Get the Best Sleep Ever

Remember the last time you had an AMAZING sleep? Time to do it again!

Many people don’t realize that the one thing preventing you from succeeding in your life, fitness, and health goals is your SLEEP! With the busy lifestyles you live each day, have you ever cut out those extra hours of sleep to get more “stuff” done? Did it lead you to waking up the next morning hating life!? Has the lack of sleep caused issues with your job, family, relationships, mood, or all of the above? Then you’ve come to the right place. Today I will discuss the true potential that lies within a GOOD nights sleep, and how YOU can maximize your sleep potential and get the best sleep ever.

Ready for the real shocker though? The Science Transitional Magazine just released a study that those adults who limit their sleep to 5 hours or less end up facing obesity and and diabetes challenges!!⁽¹⁾

That’s not all, the best athletes that you see in the Olympics and on the field have reported a heightened performance after a solid 10 hours of sleep.(2)

8 Tips to Getting the Best Sleep You’ve Ever Had!

Taking the prior sentence to heart, let’s say you ARE getting more than 5 hours of sleep in one day. Do you still wake up tired or UN-rested? This might be a lack of deep sleep, and the following 8 tips can help get your body set-up for success while you are catching those ZZzzzzzzzz’s.

1. Exercise! – Of course this is a fitness site, so the top of our list hosts the most important piece of sleep. Professor Jim Horne said it best that the post-workout cool down makes you sleepier as a result of your body expelling the excess heat.(3)
   
2. Shhh…Keep it quiet! – Avoid falling asleep to the loud TV or music, as it might be disruptive when trying to get that deep sleep. Get ear plugs if you need to, or read a book quietly.
3. Sleep in the Dark – your natural circadian rhythms tend to get better sleep when they are supported by less light. In fact, when it is darker out, your body produces more melatonin, which equals better sleep.
4. Take a Bath – The cool thing about taking a nice shower or a nice long bath is that it helps reset your body’s internal temperature. In turn, this allows a period of cool down which is optimal for sleep.
5. Caffeine! – It’s not what you think. While I’m sure it would be great for me to say “drink a lot of caffeine before bed!”, I’m sure we can all agree that this wouldn’t help with sleep at all. Consider timing your caffeine, and not drinking any caffeinated beverage at least four (4) hours before bed.
6. Bedtime Drink – try drinking some warm milk with one pinch of cinnamon and/or cardamom to help calm your senses and get you prepared for bed time.
7. Determine that Bed TIME – Stick to the time that you set for your bed time. The more consistent you are with the “bed” time and the “awake” time, the more your body will start to create good sleep patterns.
8. Smells can make a difference – Try some aromatherapy to get that much needed sleep. Lavendar, chamomile, scented candles, Pink Zebra sprinkles, are great ways to set the scent mood.

Thanks for reading! I hope you found this information helpful. If you did, use the sharing buttons to share this with others who might find it interesting. Also, leave me a comment and let me know how these have worked for you, and if you have any other great ideas for catching some great Zzzz’s.

Have a great night’s sleep!

Bob Sharpe

All About Bob

In 2010, Bob Sharpe was 70 pounds overweight and struggling with Acid Reflux. After getting his life in shape, he dedicated himself to a healthier lifestyle. Now, after losing 70 pounds and being in the best shape of his life, his goal is to help others do the same through his Beachbody coaching and assistance here on SharpeFIT.com. Bob Sharpe on Google + | Leaders Only – Click Here

(1)American Academy of Sleep Medicine (2012, July 1). Sleep deprivation effect on the immune system mirrors physical stress. ScienceDaily.

(2) The Effects of Sleep Extension on the Athletic Performance of Collegiate Basketball Players. Cheri D. Mah, Kenneth E. Mah, Eric J. Kezirian, William C. Dement Sleep. 2011 July 1; 34(7): 943-950

(3) Sleep Research Centre at Loughborough University: http://www.lboro.ac.uk