When first trying to reach a fitness goal, it’s important to build a solid foundation by focusing on the fundamentals of health. One of those fundamentals of health that needs to be addressed and plays a crucial part in reaching fitness goals is sleep. Don’t underestimate the power that getting enough quality sleep provides. Its benefits are vast and its effects on building muscle, strength, and even losing body fat are immense.

So for this blog post, I will first talk about just some of the reasons why sleep matters towards health and fitness. Then, talk about my experience briefly with sleep. Lastly, go over some of the strategies I’ve learned and used that have aided in creating a sleep routine. 

Why Getting Enough Quality Sleep Matters for Health & Fitness

As I said in the introduction, sleep is one of the fundamentals of health that lead to reaching fitness goals. These fundamentals of health help create a solid foundation. So, let’s go over the benefits of sleep by describing it like building a home. 

Imagine building a home. The first thing that has to be worked on is the foundation. By building a solid foundation, the house can be built upon, be expanded upon, and be structurally sound. BUT without a solid foundation the structure of the house can be limited. 

So now let’s go over some of the benefits sleep has on reaching fitness goals

Some of the Benefits Sleep has on Reaching Fitness Goals

1. 1. Muscle Recovery and Growth
   2. Raising Energy Levels
   3. Aiding in Hormone Regulation
   4. Helps in Managing Stress

My Personal Experience with Sleep when Trying to Reach My Fitness Goals

I’ll be honest, sleep is something that for a long time I really struggled with. There was a time when I used to think that sleep was holding me back from making fitness goals. So, I would only get 3 to 4 hours of sleep a night and train six days a week…Definitely not a good idea. 

For a couple of years now, I’ve noticed that when I get enough quality sleep that I feel less bloated, more energized, and see greater strength during my workouts. I plan to keep improving on this fundamental of health and now I will list some of the strategies that can help in getting better sleep. 

Strategies for Better Sleep

Here are 16 strategies for getting better sleep

1. Go on Early Morning Walks

• By going on early morning walks, it’s like hitting the start button on an internal clock which aids in falling asleep later in the day. 

2. Dim the Lights in the Evening

• By dimming the lights, it helps send a signal to the body that it’s time to unwind. 

3. Turn off the TV

• Aim to turn off the TV and avoid it at least an hour before bed. Your goals matter more than the show.  

4. Make the Bedroom Cool

• Make sure the thermostat is at an optimal sleeping temperature. 

5. Manage Stress

• Stress can affect getting to sleep. Meditation is helpful. 

6. Stay Hydrated but don’t drink too much water before bed

• Too much water before bed can lead to waking up throughout the night and interrupting getting quality sleep. 

7. Make the Room Dark

• Making sure the room is nice, cool, quiet, and dark can help with getting to sleep. Perhaps black out blinds could be helpful if too much light is getting in the room. 

8. Create a Sleep Routine

• Try going to bed at the same time every night. Yes, even weekends. 

9. Create a Solid Morning Routine

• Waking up at the same time everyday can also help in going to bed later in the day.

10. Workout in the Morning

• Helps with getting tasks done early and helps in feeling more tired later. 

11. Avoid Caffeine Products Before Bed

• Personally, I like to avoid any caffeine six hours before bed. Stay away from caffeine before bed because it can keep you awake all night. 

12. Put the Phone Away

• An hour before bed, put the phone away. There are plenty of distractions that could prevent sleeping. Try to avoid it. 

13. Avoid Emails 

• Avoid emails an hour before bed. Some emails can cause stress and distractions. 

14. Find Ways to Relax

• Doing Laundry, reading a book, even doing a puzzle.

15. Take a Hot Bath

• Helps with relaxing.

16. Start getting ready for bed 10 hours before work

• It usually takes an hour to unwind and decompress from the day. Then, plenty of time to get enough quality sleep and prepare for work the next day. 

Summary

Quality sleep is a key fundamental in health and creating a solid fitness foundation. There are many options and solutions in getting more quality sleep and it takes time to develop but can be a really game changer when reaching fitness goals. By following the steps that work for you, the goal is to get enough restful sleep for your internal clock to beat your alarm clock.