Sleep deprivation hits women harder. Biological changes across women’s lifespan which are regulated by hormones like menstruation, pregnancy, and menopause commonly impact sleep. Many of the female professionals I work with get less than 6 hours of sleep and often complain of waking up worrying about work, finances, and deadlines. Their health and well-being suffer because of lack of sleep.

The High Price of Insufficient Sleep: lack of sleep impacts our biological systems and can throw things out of whack. Even one night of insufficient sleep makes our brain fuzzy leading to poor decision-making, stress reactivity, irritability, and incapable to execute tasks. And here’s the real kicker: if we keep skimping on sleep over time, it’s been linked to some major health issues like heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and even depression.

Here are some practical tips to improve your sleep:

Develop a Strategy: Sleeping adequate hours consistently is a goal you can achieve by understanding what good sleep is by doing research, consulting with a wellness coach, and then implementing the science-backed techniques and measuring the results. Like anything worth striving for it’s a goal you can reach with a plan.

Prep the Room: The most vital part of sleep hygiene is to improve and take care of your sleep environment. The room you sleep in should be cool and dark. Excessive light disrupts the circadian rhythm. Blackout curtains or sleep masks are some good ways to avoid bright lights from outside.

Keep your room free of technological devices because these devices can keep your brain wired. The blue light from these devices suppresses the natural melatonin production in our body, making it hard to sleep. Try to disconnect at least an hour before going to bed. Keep your bedroom cool for optimal sleep. Research suggests keeping the room between 65 and 68 degrees.

Don’t Snooze the Alarm: It is very challenging for our body and brain to get accustomed to a sleep routine if we have irregular sleep patterns. With a regular sleep schedule, you will experience enhanced focus, better cognition, and better mood regulation. This rule applies to weekends and holidays when you might be tempted to sleep in. Consistency is all about feeling refreshed and taking on the day with charged-up battery.

Get Some Sunshine: Our bodies have this cool thing called the circadian rhythm, and it gets all regulated by light exposure. Sunlight is like the superstar of this whole sleep cycle thing. Try to spend at least 30 minutes outside during the day. A healthy dose of natural light will reset your internal clock.

Relax Before Bed: One of the reasons we can’t sleep and stay asleep is because our brain is still active at night thinking about work deadlines or team conflicts. These stressors keep the sympathetic nervous system, the reactive branch of our autonomic nervous system active. It’s much easier to fall asleep if you are relaxed and your mind is calm.

Here are some ways to relax: read a book, try some controlled breathing, listen to chill music, take a bomb bath, or get into some super relaxing yoga poses. Speaking of yoga, even simple moves like the forward fold, legs up the wall, and downward dog can help get your blood flowing to your heart and head. This activates the “rest and digest” side of your automatic nervous system (aka the parasympathetic branch). So not only will these activities help you catch some z’s, but they’ll also keep you sleeping like a champ!

An optimal amount of restorative sleep is vital for health and wellbeing. Try the above suggestions for a good night’s rest. Let me know in the comments how you like to sleep better.

The post 5 Game-Changing Steps to A Perfect Night’s Sleep 0 (0) first appeared on Tone & Strengthen.

Many athletes do not clock in enough sleep. During the physically strenuous activity cycle, sleep becomes even more critical. Getting enough recovery sleep for athletes is very critical for athlete’s performance.

Benefits of Logging Sleep for Athletes while Training

Three reasons why you need to clock in more sleep during training cycles are;

Physiologic Benefits

To reap the benefits from training runs it’s critical to log in enough sleep so that your body can recover. Our body releases Human Growth Hormone (HGH) during the deeper stages of sleep (1). HGH is a hormone produced by the pituitary gland and released into the bloodstream (1). This hormone helps repair muscles, strengthen bones, and convert fat to fuel. In a nutshell, without adequate sleep, our bodies have a hard time properly recovering from workouts and utilizing energy stores.

Increasing Mileage Mean More Sleep

During the training cycle, when the running mileage gets high, the body needs more sleep. Because, while logging a lot of miles, you’re depleting your energy and fluid stores and breaking down muscle tissue. I start feeling sleepy during the day or want to sleep earlier if I am not getting in enough sleep.

Increases Injury Risk

For endurance athletes, the repetitive nature of the movements, high mileage, and more challenging training already puts them at higher injury risk. Now add sleep deprivation to the equation, and the risk of injury (2), illness, and overtraining increases many folds.

How Much Sleep is Enough?

Literature suggests at least 7.5 hours of sleep but over 8 hours of sleep is a good benchmark to have your best performance when running your base mileage (3). It’s recommended that runners should add a minute per mile per night that they run in the week during the volume and intensity building phases of training (4). So, if you are averaging 35 miles a week like me, you should add 35 minutes to your nightly sleep time. Let’s say you aim for eight hours every week then your nightly sleep should be

Regular sleep per night = 8 hours + 35 minutes for running about 35 miles per week

After reading the literature, it made complete sense. I was fatigued because I wasn’t getting enough sleep and recovery. This formula means I should be sleeping almost 60 hours a week instead of my usual 45 hours a week average. I was feeling drained all the time. My training runs started getting affected due to a lack of sleep and recovery.

Tips for Better Sleep for Athletes

Keep a consistent bed and wake time, even on weekends. A predictable sleep schedule helps maintain the body’s internal clock or circadian rhythm. Many internal body functions follow circadian patterns, like heart rate, blood pressure, and other cardiovascular functions. Sleep deprivation also inhibits the secretion of human growth hormone (HGH), which helps build lean muscle mass and aids in recovery.

Turn off your electronic devices an hour before bed. Yes, don’t sleep with your smartphone in bed. I see you on IG at night. YES, YOU! According to the National Sleep Foundation, due to the blue light emitted by smartphones, TVs, computers, and other electronic devices, the use of these devices should be limited in the hours leading up to bedtime. Try to turn the devices off at least an hour before bedtime.

Avoid strenuous exercise too close to bedtime. This one might seem counterintuitive but try to avoid a run or work out too close to bedtime. Avoiding strenuous exercise 60-90 minutes before bedtime is best. Not all activities are equal when it comes to sleep regulation. Yoga or gentle stretching exercises relax and calm the body, making it ready for bedtime.

Avoid heavy meals and caffeine too close to bedtime. Try to give some space between your dinner and rest. You don’t want to be too full going to bed. I love caffeine, but it’s best to stop consuming caffeine in the afternoon. Caffeine can disrupt your sleep up to six hours after finishing it. (5)

Make your bedroom sleeping heaven. Keep your bedroom cool and dark. Keep the electronic devices out of the bedroom. Messy rooms are stressful. Keep your room calm by keeping it organized.

Now you know the why and how of the logging in enough sleep during your training cycle. Try to add good quality sleep to your daily routine and you will reap the performance benefits.

References-

1-https://doi.org/10.1530/EJE-12-1037

2- doi: 10.1249/JSR.0000000000000418

3- doi: 10.3389/fspor.2021.705650

4- doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0194705

5-https://doi.org/10.5664/jcsm.3170

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The spring forward transition gives us darker mornings and brighter evenings. This delays our sleep-wake cycle, making us feel tired in the morning and alert in the evening. We go into a sleep debt for the month of March. Research found that the average person receives 40 minutes less sleep (1). on the Monday after “Springing Forward.” You would think we make up for the sleep loss, but we don’t. There are some other negative effects of this time change like mood disturbance, heart attacks (2), and traffic accidents (3).

To minimize the effects of time change, you can make some gradual adjustments. Here are a few steps to avoid the negative effects of time change.

Bedtime Routine-

Start a consistent bedtime. Going to bed and waking up at the same time each day – including the weekends. This helps your body regulate its sleep. Make sure you get seven to nine hours of sleep the week of and the week after daylight saving time transition.

Go to Bed Early-

Start changing your bedtime a week before springing forward. Start going to bed 10 minutes early each night.

Take Naps-

If you feel sleepy after the take short 20-minute naps during the day. Remember to nap early in the day. Naps close to bedtime interfere with sleep.

Don’t Sleep-in-

Don’t sleep in the morning after the time change. Wake-up at your consistent bedtime. It will help ensure you go to bed at the right time.

Go Outdoors-

Spend time outdoors the week after springing forward. Sunlight drives our circadian rhythms. Exposure to sunlight can lessen feelings of tiredness after time change.

Try these tips to make the day light saving time transition easier. Do you have any other tips to share? Share them in comments below.

References

https://doi.org/10.1037/a0015320

DOI: 10.1056/NEJMc0807104

DOI: 10.1056/NEJM199604043341416

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While you may not change the weather, you can take some steps to feel better during the winter months. The best cure for winter depression is to exercise your way through the winters. Not only will you keep the blues away, but you’ll be keeping fit simultaneously. Read on to find more tips for fighting off winter blues.

Embrace Outdoors

Wrap-up in some warm clothes and brave the weather. Wear layers that you can easily strip off as your body temperature rises. Make a playlist of your favorite music to stay motivated. Embrace the wind, rain, and snow. Find your inner child by running, cycling, and jumping over the puddles and icy patches. You will have so much fun doing it. Sign-up for skiing, snowboarding, or ice-skating lessons for a more structured approach to staying active. Taking classes will give you a result-driven structured approach, a sure confidence booster.

Join a Training Group

The best way to start the day is with some exercise. Can’t bring yourself to get out there on your own? Book an exercise class with your friends. You will wake up on those cold winter mornings because your friends rely on your support. Do you want even more out of your mornings and want to make new friends? Why not join a running club? Joining an early morning running club is a sociable way to move with others. You’ll feel superb at the end of your running session.

Join a Virtual Fitness Class

This tip is simple to execute, and you can stay active in your pj’s. Pj’s are just fine if that’s how you like it during winters. You can join many virtual fitness classes offered by virtual gyms. Plus, you’ll connect with like-minded people who will sweat with you. You don’t need fancy equipment or tons of space. It would be best to have a small workout space, yoga mat, and weights to move around. Try Tone and Strengthens virtual fitness classes where you will get structured workout classes led by certified trainers.

Get Enough ZZZ’s

The easiest way to boost your mood is to rest up. Sleep is a massive component of elevating your mood. One of SAD’s infamous symptoms is insomnia, which starts in fall and winter due to a lack of natural sunlight. According to endocrinologists, our circadian rhythm can get disrupted without a regular sleep cycle, disrupting hormone production. If you are going to get in an early morning workout, I recommend that you catch up with your sleep at the other end of the day. Rest and recovery are essential parts of working out. Getting enough sleep and maintaining a consistent sleep schedule can help you combat the winter blues.

Eat Right

Nutrition is as important as staying active to combat the winter lows. Winter season calls for an extra supply of vitamin D and serotonin-rich foods. Vitamin D levels are low during the winter months due to sunshine. Try eating vitamin D-rich foods and supplementing vitamin D during the winter months. Foods high in vitamin D like fatty fish, fish oil, tuna, and mushrooms can improve mood. Serotonin is a vital hormone that regulates our mood, feelings, and focus. Foods that boost serotonin-like spinach, eggs, hazelnuts can help fight winter blues. 

Try taking these steps to help minimize the effects of feeling down during the cold and dark winter days.

The post Fitness Tips to Combat Winter Blues 0 (0) first appeared on Tone & Strengthen.

Ready to get started? Here are a few ideas to get you on the path to a healthier lifestyle:

• Reduce Stress
• Clock in More Sleep
• Eat Home Cooked Meals

Reduce Stress- Ohhh! Stress. It seems to creep up so often. Doesn’t it? Stress can significantly impact your ability to maintain a healthy weight and your exercise routine. Stress produces the hormone cortisol. Research shows that cortisol triggers food cravings and increases insulin levels, which affects the ability to burn off those comfort foods (1). There are many ways to control stress in your life. Some examples are writing one affirmation about yourself every day, starting your day with a five-minute meditation, and writing a journal entry every day.

Clock in Enough Sleep- Most people need between 7 and 9 hours each night. This year putting more sleep on your new year’s resolution list will set you on a healthy path. Sleep deprivation sets up your brain to make not-so-smart decisions. Research shows lack of sleep slows activity in the brain’s frontal lobe, the decision-making hub. Plus, your brain’s reward centers rev up when you are tired and sleep-deprived. So, you reach for those late-night treats. This year take easy steps to improve your sleep hygiene, and you will be on your way to a healthier you. Some of the easy ways to clock more sleep are; setting a reminder to go to bed early, stopping electronic usage thirty minutes before bed, and stopping caffeine consumption after 4 p.m.

Cooking at Home- Put some cooking classes and meal planning on your new year’s resolutions list. You can learn to shop for and prepare healthy meals. Cooking at home will save you time, money, and all those extra calories. When you cook at home, you know exactly how much salt, fat, or sugar is going into your dish, and you can replace the ingredients to cater to your nutrition needs. Some of the easy steps to start cooking at home are planning dinners for the week, making a list of the ingredients, and buying your groceries on Friday. 

You can choose these resolutions that focus on improving your health. At the end of the following year, you might be surprised at how much weight you lost without putting weight loss on your resolutions list.

References:

1-DOI: 10.1146/annurev-psych-010418-102936

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