Here's How To Get A Better Night Sleep
Disturbed sleep – it’s more common than you think
If you you simply take forever to get to sleep, wake up during the night, or generally lack sleep, then there could be an underlying reason for this. One thing for sure is that you aren’t alone. In fact, a study by CDC (Centers for disease control and prevention) showed that 75% of individuals aged between 20 and 59 report having sleeping difficulties on a fairly regular basis. But what are the causes?
Causes of sleep disturbance
There is a range of factors that can affect your sleep. One or multiple factors from the list below may be affecting you. The more that are relevant to you, the higher the chance of being the victim of sleep disturbance:
• Stress: including both physical and psychological stress
• Work: overworking or worrying about work
• Diet: eating too much of the wrong foods and not enough of the right
• Exercise: not enough, or simply at the wrong time of day?
But don’t worry! It is possible to fix most of the issues that may be affecting your sleep.
GymCube’s top 5 tips for getting a better nights sleep
At GymCube we’ve worked hard on putting together a few easy-to-follow pointers to help reduce your sleep disturbance, improve your quality of sleep and help you to wake up feeling fresh. Try out some or all of the below and let us know if your sleep improves:
1. Get in to a pattern
When you go to sleep and wake up at the same time each day, your body becomes familiar with your routine. Hormones are released through the night to stop you needing the toilet, whilst your body also begins to wake itself up one hour before you actually wake up.
It does this through the use of your internal body clock. So, if you go to sleep at different times each night, then your body has to work into overtime to catch up - which can affect your sleep. The bottom line: get into a routine.
2. Practice a bedtime ritual
Doing the same things each night before bed allows your body to learn that it’s time to wind down. This may include reading a book, listening to relaxing music or taking a warm bath or shower.
At GymCube we recommend trying some relaxing yoga before you head to sleep. This can help you slowly transition from being wide-awake and active, to a state of relaxation in both mind and body. Yoga can also increase your flexibility and muscle tone whilst improving vitality! Give our Yoga for beginners a try today.
3. Exercise daily to improve your sleep quality…
A study published in the Mental Health and Physical Activity journal showed that 150 minutes of exercise per week, as per government guidelines, resulted in a 65% improvement in sleep quality. Participants of the study also found that they felt more active and less sleepy during the day.
At GymCube we have a vast range of exercise programmes that you can follow with ease. Whether you prefer to exercise in the comfort of your own home or at your local gym, you can take advantage of a programme to suit you today. You’ll soon see the benefits that exercise can have on your sleep.
4. ... but avoid vigorous exercise too close to bedtime
Exercising throughout the day can have a positive impact on your quality of sleep, but exerting too much energy too close to going to sleep can have adverse effects on some individuals. This can be due to a spike in adrenaline and an increase in the brains activity. Everyone’s body is unique; find what works best for you!
If you’re looking for an exercise routine that is of lower intensity for a late evening workout, you can try out our online pilates class for a great stretch before you head off to catch some zzz’s! If pilates isn’t quite your thing, don’t worry - we have a comprehensive library of exercises that you can choose from right here.
5. Avoid drinking too much before bed
Keeping hydrated throughout the day is important and can definitely help with your sleep later on at night. But in order to ensure you don’t suffer from sleep disturbance, try and avoid drinking too much liquid during the last hour before bed.
It may be obvious, but be sure to avoid caffeine, nicotine and alcohol close to bedtime too, as these can take hours to wear off, but can also disturb your sleep.
Can your diet have an impact on your sleep?
Put simple - yes. Caffeine, nicotine and alcohol can definitely have a negative impact on your sleep, but what about other foods?
A study that looked at the links between diet and sleep found that those who don’t sleep for long consumed less tap water and less total carbohydrates than the other groups of individuals. It also found that these individuals consumed less amounts of a particular compound that are found in red and orange fruits and vegetables. Overall, those who are sleep deprived tend to eat more fat-rich foods, simple carbohydrates and fewer vegetables.
For optimal sleep, eat a well-balanced diet combined with a good amount of daily exercise. Looking for tasty, healthy and easy-to-follow recipes to help you on your way? Why not give our blog a quick read - we have HUNDREDS of different meals and snacks for you to try!
Stuck on what to eat before bed? Fatty, fried and spicy foods can upset your stomach, so are often best avoided. Try something light, like peanut butter and a cracker for example.