An important facet of ones lifestyle that is often neglected is sleep. Sleep and rest are as central to a good training regime. Sleep Hygiene can result in better performance, better endurance and increased stamina.
I stumbled upon Sleep Hygiene by accident, about 4 months ago my work location changed so I had to get up an hour earlier every weekday (waking up at 7am as opposed to 8am) but I was going to bed at the same time every weeknight (12am). I train for 2-3 hours every day after work, I presumed because I was now sleeping for only 7 hours that I would be more tired during the day and would have less energy for training, but in fact the opposite happened.
After conducting some research I found Sleep Hygiene, everybody has a different metabolism each metabolism has different sleep requirements, 8 hours sleep a day is by and large a myth. Through experimentation I found the sleeping conditions that optimized my performance (7 hours 20mins, dark room, bed at 12 rise at 7:20). I also found by following Sleep Hygiene guidelines my body goes to sleep within 3 minutes of lying down in bed.
Here are some general Sleep Hygiene suggestions:
Timing
* Try to arise at the same time every day.
* Try to maintain a consistent bedtime, but go to bed only when sleepy.
* Any nap should be short and earlier than 3 p.m.
Preparation
* Exercise regularly.
* Limit use of caffeine and nicotine in the evening if they affect sleep.
* Avoid alcohol in the evening as its apparent helpfulness is shortlived.
* Avoid television and the computer screen for an hour or more before bedtime.
* Try to avoid stimulating mental and physical activities before bedtime.
* Gradually decreasing surrounding light levels in the hours before bedtime may be helpful.
Environment
* The bedroom should be quiet and cool.
* The bedroom should be as dark as possible. Nightlights in the hall and the bathroom may help to avoid bright light during sleep time.
* The bed should only be used for sleep and ***, not for other activities, as the association bed means sleep can be helpful.
I hope you all find this useful, this is an area of training that is often neglected and can make huge differences to your training.
I stumbled upon Sleep Hygiene by accident, about 4 months ago my work location changed so I had to get up an hour earlier every weekday (waking up at 7am as opposed to 8am) but I was going to bed at the same time every weeknight (12am). I train for 2-3 hours every day after work, I presumed because I was now sleeping for only 7 hours that I would be more tired during the day and would have less energy for training, but in fact the opposite happened.
After conducting some research I found Sleep Hygiene, everybody has a different metabolism each metabolism has different sleep requirements, 8 hours sleep a day is by and large a myth. Through experimentation I found the sleeping conditions that optimized my performance (7 hours 20mins, dark room, bed at 12 rise at 7:20). I also found by following Sleep Hygiene guidelines my body goes to sleep within 3 minutes of lying down in bed.
Here are some general Sleep Hygiene suggestions:
Timing
* Try to arise at the same time every day.
* Try to maintain a consistent bedtime, but go to bed only when sleepy.
* Any nap should be short and earlier than 3 p.m.
Preparation
* Exercise regularly.
* Limit use of caffeine and nicotine in the evening if they affect sleep.
* Avoid alcohol in the evening as its apparent helpfulness is shortlived.
* Avoid television and the computer screen for an hour or more before bedtime.
* Try to avoid stimulating mental and physical activities before bedtime.
* Gradually decreasing surrounding light levels in the hours before bedtime may be helpful.
Environment
* The bedroom should be quiet and cool.
* The bedroom should be as dark as possible. Nightlights in the hall and the bathroom may help to avoid bright light during sleep time.
* The bed should only be used for sleep and ***, not for other activities, as the association bed means sleep can be helpful.
I hope you all find this useful, this is an area of training that is often neglected and can make huge differences to your training.
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