The King Of Recovery...
It should come as no surprise to you that sleep is the king of recovery.
Better than any supplement or quick fix on the market. It is after all the way your body regulates testosterone, cortisol and growth hormone. All essential to stress levels and repair of muscle tissues.
I should also make it clear the quality of your sleep is just as important as the quantity.
Most people know the story about quantity. 7-8 hours each night is widely regarded as the go to number. It’s easy to get this part right but a lack of quality sleep is what costs people the major benefits.
The quality part comes down to better sleep hygiene.
This doesn’t mean just having a bath or shower before bed. It’s all about the way you approach sleep and the environment you do it in. Here are my 3 keys to a better nights sleep:
Light: Electricity has only been around for a small part of human existence. Before this we were regulated by the sun and the only light we had at night was from a camp fire. As soon as the sun goes down dim the lights inside or use candles and try to avoid any direct light into the eyes for at least 30-60 minutes before bed.
Time: I go to bed within a 30-45 minute window each night. We humans are creatures of habit and the easier we can make it for our bodies to do what they need to do the better. Anyone with a child knows how important these routines are for babies so why do we stop as adults? Is netflix really that important to you?
Drugs/Alcohol: While they may help you get to sleep the effect of the substances on the body are still happening while you sleep. Your body instead of releasing the hormones required for repair is putting more effort into processing these toxins in your body.
Implement these tips and watch the quality of your sleep improve dramatically!
This is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to sleep hygiene. For those who want to take a deeper dive into quality sleep you can join our Accelerate Sleep online program.
Over 4 weeks you will cover 4 habits to use during your day and before bed to Improve your performance and recovery by increasing the quality and quantity of your sleep!