6 Tips for Better Sleep

Quality sleep is essential for overall health, recovery, and optimal performance, especially for those dedicated to fitness. Try these six tips to improve your sleep and wake up refreshed.

1. Evening Journaling

Take a few minutes before bedtime to jot down your thoughts in a journal. Putting your thoughts on paper can help clear your mind, reduce stress, and promote better sleep. Writing about your day or listing things you’re grateful for can create a sense of closure, helping you to relax and unwind.

2. Affirmations

Positive affirmations can be a powerful tool for relaxation. Our team member Patricia swears by phrases like, “I’m so comfortable,” and Dymphy recalls her grandmother’s wisdom: “Your body is resting when you lie down.” Repeating calming affirmations can help create a peaceful mindset, making it easier to drift off to sleep.

3. Supportive Strategies

When faced with disrupted sleep due to personal challenges, team member Patricia and her friend Annabel devised a unique strategy. During sleepless nights, they agreed to think of each other, exchanging positive wishes like, “Sweetheart, go ahead and sleep well. I’m proud of you. You’re doing great!” In the morning, they’d share how much they thought of each other over WhatsApp. This supportive routine persisted for weeks, resulting in improved sleep for both of them.

4. Get Out of Bed After 10 Minutes

If you can’t fall asleep after 10 minutes, resist the urge to reach for a book or your phone. Instead, try a mundane task like reading refrigerator instructions. This boring activity can help ease your mind without stimulating it, making it easier to fall asleep when you return to bed.

5. Avoid Clock-Watching

Constantly checking the time can increase anxiety about not sleeping. If it’s dark and the alarm hasn’t gone off, it’s still nighttime and sleep time. Avoid looking at the clock to prevent unnecessary stress and allow your body to relax.

6. Handle Bathroom Trips Mindfully

If you need to use the bathroom during the night, resist the temptation to turn on bright lights. Keep it low-key by using a nightlight or the dimmest setting possible to avoid fully waking up and disrupting your sleep cycle.

These tips are inspired by the book “How to Sleep: The New Science-Based Solutions for Sleeping Through the Night” by Rafael Pelayo. Implementing these strategies can help you achieve better sleep, enhancing your overall health and fitness performance.

Dymphy has been a fitness enthousiast since 2008 and has been working as a personal trainer since 2013. She knows better than anyone the mental challenges of “the couch magnet” where you prefer to sit on the couch after a long day at work rather than train or thoughts such as
“I can also have a nice glass of wine tonight instead of training.”

She is fascinated by the psychological and physiological principles that underlie this. In a nutshell:

Motion leads to emotion. You produce happiness hormones dopamine and endorphins. Exercise instantly makes you feel better!

She works with different methods to get you moving. Interested? Book your free trial session now.

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