So mommas, are you sleeping? Yes I realize that is a loaded questions and today I want to talk about how not getting enough sleep can impact your fitness goals. Before you come at me and say “but Ashlee, I have a newborn so what you’re saying wont work for me” I want to tell you this…
It’s important for you to understand how sleep plays into your health and fitness journey. Partly because I want to emphasize the importance you should be placing on it, especially when you have the opportunity and I want you to understand why at some points in your life when you maybe aren’t getting the best sleep that it’s okay to just do what you can in your fitness routine and not beat yourself up because you aren’t where you want to be. At times in your life where you may not be able to make sleep a number one priority (because some people argue that it is more important that nutrition or fitness), give yourself grace and do what you can. And I also want you to know that it’s okay to sleep in, instead of getting up to get your workout in when you’ve only gotten 4 hours of sleep…here’s your permission…so don’t be afraid to use it.
I do want to share some of the top sleep hygiene tips with you here. Although I do realize that some of these tip you may not be able to execute perfectly depending where you are on your motherhood journey, implementing any of them even is some capacity can help to improve the quality of the sleep that you are getting…which can be a wonderful thing!
- Blackout or dark curtains – will help to block out light and if you are in a position where you are having naps during the day these will be a lifesaver to help improve the quality of that sleep (as a side note these can be helpful for baby too)
- White noise machine (a fan works too) – again this can be helpful for those napes that may happen during the day even when they may be short. White noise machines will help to deaden the noise outside or around you and you are less likely to wake up because of it
- Create a relaxing bedtime routine – this does not have to be long and complicated (although sometimes it might be if that’s what you need). Find something that works for you, but this could be as simple as washing your face, brushing your teeth and doing a few stretches before climbing into bed. Just make sure it’s something that you enjoy
- Avoid electronics 1 hour before bedtime – this one is hands down one of the toughest ones for people but I promise you that if you can get off the electronics 1 hour before bed you will notice a difference. If you aren’t able to do this (and I understand a lot of people aren’t) then get yourself a pair of blue light blocking glasses. The blue light from electronic devices causes our body to think it is time for us to stay awake but if we can block the blue light it will help to improve sleep overall
- Avoid caffeine after 2pm – caffeine can stay in the human body for a long time. Although this will differ from one person to the next if you are struggling to sleep avoiding caffeine after 2pm may help to improve your sleep overall.
- Avoid alcohol 1-2 hours before bed – despite that alcohol may help you fall asleep at night it wreaks havoc on the quality of sleep you are getting. Alcohol decreases the amount of deep, restorative sleep that you get so in order to maximize the quality of sleep (which if you are a new mom you will likely want to do) leave 1-2 hours between your last alcoholic drink and bedtime.
- If you are napping aim for 30 or 90 minute naps – a typical sleep cycle lasts 90 minutes and getting one full sleep cycle in will leave you waking up feeling refreshed. If you aren’t able to get the full 90 minutes try 30 minutes, this will have you waking up before you get into the deeper stages of sleep and will leave you feeling more refreshed when you wake up. Waking up in the middle of a deep sleep cycle can actually leave you feeling more tired than you were before.
These tips can help to improve the quality of the sleep you are getting. Even if you aren’t getting as much sleep as you would like improving the quality of your sleep can help some.
Now on to the exercise piece. To get the most out of your fitness routine you need to be getting enough sleep. This doesn’t mean that you won’t get anything out of a fitness routine without sleep, but in order to gain the maximum benefits you need to be prioritizing sleep. During sleep the body has time to recover, repair and build muscles that were trained during your workouts. Getting quality sleep also encourages production of growth hormone which will help build and repair our muscles. So if you are getting less sleep or less quality sleep you are likely not producing enough growth hormone to promote healing at maximum capacity.
With all that said the opposite relationship is also try. Exercise can help you sleep better. During exercise our body produces adenosine in the brain and this can help us feel more sleepy at the end of the day (not an instantaneous effect). Fun fact; adenosine and caffeine are very similarly shaped which is why caffeine keeps us awake. When you have caffeine in your bloodstream it will join with the adenosine receptors preventing adenosine itself from binding. When adenosine doesn’t bind with its receptors we don’t feel as sleepy. Keep in mind that getting enough sleep helps give you the strength, drive and energy to maximize your workouts so when you aren’t getting enough sleep this can be difficult. Be gracious with yourself if you find that you are missing workouts because you feel tired, which brings me to my next point…
If you are unable to balance sleep and exercise at any point (particularly through those sleepless nights) give priority to sleep always! Your body needs the rest more, especially if you aren’t getting consistent, quality sleep most of the time. Getting enough sleep will give you more patience and you will feel more comfortable about parenting overall. When you are in seasons where you are getting less sleep try some of the following tips to help improve your sleep
- Sleep when the baby sleeps – I do understand that this isn’t always an option, but do the best you can even if it’s just resting. Remember the 30 minutes and 90 minute nap trick here as well!
- Opt for sleep over other chores – when you have the opportunity to grab some sleep take it, there are always going to be other things to do and sometimes you will have the energy to do them during a nap, but if you take the time to nap first you may be even more efficient at these things when you do go to do them
- Placing baby’s crib or bassinet next to your bed will make it easier to tend to the baby during the night and then go back to sleep which may help you have more restful sleep (kind of an aside here; but try to avoid going on your phone when you get up in the middle of the night to tend to the baby as looking at your phone screen will make it more difficult to go back to sleep)
- If you need help ask for you – this can be help with anything from cleaning the house to taking the baby for an hour to picking up groceries, whatever you need ask for it
- Don’t forget about other forms of self care – whatever self-care looks like for you take advantage of it when you have the opportunity. Self-care can help us fill up our cups and rejuvenate our bodies without having to sleep. It will also help to reduce stress.
- Healthy food and exercise also contribute to better sleep – focus on feeling your body with nutritious food when you can and get some movement in when you can (even if it’s a short walk around the block)
- Use the sleep hygiene tips we talked about above
So mommas when it comes to sleep and your fitness routine be gracious with yourself. You may be in a season where fitness isn’t your number one priority and that is okay. If you aren’t getting quality sleep each and every night then put your focus on that first, worry about getting the fitness results later. Focus on all the beautiful moments in your life and soak up the baby snuggles!
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