Sleep Well, Dream Big
In order to dream, we need to sleep, so if you were looking for yet another reason sleep is so super important, consider this one of them!
When it comes to running, and to life, sleep is infinitely important and is directly tied to health, happiness and performance. As a coach, I am not exaggerating when I say lack of quality sleep is the number one reason I see athletes plateau and struggle with sluggishness, motivation and progress. Read that again: THE NUMBER ONE REASON. It’s not because they don’t put in the work. It’s not because they don’t have the skill or ability. It’s not because they don’t care. It’s because they are not getting enough of the proper sleep to support their performance. Period. Fortunately, we can fix this!
Sleep helps us repair and recover from the day and when we are well rested we have more focus, more energy and our muscles and minds are better equipped to tackle everything we encounter. So as you make progress on your 2024 resolutions, we urge you to include and prioritize sleep as a significant part of that. Easier said than done, trust me, we know. Just like with a fitness goal, don’t feel like you have to accomplish all of it, literally, overnight. Take small steps for a big impact. Here are some of our simple tips to get you started:
Sleep may seem like a passive activity, but you can take an active role in ensuring the quality and quantity of your rest
Routines set a natural body clock helping you to fall asleep and stay asleep easier and wake up feeling rested and refreshed — We adhere to a schedule for almost everything else in our life, sleep should be equally respected!
Start nice and easy — Select a target bedtime and wakeup range for every day — the range gives you flexibility and the target starts to create a routine, try to be consistent seven days a week even if you don’t have to be up by a particular time on a certain day.
An active day leads to a restful night — When we have a mentally and physically stimulating day, our bodies are primed for a good night’s sleep, so when you are on your run and you are thinking about distance or pace or race goals or fitness gains, also know that this exercise will lend itself to better sleep because you are genuinely tired and exercise has the added benefit of reducing stress, also resulting in better sleep.
This doesn’t mean you have to go, go, go all day — It’s all about balance!
Similarly significant, we must value relax days as these also aid in our mental and physical recovery and increase the impact of the active days.
Even on rest days, you can still engage the mind with an activity you enjoy — Read, write, call a friend, send a thank you note.
Reading is one of our favorite ways to keep our sleep schedule on track — When we have a good book we look forward to flipping through the pages each evening as we fall asleep and, added bonus, it limits screen time before bed and while we won’t belabor this point because we know you already know this, but screen time before bed is one of the biggest culprits for a less than ideal night’s sleep!
Only thing we will caution here is not to let yourself stay up too late when the book gets really good — Set a page limit for the evening and stick to it, even when the plot twist entices you to read on!
Be intentional about what you consume before bed, food and fuel are integral to nourish, replenish and recover but things like alcohol, sugar and caffeine especially in large quantities or in close proximity to bed can have a direct effect on our sleep — Be mindful of how these things make you feel and adjust accordingly.
Sometimes it’s tough to identify the exact culprit when it comes to interrupted sleep, so we find jotting down casual notes about how we feel when we wakeup each morning is helpful in identifying what works and what doesn’t
Most importantly, try not to stress about sleep. The fastest way to lose sleep is to overanalyze it, so stay calm, be calculated and know that the goal is to gradually and naturally build in some subtle elements that seamlessly nurture better sleep. Just like in running, start small, build momentum and find out what works for you.
More quality sleep helps our overall health, all aspects of our life and improves running and athletic performance. Why not give it a try? We are here and happy to help!
Sleep well and dream big!