Trina Travels in a New Direction: MR. SANDMAN BRING ME A DREAM
You have been awake since 4:30am, went to the gym to complete your first round of cardio, return home to get ready for work, work a 10-12+ hour day, return to the gym to finish off the day with your workout and second round of cardio, then eventually make it home to prepare for the following day, and are now lying in bed just counting down the moments until you are finally sound-asleep….OR ARE YOU? How many times have you laid in bed waiting for your subconscious to slow down, allowing your body and mind to relax, and finally letting you get a restful night’s sleep? In reality, you end up lying there, staring at the ceiling, tossing and turning, and thinking to yourself, “If I fall asleep now, I’ll get 6 hours sleep…if I fall asleep now, I’ll get 5 hours and 47 minutes sleep.” Does this sound familiar?
We all know the importance of sleep and how sleep aids in our recovery, not only for our muscular system, but for our central nervous and immune systems. According to the National Sleep Foundation, 60 percent of women say they get a good night's sleep just a few days a week or less, and nearly half admit they're so beat that it interferes with daily activities. Approximately, 7 out of 10 women are also more likely to suffer from insomnia. Given all this, it's no wonder that the amount of money spent on pharmaceutical sleeping pills has more than doubled since 2002, according to IMS Health, a healthcare information company. And it helps explain why more than a third of women drink at least three caffeinated beverages daily. So how do we, as fitness enthusiasts, with crazy-busy schedules, trying to lead healthy, productive lives take back our nights and ensure “Mr. Sandman takes us away…”?
Here are 4 tips I use on a daily basis to make sure I can successfully wind down at the end of the day, and to prepare myself for a restful and peaceful night’s sleep.
1. Wash the Stress Away
My day begins at 4:30am, with a 12-hour workday, (2) one-hour long cardio sessions, and a weight workout. By the time I get home, I’m feeling exhausted and depleted. In order to guarantee I don’t waste precious minutes feeling restless and possess the ability to fall asleep the moment my head hits the pillow; I’ve developed a routine to ease my mind and relax my body. I start with a nice soothing, warm shower and use an aromatherapy relaxing bodywash formulated with eucalyptus and spearmint essential oils. The ingredients help to relieve any stress, and soothe and calm the skin.
2. Drink Your Tea
Once I’m done with my shower, I feel refreshed, relaxed, and can already sense my muscles beginning to loosen up and the day’s stress leaving my body. For me to take full advantage of each second of sleep, I prepare everything I need for the following day the night before. First, I make a huge cup of chamomile tea and drink it as I’m portioning out my meals for the next busy day, along with packing my humongous gym bag with 2-3 sets of work and workout clothes. Not only does the soothing warmth of my bedtime beverage calms my body and acts as a mild sedative and can help treat sleeplessness. It also has a number of anti-inflammatory, anti-irritant, and anti-microbial properties.
¨Remedy for PMS and Menstrual Cramps: Drinking chamomile tea has been found to be beneficial in treating PMS and menstrual Cramps.
3. Choose “Sleep Supporting” Supplements
Unfortunately, we live in an era where more and more individuals spend large amounts of money on prescribed, pharmaceutical-grade medications to relax us, induce sleep, and decrease anxiety, but in the end, these individuals run a risk of becoming dependent on these products and inhibiting their bodies from learning to obtain rest naturally. Our main objective is to develop healthy and normal sleep patterns, and by choosing natural remedies to do so, we are capable of promoting sleep without falling to the hands of addictive behaviors. I take 2 products prior to hitting the pillows:
**To determine if Melatonin supplementation is appropriate for you, discuss with your physician prior to usage and determine proper method and dosage.
4. Develop a Sleep Routine
It is extremely important that you get your body on a sleep schedule, even on weekends. Maintaining a consistent sleep-wake cycle should help you fall asleep more regularly. As rewarding it is to “sleep in,” it is equally beneficial to not get off track by staying up past your “bedtime” and waking up even later than from your regular routine. Don’t get me wrong…even though I get up at 4:30am Monday thru Friday, I’m really not too anxious to get up that early on the days I don’t have to. I will, however, wake up around 7-7:30am on the weekends, while still hitting the sheets around the same time as I do throughout the work week. If I feel I’m not getting adequate sleep or I’m needing to catch up on some Zzzz’s, I’ll go to bed a little earlier, but still try to maintain my same wake-up time.
Getting enough zzz's is particularly important for active women. Sleep allows your body to recover from tough workouts and readies it for the next one. During deep sleep, every muscle in your body works to rebuild itself stronger than before. So if you are a competitor, an athlete, or a hard-working fitness enthusiast, try to maximize the quality and power of your sleep. In other words, spending the night tossing and turning makes for a miserable morning; so take control and sleep better to get fitter…SLEEP WELL.
Wishing you all Love, Health, & Happiness,
Trina Goosby, MSc.
IFBB Bikini Pro
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