Did you know exercise and physical exertion helps you sleep better? When a person is physically active for at least 150 minutes per week, daytime tasks are more efficient and people generally feel less sleepy at school or work. Additionally, the quality of sleep is usually better, too. If you find that you are still struggling to get a good night’s sleep then it would be a good idea to find other ways to improve your sleep cycle. This could be through getting CBD from somewhere like CBD Queen, changing your nighttime routine, reducing screen time, listening to ASMR, the list goes on. The quality of your bed and bedding is also a big factor when it comes to sleep. It might be a good idea to check out these best mattress options for you, you might find that your mattress isn’t good for you. Sometimes changing one thing can really make a difference. Be sure to find a mattress that’s comfortable for you. If you’re comfortable on this mattress, it’s likely that you’ll fall asleep much easier and enjoy a much better sleep. If you’re unsure where to go to find a mattress, you might want to consider looking at some Simba Mattresses, for example. A new mattress might help you to rest easier. If you struggle to fall asleep easily, you may want to take a look at your nighttime routine. You should get into the habit of performing a little self-care in the evening before bed. Some people find that a bath really helps, some people have a hot drink and some people have their favourite pyjamas. If you are not sure where to start overhauling your nighttime routine, maybe check out a site where you can Customize your own pajamas to get you cozy and ready for a good nights sleep.
For runners, getting the proper amount of sleep is extremely important for top performance. Check out these three reasons why:
Sleep Well, Dream Fast: Sleep for Runners
1. Weight maintenance.
Interestingly enough, adequate sleep is correlated with weight management. When you’re getting enough sleep, your hunger hormones are on point. But when you’re not getting enough sleep, the hunger hormone ghrelin is on the increase and will cause you to feel falsely hungry. Why is this bad? Aside from the obvious weight gain that most people are trying to avoid, it’s particularly bad for endurance athletes (i.e. marathon and ultrarunners) because the body is less able to store carbs ingested from carbo-loading. Therefore, a sleep-deprived marathoner is more likely to hit the wall than a well-rested athlete.
2. Lack of sleep leads to an increase in cortisol.
Cortisol is the chemical released in our bodies under times of stress and duress. Cortisol is one of the hormones utilized during a fight-or-flight response. Cortisol can be life-saving in an emergency situation. But when cortisol is continuously released (like in a sleep-debt situation), it can suppress the immune system and increase blood pressure, among other things. When the immune system is suppressed and blood pressure is increased, it can lengthen your recovery time. In layman’s terms, an increase in cortisol due to lack of sleep is not good. In fact, it’s bad!
3. Repair and regeneration.
Any time you complete a workout, your muscles tear and become damaged (usually just a little bit but sometimes a lot a bit). This is great for building muscle and endurance. But the repairs to and growth of muscles, ligaments, and bones occur during sleep. Without enough sleep and rest time, our bodies don’t have enough time to properly heal and regenerate.
There are many more reasons why adequate sleep is important, but these are among the top three for runners. As a general rule of thumb, the average adult ages 26-64 years old should aim for 7 to 9 hours of sleep each night. But as little as 6 hours and as many as 10 hours could be your norm. Be sure to get ample sleep to perform your best and achieve your goals.
Sleep well, dream fast!
xo
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Also linking up with Nicole, Annmarie, Jen, and Michelle for Wild Workout Wednesday.