When we want to improve our fitness we need to look at our recovery. Oftentimes we find athletes are not getting enough quality sleep. Ideally we want a minimum of 7 hours.
I’m going to share some of the things I do to ensure my recovery is on point.
- Same place, same time
We are creatures of habit. If we can get into the rhythm of going to bed at the same time everyday we can greatly improve our quality of sleep. For myself it’s 8:00pm every night to wake up at 4:15 everyday, even on the weekends.
The weekends? Seriously? That’s time to sleep in.
Time is relevant. We have people working morning, afternoon, and midnight shifts. Their sleep schedule is theirs. You can adjust yours to go to bed and wake up at the same time everyday.
- Wake up naturally
I had a conversation last week with a member that has 7 wake up alarms. 7!!!
Ideal wake up time, wake up and still get coffee, wake up and skip coffee but get shower, and the if you snooze you will not make it alarm.
I used to do the same, until I heard Mat Fraser talking about a light alarm.
A light alarm gradually gets brighter to mimic waking up naturally to sunlight.
Using the light alarm has taken away the snooze alarm because I wake up naturally without an alarm pulling me out of a dead sleep and sending my body into panic mode.
You can get one on Amazon for less than $50. Here’s the link Amazon light alarm
- Sleep a little cooler
We spend a third of our life sleeping. I believe it’s important to give yourself the highest quality sleep possible to make the next day better. Which is why we invested in the eight sleep mattress cover
This mattress cover allows us to adjust the temperature on both sides of the bed and can heat and cool.
What i found interesting was not only did i feel better in the morning but my HRV (Heart rate variability) also increased. ( I wear a whoop that helps track my recovery)
You can also turn the ac down a few degrees, but I have found the mattress cover to be a great investment.
If we invest in improving our quality of sleep, our quality of life will improve.