Revamped Sleep Routine
Part of recovering from my injury included revamping my sleep routine. Since I’ve been able to work out a lot more, I realized I was more exhausted than usual and probably needed a lot more rest than I was giving myself. I recently started wearing a Whoop, which (among many other metrics) measures sleep! It has been fascinating to see how much sleep I actually need, and I’m relieved to see how improving my sleep habits have helped me feel more refreshed and energized!
How much Sleep do I really need?
I started with a bit of research. Everyone has a baseline sleep need and according to the Whoop, mine is 7 hours and 24 minutes per night (varies). However, this number doesn’t account for daily workouts (which increase sleep need based on workout intensity) and sleep debt (unmet sleep need from the previous night).
For example- my workouts for today added 34 minutes of extra sleep needed to recover properly, and last night I had a 36 minute sleep debt. Take my baseline of 7 hrs 24 mins and add 34 minutes (workouts) + 36 minutes (sleep debt), and you have an 8 hour and 34 minute sleep need. If you nap during the day, this cuts your nightly need by however long your nap turns outs to be.
When I started tracking my sleep I was only getting about 6 hours/night, I struggled with falling asleep, and I would wake up several times during the night.
I knew I had a long way to go, so I started with one issue at a time!
Melatonin
First I tackled falling asleep. I usually shy away from sleep aides as I don’t want to form unnecessary habits, but through my research I read the hormone Melatonin is naturally present in our bodies. It acts as a reminder to the body to fall asleep at a certain time. However, the presence of Melatonin in our body declines with age- thus reducing the body’s natural reminder to go to sleep. I started taking a 10mg dose of fast dissolving Melatonin from NatureMade (linked here). The Melatonin dosage (non-habit forming) helped me fall asleep, but I noticed I struggled with staying asleep throughout the night.
Magnesium
I continued my research and found great information about Magnesium. Among many other benefits, Magnesium supports restful sleep. Coincidentally, I received an opportunity through Physician’s Choice to try a product of my choice and share my results. I chose Magnesium and have now been taking it for over a month. Coupled with repairing my circadian rhythm, my Whoop sleep tracker showed an 17% sleep improvement from last month. Notably, the length of time spent in Rapid Eye Movement (REM) and Slow Wave Sleep (SWS) stages increased. (REM is the mentally restorative state of sleep and SWS is the physically restorative stage of sleep)
Other Helpful Tips
Consistent Bed and Wake times
Wear a Sleep Mask (my favorite here- SLIP)
Turn phone on Do Not Disturb mode
Create a Bedtime Routine
Afternoon Nap
Meditation or other relaxation techniques
Light Exposure first 30 minutes after waking up
Maintaining a healthy sleep routine is a daily work in progress. When I get a restful night’s sleep, it doesn’t end there! I have to make an effort to do it all over again the next evening. Making sleep more of a priority has helped me reach an optimal energy level, genuinely feel better, and more rested everyday. The results are worth it!
Thank you for reading and stopping by. Do you have any sleep tips you’d like to share?!
I’d love to hear from you!
*Of course, please consult a medical professional if you are unsure what kinds of products will be best for you.
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