10 Ways To Get More Sleep

A good night’s sleep is essential for all people to function at their best and even more so for athletes who are involved in a lot of physical activity. Athletes who are involved in weight training or physically demanding sports need more sleep than normal people in order to allow their bodies to repair themselves. If we do not get enough sleep then our immune systems are placed at risk and we greatly increase the chance of getting sick. A good night’s sleep can leave you feeling on top of the world and greatly improve your athletic performance. Most adults need around 7.5 to 8.5 hours sleep a night and many hard working athletes would be best aiming for 9 hours a night. If you wake up feeling groggy in the morning then you are probably in need of more sleep. Our guide will give you some helpful tips on how you can have a better nights sleep.

1 Avoid caffeine

Try and have caffeine in the morning and afternoon only and avoid it at least four hours before you go to bed. This generally means avoiding tea, coffee and soda late at night (if you are an athlete you shouldn’t be drinking soda anyway but that is a different story). Caffeine can inhibit your ability to fall asleep and cause you to wake up more often during the night.

2 Stick to a routine

Most sleep experts agree that you should try and go to be and wake up at the same time every day. Going to bed at irregular times can disrupt your circadian rhythm and leave your with a poor nights sleep. Try and go to bed and wake up at the same time every day, including weekends, if possible.

3 Take a hot bath

A warm bath about an hour before you are due to go to bed can help you relax and fall asleep more easily. This is because body temperature has a strong influence on how quickly you fall asleep. Try and make sure the bath is warm rather than hot for best results.

4 Take melatonin

Melatonin is a great supplement that will help you sleep more deeply and wake up fewer times during the night. Taken half an hour before bed this supplement can really help you sleep well and wake up refreshed. I can personally attest to it’s effectiveness but you should probably use it sparingly and cycle on and off it to avoid becoming reliant on it.

5 Take GABA

GABA a naturally occurring amino acid and it is is the brains natural calming agent. Taking GABA before bed can help you relax and sleep more deeply.

6 Avoid alcohol

A few glasses of wine may make you sleepy but alcohol can disturb chemicals in the brain which cause your to sleep deeply. When you drink to much alcohol the quality of your sleep can be drastically reduced.

7 Avoid over stimulation

No it’s not what you think. You should try and relax in the hour before you go to bed and ideally not watch TV or read too late at night. If you insist on reading before bed then try and use a dim light to avoid over stimulation which can inhibit sleep.

8 Don’t go to bed hungry

If you go to bed hungry then this will interfere with your body’s ability to relax but you should avoid eating a large meal before bed because it will also keep you awake. A small snack like cottage cheese is ideal. Not only does cottage cheese contain calcium and tryptophan, it is also loaded with slow digesting casein protein that will help repair your musles and feed your body while you are asleep.

9 Hot milk drink

Sleep experts will tell you that the calcium and tryptophan found in a hot milk drink will help you relax and sleep better. The body converts tryptophan into serotonin which is a hormone that makes you fall asleep.

10 Temperature

The temperature of the room you go to sleep in can really affect how quickly you are able to go to sleep. A cool room is ideal for falling asleep in.

I hope these ten essential tips will help you get a better nights sleep.