While many consider working out and what we eat to be the two-headed dragon when it comes to optimal health and performance, we tend to forget about the third -sleep. A quality sleeping regimen is equally as important as our fitness and nutrition goals. Without a good night’s rest, you immediately increase the risks of experiencing negative side-effects like poor-performance, slower cognition, mood swings, hormone fluctuation, weight gain, and depression. An improved sleeping regimen can be adjusted pretty instantaneously providing immediate benefits.

In 2021, those of us who love what we do, love “the hustle”, and the “grind-life” which are often put on a pedestal too. However, being unbalanced too consistently can lead to poor sleep cycles, lack of rest/recovery, and can ultimately can burn you out. Instead, we need to flip the switch on what is truly important so that we can tackle life with a new vengeance. Finding a balance in our workload vs rest/recovery can be such a bittersweet. I feel this in my soul, especially when we get on a roll with something!

Benefits of Quality Sleep

Some of the benefits of a proper sleeping regimen are:

• Reduced stress
• Improved mood
• Improved performance
• Weight maintenance/Weight Loss
• Improved brain function
• Improved mood
• Normalize health/blood markers
• And more.

So, how can one improve their sleep? Here are some helpful tips that you can implement into your daily/nightly routines immediately! Let’s get into it.

Tips to Better Sleep

• Reduce light exposure before bedtime (especially blue light, emitted by digital devices)
• Avoid overconsumption of caffeine during the day (and avoid it all together closer to bedtime)
• Go to bed at the same time and wake up at the same time every day (consistency is key)
• Set your bedroom temperature to your comfort (I sleep better with heat, some do with cold.. or a fan)
• Consider natural melatonin supplements, if needed
• If you’re a workaholic, schedule your day to END in the early evening (downtime and unwinding are key to a restful sleep)
• Optimize your lifestyle (i.e. exercise regularly, eat healthy)
• If you struggle with sleep, avoid alcohol, sugar, screen-time.

The importance of sleep is undeniable by looking at the key role it plays in an optimal, healthy lifestyle. So many studies verify this fact. If you haven’t yet considered it to be a crucial aspect of health, hopefully this article has enlightened you. If nothing else, don’t become overwhelmed or concerned- Choose two or three tips from the list above and give it a try.

-Christina