In this week's Tuesday Tip, we briefly covered the importance of sleep. Everyone understands the importance and necessity of sleep in our ability to adequately function from day to day, yet sleep is often overlooked and not prioritized in our everyday lives. Today we will explain the benefits of prioritizing your sleep and provide helpful tips to maximize the efficiency of the hours of sleep you receive every night.
One of our mantras at OCRP is "work hard, recover harder." Many Americans experience a busy lifestyle where they are always on the go. In a day that consists of exercising, work, school, family, and so much more, we get caught in a rushed lifestyle. Regular sleep allows for physiological changes that drive training adaptation. So it is important to find time to relax, rest, and recover to avoid injury and allow you to feel at your best in training and throughout the day.
Samantha Zishka is a Physical Therapy graduate student at Ohio University (OU) and an assistant to Dr. Robert Wayner. Before OU, Sammie competed in cross country and track at Northern Arizona University. On the topic of sleep, Sammie explained, "Exercise causes microtrauma to your muscles and bones. This is a normal process, and your body does a good job of healing this tiny damage to build stronger and more well-trained muscles. Much of this recovery happens during sleep when your body releases growth hormones and other substances that promote tissue healing. The recommended amount of sleep for an average adult is 7-9 hours per night. Sleep helps you get fit just as much as the workout does."
Here are a few tips on how to make your sleep more effective:
1) Put down the phone
More than likely, your phone probably sits right next to you at night. We all may be guilty of this unnoticed habit. Although it may seem like looking at your phone before bed is a harmless habit, it can have a big impact on your sleep and overall health; you are actually stimulating your brain to take in more information and feel awake, thus inhibiting your ability to prepare for bed. Furthermore, the blue light from your screen not only can affect your vision, but suppresses melatonin which helps you sleep well and recover. The blue light can mimic the day time, which can help you feel more alert during the day, but not what your body needs right before bed.
Set some ground rules with your phone at night. It is recommended to cut off screen time 30 minutes to one hour before bed. Try putting your phone in another room. Yes, this would require investing in one of those old traditional alarm clocks, but it can make a major impact on your health and well-being.
2) Stay on a consistent schedule
Your body's internal clock, or circadian rhythm, determine when it is time to wake up in the morning and unwind at night. By sticking to a consistent pattern, your body will be able to find its natural rhythm. If your sleep schedule becomes inconsistent, your body will be at greater risk of drowsiness, mood swings, lack of concentration and memory. On top of all that, your body will respond inconsistently to your training. Find a consistent schedule that you can stick to in order to maximize your sleep recovery.
3) Find a routine
Similar to tips 1 and 2, finding a routine will help you fall asleep more easily at night. After establishing a consistent sleep schedule, finding a regular routine before bed will enhance your overall sleeping experience. Helpful tips for your regular routine include being aware of what you consistently eat and drink and the time you usually consume them, starting a ritual like reading a book or devoting five minutes to meditation, stretching, or other useful activities to help you unwind. Rushing around up to the minute before bed will not allow for an adequate night's rest. It is important to find a healthy routine that takes your eyes of the screen and calms you down as you prepare for bed to ease into a peaceful and effective night's rest.