Prioritising sleep is a must, no matter how old you are, and as adults you need to aim for at least seven hours a night, or more if possible.
However, getting enough sleep and ensuring that the sleep you do get is good quality rest can be very difficult, with modern societal pressures often getting in the way, whether that’s work, stress, technology, diet or something else.
All too often, we wake up after a night’s sleep feeling as though we’ve barely closed our eyes and this can have a big impact on how we feel throughout the day.
For those of you who get a lot of exercise and who devote a lot of time to training, sleep is particularly important for helping you to hit your goals and give your body time to recover fully from the extra stress you’re putting on your system.
No matter what sort of sport or activity you pursue, your brain will need to process information very quickly so your body is better able to react. You also need to keep your motivation and focus levels up, all of which will be affected if you aren’t getting the sleep you need.
Lack of sleep can also have an impact on your glucose metabolism which, in turn, can then affect how you perform while exercising. And it can even make you more prone to sickness and bugs by impairing your immune system, so if you have been feeling a little rundown or perhaps you’ve not been able to train as well as you’d like, it may be down to your nightly rest.
In order to enjoy a good night’s sleep more consistently, try making a few lifestyle changes, such as avoiding screens for at least two hours before bed, not drinking alcohol, reading a book, not eating too late at night and making sure that your bedroom is dark and at an ambient temperature to facilitate sleep.
Keen to have a sport massage to ease those aching muscles? Get in touch with Clear Physio today to see how we can help.
