system.

Here are several other natural methods for improving your overall sleep health:

10 Tips for Better Sleep

  1. Sleep in complete darkness, or as close to it as possible. Even the tiniest bit of light in the room can disrupt your internal clock and your pineal gland’s production of melatonin and serotonin. Even a tiny glow from your clock radio could be interfering with your sleep. Close your bedroom door, get rid of night-lights, cover your clock radio, wear an eye mask, use blackout shades on your windows, and refrain from turning on any lights during the night (even to go to the bathroom… if you can!). Modern day electrical lighting has significantly disrupted your natural circadian rhythms. Light signals your brain that it’s time to wake up and prepare for ACTION.
  2. Sleep in a cool environment. Many people keep their homes far too warm. Studies show that the optimal room temperature for sleep is quite cool, between 60 to 68 degrees. I suggest keeping your bedroom temperature no higher than 70 degrees F. Any cooler or hotter can lead to restless sleep. Your body’s temperature naturally drops when you sleep, and a cooler bedroom is more conductive to a deep, restful sleep. Consider open-cell foam mattresses to help you sleep cool.
  3. Avoid using loud alarm clocks. It is very stressful on your body to be suddenly jolted awake. If you are regularly getting enough sleep, an alarm may even be unnecessary. Choose an alarm clock with a less “startling” alarm, preferably one that gradually increases in volume.
  4. Reserve your bed for sleeping. If you are used to watching TV or doing work in bed, you may find it harder to relax and drift off to sleep, so avoid doing these activities in bed.
  5. Get to bed as early as possible. Your body (particularly your adrenal system) does a majority of its recharging between the hours of 11 p.m. and 1 a.m. Before the widespread use of electricity, people would go to bed shortly after sundown, as most animals do, and which nature intended for humans as well. When you get to sleep before midnight the quality of the sleep you get will be much more productive.
  6. Keep the same bedtime. Try to go to bed and wake up at the same times each day, even on the weekends. This will help your body to get into a sleep rhythm and make it easier to fall asleep and get up in the morning.
  7. Go to the bathroom right before bed. To minimize the chances that you’ll wake up to go in the middle of the night, go to the bathroom before hitting the sack, and avoid drinking too much right before sleep.
  8. Establish a bedtime routine. Establish a bedtime routine that could include meditation, deep breathing, relaxation exercises/CD’s, or listening to calming classical music before bed. Also avoid watching TV right before sleep and get the TV out of the bedroom (or even better, right out of the house!). Put away your work and any stressful activities at least an hour before bed to give your mind a chance to unwind. Journaling before sleep is also an effective way to “unload” your mind onto paper and stop it from racing when your head hits the pillow. I’ve been doing this for years and I find it really helps me unwind and relax.
  9. Reduce or avoid the use of drugs as much as possible. Avoid caffeine, alcohol, and drugs can interfere with your ability to fall asleep and negatively affect the quality of your sleep. Many drugs, both prescription and over-the-counter, may adversely affect sleep.
  10. Exercise regularly. Exercising for at least 30 minutes per day can improve your sleep. If you find that exercising too close to bedtime is keeping you awake, try to start your day with a quick workout instead. Studies show exercising in the morning is the best if you can manage it.

Try to implement these suggestions for improving your sleep and you will notice an improvement in your recovery, performance, body composition and your overall health. Sleep is so important to the quality of your life in so many ways; anything you can do to support better sleep will carry over to so many other aspects of your health and well-being.

Sleep on it.

Stay strong,

Josh