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Why Can't You sleep?!
Health | June 17, 2015
This article is about insomnia and the constant battle to get your recommended 8 hours a night…
Rest and recovery are just as important to making progress at the ZGYM as diet and consistency. Unfortunately, rest and recovery are easier said than done. Insomnia is another one of those modern plagues alongside stress, depression and anxiety that seem to affect many of us. Worse, it can become chronic and lead to even worse health consequences than just constant fatigue.
If you’re not getting enough rest you may notice your ability to workout, and even more your motivation to workout out, begin to diminish. Maybe you blasted through one of my workouts Monday, but after battling sleep the entire week, your workout on Friday was an absolute chore to get through. Fatigue and lack of sleep definitely have a cumulative effect. At some point it’s absolutely vital that you catch up on your Z’s (see what I did there? :)). If your body can’t sufficiently rest it can’t effectively build muscle or even shed weight due to the higher level of stress being inflicted upon it.
While it’s true that exercise is an incredibly beneficial way to encourage our bodies to sleep better, some of you are well aware that some days (even weeks) can go by where it’s not enough. You may still toss and turn no matter how hard you trained at the ZGYM. There are even some studies that suggest that getting a good night’s rest provides a better foundation for working out rather than the other way around.
Some common causes of insomnia can be:
- Stress and concern of life changes (work, school, family, money, etc.)
- Anxiety and worry about things that are beyond your control
- Poor sleep habits like inconsistent bedtimes and waking up at different hours each day
- Stimulating activities in bed
If insomnia is becoming a real issue for you, I’d suggest the following tips:
- Avoid any kinds of naps longer than 30 minutes.
- Do NOT use your bed for anything besides sleep (or intimate activities with your significant other;) So that means no television, no Candy Crush game on your phone, and definitely no snacking!
- Try to only go to bed when tired and always wake up at the same time (even if you’re still tired). This will help set your circadian rhythm.
- Sleep masks and sound machines can help alleviate outside influences.
- Let yourself be done with the day, it’s over, you did the best you could and tomorrow is a new day! Try not to worry about what needs to be done, it’ll all get done. Your personal health is very important not only for your own happiness but for your loved ones and anyone you may encounter in your daily life!
How is your sleep these days? Is insomnia a consistent problem for you? Have you suffered from insomnia in the past, do you have some more good advice to offer to the community? Share it in the comment section below!
P.S. Jesse and I got a new mattress from Sleep Number and it’s absolutely awesome. I love that I can choose from a wide range of soft to firm settings at any given day or even at night if I start to toss and turn. Jesse has his own settings on his side as well, which is also very convenient. I can’t imagine the arguments we would have about what settings we should choose every night 🙂 haha.
Gypsy: “Thanks guys, this is the best doggie bed I’ve ever had”
The Sleep Number mattress that we have has several layers of memory foam and other layer that keep us cool at night. If you have dogs, or kids, you can also get the water proof protection layer on top of your mattress.
Private Member |
ca, usa
I have always struggled with sleep issues. I can usually get to sleep but wake up early and/or don’t feel rested when I wake. I take magnesium and melatonin which help. I do all the things they say for good sleep hygiene and it is better. I attribute some of it to having babies. My oldest and youngest are 10 years apart so I have had a little one in the house for 10 years. That’s enough to give anyone sleep issues.:) One tip I have found that helps, if I do wake at say 4am, I put on a sleep mask and can usually fall back to sleep.
Private Member |
Never had any issue with sleeping… I sleep like a champ!! 🙂
Private Member |
seattle, washington
Wait a few years, Romy! 😉
Private Member |
Hey zuzuka, do you only workout 20 minutes a day and get the body you have?
Private Member |
seattle, washington
It’s eating, exercising and getting enough sleep.
Private Member |
I was having trouble falling asleep or waking up during the nights a while ago, I happened to see some articles on the circadian rhythm like zuzka mentioned and also about filtering the blue light from your electronic devices if you use them during the evening hours. I started using a ble light filter app on my laptop/tablet and phone and I have noticed I don’t wake up as much during the night and I am falling asleep faster. Also I was getting very drained and tired during the day the past few weeks during the summer shred, I think it may have been a lack of some nutrient, I noticed that I had stopped taking a small protein shake after my workouts and now that I started again I’m not feeling that exhaustion during the day anymore.
Private Member |
santa cruz, ca
Like many of us, my life is full of stress. I have been going through a very difficult emotional rollercoaster for the past few months with my partner, and have been in a very difficult grad program for over 2 years. Sleep has definitely been an issue. I find that I can be completely exhausted and fatigued, and yet my worries and anxieties take over.
Sometimes there is not much we can do to eliminate the stressors. In this case…the only things that have worked for me consistently (and I have tried many things) are:
1) Inositol and theanine. I take these supplements because my Naturopathic doctor recommended them. Inositol makes me feel CALM and in control of my emotions, even during the uncontrollably high stress periods. I feel like I have more power over myself. L-Theanine helps sharpen my focus so I am not so distracted by thoughts. I also helps me study much, much longer. These have improved my ability to sleep despite having high stress.
2) CBD. The past week has been especially stressful. I take CBD capsules, 1/3 of a capsule at a time. 1/3 will contain only about 2.5 g THC and about 4 g CBD. I take it about an hour before bed. It is miraculous for me. I am not a fan of getting high. And this doesn’t get me high because the ratio is high in CBD. It actually makes me feel restful and able to drift into sleep. I also wake up feeling refreshed, like I slept deeply.
3) Meditation. 🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂
Private Member |
switzerland
A few months earlier I found that when I got up every morning, I my entire body was broken as if I had an intense sports activity the day before but I wasn’t! I even completely stopped doing the exercises because I was so tired all the time, I was exhausted every day, no matter how many hours of sleep…
Then one day I accompanied a friend try new mattress and that’s the day I realized that I slept for 10 years on a bad mattress, too hard for my body…
I changed it now (almost 2 months) and it dramatically changed my life since the first night !! Unbelievable !! He “cured” my pain, I’m not tired anymore when I wake up, even my face is relaxed! I realized how important it is to sleep on the right mattress!
And I could finally workout again on ZGym (after 7 months stop), and it delights me! I’m fit, I’m progressing quickly and the results are there!
So, everyone should check sleeping on the right mattress !! Take the time to go to the bedding business 😉
Private Member |
lake tahoe, nv, usa
Totally agree with you.