BY MATT ARCHETTI | CERTIFIED HEALTH AND FITNESS COACH
In a society where 24/7 hustle is admired, lack of sleep can actually be more detrimental to your overall health and your fitness goals than you realize. A number of studies have shown a lack of sleep can impact the following:
Memory issues: During sleep, your brain forms connections that help you process and remember new information. A lack of sleep can negatively impact both short and long-term memory.
Mood changes: Sleep deprivation can make you moody, emotional, and quick-tempered. Space chronic sleep deprivation can affect your mood and lead to anxiety or depression, which may escalate.
Trouble with Thinking and Concentration: Your concentration, creativity, and problem-solving skills aren’t up to par when you don’t get enough rest.
Accidents: Being drowsy during the day can increase your risk for accidents and injuries from other causes.
Weakened Immunity: Too little sleep weakens your immune system’s defenses against viruses like those that caused the common cold and flu. You’re more likely to get sick when you’re exposed to these germs.
High Blood Pressure: If you sleep less than five hours a night, your risk for high blood pressure increases.
Risk for Diabetes: A lack of sleep affects your body’s release of insulin, a blood sugar lowering hormone. People who don’t get enough sleep have a higher blood sugar level and increased risk for type two diabetes.
Weight Gain: With sleep deprivation, the chemicals that signal to your brain that you are full or off-balance. As a runner out, you’re more likely to overindulge even when you had enough to eat.
Low Sex Drive: People who don’t get enough sleep often and have a lower libido. In men, this decreased sex drive may be due to a drop in testosterone levels.
Risk of Heart Disease: Sleep deprivation may lead to increased blood pressure and high levels of chemicals link to inflammation, both of which play rules and hard disease.
Poor balance: Lack of sleep can affect your balance and coordination, making you more prone to falls and other physical
So, what is enough sleep? Shoot for 6-9 hours of sleep per night. Sure, this won’t always be doable, but try your best.
A crappy night's sleep can affect your daily work efficiency dramatically, have short and long term health benefits and from a fitness perspective.... A crappy night's sleep can certainly impact performance. On the nights you don’t get enough sleep, if you’re not feeling it the next day, maybe don't push through your workout how you had intended, either modify as needed or take a rest day. Sometimes, the old saying of “any workout is better than no workout” isn't always the way to go.
Here are a few tips I give to my clients to help them get a better night's rest:
- Darken the room with blackout curtains or a sleep mask
- Create a common bedtime routine
- Avoid caffeine consumption at least 6 hours prior to bedtime
- Use a sound machine or fan to block out ambient noise
- Consider supplements such as magnesium, melatonin, and CBD Oil
- Wear blue light blocking glasses while using electronics within 2 hours of bedtime (or cut them out all together in that time period.