When you Sleep, Training Seeps In

Tips for Better Sleep

• Create a routine.  Go to bed at roughly the same time every night. Don't "jet lag" yourself. The brain and body love predictability. Try not to vary either bedtime or wake up time by more than an hour.

• Plan your evening backwards from your bedtime to ensure you are able to go to bed on time.

• Limit caffeine in the afternoon. If your drink coffee or caffeinated tea, aim to do this in the morning before 12pm. 

• Limit screens/artificial light within an hour of your bedtime. Blue light signals to your brain that it's early in the day. In addition, lots of screens we look at (phones, laptops) contain stuff that stresses us out. Try a book instead.

• Keep your room dark and cool at night. Your brain and body take cues from the light around them. The darker your room, the more you are sending the message that it's time to sleep.

• If possible, try to do homework somewhere besides your bedroom. You want your mind/body to associate your bedroom with restfulness. 

• Don't overthink it. Consistently "Good" sleep is better than alternating between "Champion" sleep and "Awful" sleep.

• If you are struggling to fall asleep, you might need to read a book for half an hour and then try again. That's okay! 

• Have a bed time snack. This can promote muscle and bone growth.

• Stop thinking about sleep as sacrificing productive time. Sleep is one of the most productive things you can do. If your goal is to have a full life, then sleep ought to be a key priority.