Somewhere between our fancy electronics and all of its conveniences, we devalued the simple habit of a good night’s sleep. It’s somehow bragging rights to hear someone say, “I’ll sleep when I die.” Or, “I don’t need more than 4 hours of sleep a night.” Clearly, if you believe this you aren’t sleeping much because if you were feeling the benefits of a good night’s sleep, you would want to continue feeling this way.
Lose a few unwanted pounds
According to a study published in 2014, researcher from the University of New South Wales in Australia, concluded that when weight is lost, the majority of it is breathed out as carbon dioxide, during sleep. If you’re a runner looking for ways to speed up, some estimates project that losing ten pounds can result in a savings of 20 seconds per mile.
Improve your mental stamina
Staying driven to exercise and keep fit means a good mental attitude. Rest and recovery during sleep isn’t just for the body only, it is for the mind too. A person with a clear mind can react faster
Boost your immune system
Sleep can help you stay in the game more often if you’re not busy being sick. The fastest way to lose fitness is to get sick and not be able to workout.
The research has been done but until you do it yourself and reap the benefits, it’s hard to believe that you can sleep your way to being fit sooner than later.
3 Good sleep hygiene habits:
- Turn off all electronic devices (TV, cell phones, computers, etc) 1 hour before bedtime
- Ensure your room is dark with no sleep disruptions in your bed (snoring bed partner, pets)
- Schedule 8 ½ hours of sleep time
Ready to get started with good sleep habits? Evaluate your sleep routine by tracking your sleep habits for a week using this sleep diary provided by the National Sleep Foundation.
Additional related articles on sleep and exercise
http://running.competitor.com/2014/05/recovery/better-sleeping-for-better-running_77427
http://www.gssiweb.org/Article/sse-113-sleep-and-the-elite-athlete
https://sleep.org/articles/how-sleep-affects-athletes/

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