The importance of sleep to your healthy routine

Regular exercise and nutrition are crucial but a good nights sleep is very important too. If you are constantly sleep-deprived you can be sabotaging your healthy routine. Many hormones are produced and your organism as a whole rests and recovers while you sleep. It is also during that time that your muscles repair and grow, which is essential to get results from your workout.

Insomnia can happen due to medical causes (pain, respiratory problems, hyperthyroidism, etc) or the intake of certain substances (such as caffeine, alcohol, psycho-stimulants, anti-depressives) or due to psychiatric disorders (such as anxiety, mania, depression) or because of specific sleep disorders (sleep apnea, nocturnal myoclonus). Insomnia can be Initial (when the person finds it difficult to get to sleep) or terminal (when the person wakes up precociously early and cannot go back to sleep).

Lack of sleep can make you feel grumpy, easily irritated, tired, stressed, your energy levels get low, makes it difficult to concentrate, lowers your immune system, makes you prone to health problems such as high blood pressure and weight gain (hormones that control your appetite get altered when you don’t get enough sleep).

Some tips for a better sleep:
· Make sure your room is cosy, comfortable and as dark as possible.
· You should have a routine around the time you go to sleep.
· Always go to sleep at the same time.
· Use your bed to sleep (don’t watch TV, read or study on your bed).
· Write down all your commitments for the following day to avoid getting worried about them.
· Wake up always at the same time every day.
· Exercise regularly.
· Be more active during the day and leave the evenings for more relaxing activities.
· Avoid alcohol.
· Avoid coffee and other psycho-stimulators mainly in the afternoon and evenings.

You should try to get 7-8 hours of sleep every night. Consult your doctor to check if your lack of sleep has any specific cause and if so treat it. Exercise regularly to improve your sleep. Have a good sleep routine so you can see the results of your workout.