by Kelly McPherson CFT, CPT, CES


Sleep? A workout? Really? Well, if you've ever had one of those nights where you did more moving than sleeping and woken up stiff and sore, you know that a bad nights sleep can really feel like a workout. But really, sleep is a workout that needs attention to be properly done.

Good sleep is important. Really, really important. There are tons of physiological things that go on while you sleep. I don't want to bore you with the details, but the results are obvious. We feel better. Our bodies are repaired and prepared for the next day. Even our mental capacities are reset. The following are some of the results of great sleep.

1. Quality of workouts increase. The name of the game is recovery. The sooner you recover, the sooner you can get a quality workout in. The better quality your workouts, the better quality results. Sleep plays a critical role in your recovery as your muscles are healed while you sleep. If you don't get your sleep, that just won't happen.

2. Cravings decrease. There are lots of studies on this one and they all come up with different reasons as to why this happens. The suggestions have been everything from not being so tired gives you more power to say "no" to the cheesecake for breakfast to the body trying to get energy from somewhere when it is lacking. No matter the reason, getting sleep has been shown over and over again to aid in calorie management. Bottom line: We eat less if we sleep more.

3. Better blood sugar control. The risk of diabetes and diabetes complications has a direct relationship with the quality and quantity of sleep a body gets. I saw one study that said that people who got less than 6 hours of quality sleep on a regular basis were 30% more likely to develop type II diabetes.

4. Disease control. Continually breaking your body down without repairing it during sleep, leaves your body's immune system severely depressed. There are a ton of nasty bugs out there and I am way too busy to catch any of them.

5. Better Emotional Control. Anyone who has tried to take a 4 year old who is short on sleep to the grocery store knows that this is absolutely true. We don't outgrow our need for sleep as we get older. More depressions, ADHD, and a host of other mental illnesses would be greatly reduced if we would just get a little more, regular sleep. Now I am not saying that if you are struggling from any of these, that you shouldn't seek professional help. What I am saying is that studies have shown that regular, good quality sleep can reduce the symptoms.

I hope the above reasons will help you decide to put more effort into your sleep workouts. Basically, life is better when we get good sleep. But what is good sleep? This varies a bit from person to person, but most people need a regular 7-8 hours of good deep sleep each and every night. If you aren't getting this, it might be time to change some habits and do what you can to get it. If you are one of the millions that struggle to get some good sleep, the following are some suggestions.

Keep it regular. Most sleep experts agree that going to bed and waking up at the same time is really important. Try not to change your habits too much on weekends. This can throw off your sleep cycle and compromise your sleep during the week.

Avoid working out late in the evening. For some people, working out in the evening can get endorphins and energy hormones pumping and keep you up at night.

Avoid stimulating television shows just before bed. I can't tell you how many times the show we were watching just before we went to bed entered my dreams and disturbed my sleep. If you struggle with sleep, make sure that you don't keep a television in your bedroom.

Avoid late night eating. Gastrointestinal distress has caused many a sleepless night. This is the body's time for repair, not for digestion. If you find that you can not sleep on an empty stomach, grab something light like a cheese stick or a little peanut butter to keep the grumbles away.

Try stretching or meditation. Taking a few minutes to stretch the kinks out of your muscles and/or mind is a great way to get to a good quality sleep faster.

Make a bedtime routine. This is not just good for the kids! Our bodies need that preparation as well. Do the same thing every night. Some of these things could include turning down lights, basic hygiene practices, reading from a favorite book, etc. Find something that works and stick to it.

Get some help. If all else fails, make sure to talk to you doctor about your sleeplessness. It really is important and not getting your sleep can seriously compromise your health.

I don't think that I can stress enough the importance of sleep. I have had many clients working hard with their nutrition and exercise only to have their goals completely frustrated by their lack of sleep habits. Making sleep at least as much of a priority as nutrition and exercise will definitely pay off with increased health and mental capacities. It's worth the work!