Soul Rebel Digest Vol 3.25
Eat Your Way To A Good Night Sleep
The way you Eat, Sleep, Train, Think & Connect all has an impact on your Health, Happiness & Performance in AND outside the gym.
HOW CAN YOU OPTIMISE SLEEP IN THE WAY THAT YOU EAT?
Here are some ideas to try. Keep in mind everyone is different, so what works for you may not work for another. But give new a red hot crack & be consistent for 4 weeks before deciding whether it does or does not benefit you.
Eat protein at dinner
Protein contains amino acids like tryptophan, which the body uses to produce serotonin & melatonin—hormones that help regulate sleep. Some studies suggest that consuming a protein rich meal for dinner or/& a small amount of protein before bed could promote better sleep quality, as it provides these building blocks for melatonin production.
Also, protein can help with muscle repair & recovery during sleep, especially for you guys who train regularly. So eating protein at night could make the sleep cycle more restorative.
Leave 2-3 hours between your last big meal & bed time
This can enable your body to put more energy into sleep rather than digestion.Love to snack before bed?
Choose a snack that will promote better sleep rather than disturb it.
Some ideas:
Promotes Sleep: cherries, banana, herbal tea, almonds
Disrupts sleep: alochol, caffiene, refined sugar, heavy meals
OTHER TIPS TO IMPROVE SLEEP
Bedtime Routine
Screens down. Me currently? My phone is my worst enemy, I find myself checking messages before bed & up to 90 mins can pass. My goal is to have 4 nights per week of no tv & every night no phones after dinner.
Wind down. Find something you enjoy, that relaxes you & doesn't involve a screen. Listen to music, podcasts, read a book, draw, meditate, play games with the family
Consistency. Duration of your sleep is important, but recently WHOOP research has shown that improving sleep consistency was linked to more time spent in deep, restorative REM sleep. So if your schedule doesn't currently allow for more time in bed, being as consistent as you can will still provide significant benefits.
Find out more here: WHOOP - Importance of Sleep for Health & Performance
Nasal Dialators
Look in the mirror. Breathe in through your nose, what happens? Do your nostrils broaden or stay the same? Or do they go inwards? If they go inwards, you are likely mouth breathing throughout the night or your breathing is laboured through your nose which can cause a flow on effect of jaw & teeth issues. By using a nasal dilator you're able to get air slowly & quietly through your nose effortlessly which means you should wake up feeling rested.
This is the one I use: Turbine These guys have a sleep version called Mute which you can find on their website but I find Turbine more comfortable for sleep & workouts personally.
I'd also like to try these ones to compare: Oxygen Advantage - Nasal Dilator - I'll keep you posted how I go!Mouth Tape
This is an excellent way to ensure you're maintaining nasal breathing while you sleep. If you're worried about how the tape feels, be sure to apply it before you go to bed so you can get used to it. You can also use tape down the middle of your lips or to one side so you feel comfortable knowing you can open part of your mouth if you need to
Why is nasal breathing outrageously important during sleep?
Oxygen Advantage - Nose Breathing VS Mouth Breathing by Patrick Mckeown
Look forward to hearing from you all soon!
