Tips for Better Sleep

Since we just talked recovery, we wanted to go more in depth on SLEEP since it's so key to recovery, fat loss, muscle building and overall health.

You want to not only get enough hours of sleep, but good quality sleep - meaning you sleep deeply and don't wake up throughout the night. Here are our best tips to get better sleep:

1. Make sure your room is dark, quiet and cool while you sleep. The ideal temp is 66-70 degrees Fahrenheit, and even if it feels a bit chilly at first, it helps you stay asleep. Also, if your room gets a lot of light from outside, it's worth investing in some blackout curtains or an eye mask.

• ❌ Spicy foods can make it harder to fall and stay asleep since they raise body temperature & some people may also experience indigestion. Just try not to have them too close to bedtime.
• ❌ Alcohol interrupts sleep patterns, so try to have any drinks earlier in the evening & follow with plenty of water.
• ✅ Carbohydrates signal the brain to release serotonin, which relaxes the body. Another good reason to enjoy rice or potatoes with dinner!
• ✅ Kiwis & Tart Cherry Juice are both proven to help you fall asleep faster & stay asleep. They are sources of serotonin & melatonin (respectively), which are key sleep hormones.

3. Ditch the PJ's and sleep naked. Don't knock it till you try it!

- In your natural state, your body can better regulate its own temperature, helping you stay asleep.

- Forgoing tight underwear has benefits for both vaginal health & male fertility.

- More skin-to-skin contact in bed with your partner releases the feel-good hormone oxytocin, which reduces anxiety & increases feelings of connection. It also can give you a boost of self esteem & feeling more comfortable with your body.

4. Get more activity during the day & take time to wind down. If you have trouble falling asleep, your mind might be overstimulated and/or your body is under stimulated.

One way to neutralize this is taking a long walk after dinner. This gives you time to clear your head from work, you will better digest your food and you are getting in some extra activity (and it's not too close to bedtime).

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Which one of these will you try this week? Try it for a week or two and take a note of what works best. Here's to sleeping like a champ!