I can’t tell you the number of employees and athletes that I work with that tell me that they just aren’t getting enough sleep at night and because of not getting enough sleep it’s interfering with their work and their workouts. We all want to be as productive as possible on our jobs. We care about our workouts and our nutrition but we sometimes (myself included) think that we can get by without one of the most important elements of life - SLEEP! This state of life that we spend one third of our lives in often seems expendable to us.
One has to realize that the quality and quantity of poor sleeping habits can have negative effects on our entire body. Obesity, high blood pressure, and cardiovascular problems are just a few of these negative effects. Poor sleep patterns can also be related to a drop in IQ levels and lead to irritability. Plus, (here’s something to get your attention) not getting enough restful sleep deprives the body the ability to repair muscular damage from that day’s workout since sleep is the major time for protein synthesis to occur! Lack of sleep will sacrifice the release of growth hormone which is critical for individuals who are serious about their workouts. Growth hormones are released to aid recovery and to help build muscle. The time GH is released is when one is in a deep sleep. When deep sleep is interrupted or when one does not get the proper sleep each night, the growth hormone cannot do its job.
If we realize the importance of sleep then why in heavens name aren’t we getting enough? I’m sure a lack of sleep is caused by a number of issues such as stress, too much TV, family responsibilities or “just simply too much on my mind.” How do you know that you’re not getting enough sleep? If you can answer yes to the following, you probably fall into the poor sleeper category.

- You feel tried, sore and stiff in the mornings—not refreshed.
- You regularly feel sleepy during the day.
- You do not recover from your workouts like you should.
- You lose concentration and have memory lapses during the day.
- You toss and turn during the night.
- Your immune system is weakened.

If you fall into the above poor sleeper category, the tips below may be helpful in refreshing your sleeping patterns.

1. Sleepy or not, lay down at the same time every night so that when you do get up, you’ve been in bed seven-eight hours. The body likes to have a schedule, an internal clock you might say. I like to be laying down around 9:45 to 10:00 each night, so when the week-end comes around, even on a Saturday night I’m getting sleepy around the same time as on the week-days.
2. Keep your room cool, around 65 to 69 degrees. Your body is naturally cooling down right before bedtime, a warm or hot room can make it difficult for the body to shut down.
3. Melatonin (a hormone which your body produces naturally) is essential for sleep and is only produced in the dark. So make sure that when you do go to bed that your room is basically dark with no light creeping through the windows.
4. If your mattress is five - ten years old then it may be time to look for a new one. Remember that one third of your life will be spent on a mattress so it might as well be a good one!
5. Keep cell phones and computers out of the bedroom. These are distractions that can disrupt sleeping patterns. There is also some research that electrical currents can alter your sleep to some degree.
6. Have a light snack right before going to bed. Try a sliced turkey sandwich and cottage- cheese with a glass of milk. This combination will give you the needed protein and tryptophan to get you off to sleep in a hurry.
7. You may also want to think about taking some natural supplements that may aid in the sleep department. A few examples would be zinc, magnesium, arginine, melatonin, and valerian root.
8. Don’t train or workout within three hours of bed time. Training this close to bed time can jack-up your central nervous system and make for a long night of restlessness.
9. Stay away from caffeine (up to eight hours before bed time), cigarettes (a stimulant) and sleeping pills.
10. Try not to nap during the day but if you must, only nap for a short time. More than 25-30 minutes can disrupt sleep.
Hey if all the above fails to get you sleeping better, then simply fall back on this wise saying: “early to bed, early to rise makes a person healthy, wealthy and wise.” Here’s to a good night’s sleep!
Chip Sigmon CSCS*D
Fitness & Wellness Coordinator; Europa Sports Products
References:
1. GH Secretion During Sleep, by Y Takahashi, DM Kionis, and WH Daughaday; University of Washington
2. You Snooze, You Win, by Martin Rooney, Elitefts Sports Training, July 5th,2010