Life Time Fitness, How To Get Optimal Sleep

Did you know that your optimal sleeping hours should be between 10 pm and 6 am? This is because of your circadian rhythm.

The quality and quantity of sleep you get is so important to overall health. Some people have a hard time falling asleep, they will lie in bed for 10 to 30 minutes or more trying to force themselves to fall asleep, but their brain just can't "shut off." If this happens occasionally, it’s probably not an issue, but if this is happening on a nightly recurrence, you may want to look at getting help to fall and stay asleep.

Here are some ways to help you get optimal sleep. (Information taken from this post).

Turn down the lights: Part of your body’s circadian rhythm is influenced by the light/dark cycle you’re exposed to every day. Artificial light extends the “day” part of the cycle far past what it would normally be without electricity. Make it a point to turn off extra lights and stop staring at a computer or television screen an hour before bed. Not only will you reduce light exposure, you won’t be dwelling on the last email or business topic you were working on just minutes before you laid down to sleep allowing your brain to slow down.Read a book: Reading, especially if it’s light reading like a fiction book, can allow you to take your mind off everything else going on. Try beginning your reading half an hour before you want to fall asleep. If you do most of your reading on a tablet or E-Reader, be sure to set the background to black. You’ll still be exposed to some artificial light, but it won’t be as much as with a white or beige background. Try real books as much as possible :)

Modify your training time: A walk or leisurely bike ride in the evening may not disrupt your sleep, but a high-intensity training session or group fitness class very well might. The benefits of a great training session usually don’t outweigh the sacrifice of quality sleep. If you typically work out in the evening and have trouble sleeping, you may need to modify your workout type or time. This will help lower cortisol and help you sleep!

Consider nutritional supplements: Everyone responds differently to nutritional supplements, so it may require a little trial and error. The two most popular nutritional supplements at Life Time that support restful sleep are Relora and melatonin. Relora is a blend of herbs designed to help an individual relax. It can be used at any time during the day when individuals may feel a little more “stressed out” or anxious. Melatonin is actually a hormone the body produces on its own, but when our circadian rhythms are disrupted by inconsistent sleep, stress, time zone changes or for other reasons, production of this important hormone is reduced. Supplementing with melatonin prior to bedtime may help people fall asleep and attain a deeper level of sleep.

I hope this information can help you sleep better and remember, I’m here for YOU, so please share questions and comments below!

—Gina Batcheller, Health and Fitness Professional, Life Time Fitness