Summary

• Getting good quality sleep is fundamental to your ability to recover from exercise.  You can't expect your body to be at it's best if you don't!
• Great sleep starts with a great morning routine - see How To Get Better Quality Sleep (Part 1 of 3)
• A pre-sleep routine can get you ready for a great sleep - see Do you have a Pre-Sleep Routine? How To Get Better Quality Sleep (Part 2 of 3)
• Once your morning routine and pre-sleep routine are in good shape, this video shows you 7 bonus ways to improve your sleep quality
• Check out our Running Coaching Programs in our Online Store

Related Posts

Do you have a Pre-Sleep Routine? How To Get Better Quality Sleep (Part 2 of 3)

How To Get Better Quality Sleep (Part 1 of 3)

5 Signs Lack Of Sleep Could Be Sabotaging Your Running

7 Core Pillars of Running - Hint: It's Not Just About Getting The Miles In!

6 Alternative Reasons You're Not Already Running At Your Best

Full Transcript

[The following is the full transcript of this episode of the BE Fit Coach "Let's Talk Running" show.  Please note that this episode, like all LTR episodes, is usually unscripted and unedited and features Barrie talking about a subject that we believe runners will find useful and interesting.]

Over the last 3 weeks, I have been sharing with you my idea on how to improve the quality of your sleep. Hopefully, you have some really useful ideas now to help build your morning routine and pre-sleep routine but what else could you do to help get the best quality sleep? Well, this week in the final part of this 3-part series I will be sharing 7 bonus ideas to help.

Hi runners, I’m Barrie Evans, the owner and creator of BE Fit Coach where I focus on providing the best quality running assessment and coaching programs that work with you as an individual runner. Sleep is the most crucial part of your rest and recovery, which is pillar number 5 in our 7 core pillars of running. If you’d like to find out more about our 7 core pillars I will make sure there is a link down below somewhere for you to find out more information.

Our running coaching programs are always based on these 7 core pillars to ensure that you develop as a runner in a complete way.

Bonus suggestion #1 is to get regular exercise! Physical movement, especially if you can get outdoors to do it - running anyone? :) - can really help to promote a restful night's sleep. Remember from last week’s video though to keep the intensity down too close to bedtime as intense exercise can impact your ability to fall asleep.

Bonus suggestion #2 is to have a warm bath, especially with magnesium-based Epsom salts, or even a cool shower if that’s your preference. These can help to promote more restful sleep.

Bonus suggestion #3 is to keep the room as dark as possible as that can help your body to work with natural light and dark cycles. You could try thick curtains or blackout blinds or curtains. Remove or switch off any devices that are emitting light, even ones that seem insignificant during the day can have an effect on your melatonin production. If you need some light for mid-sleep toilet trips, try a very dim night light or a motion-sensitive light.

Bonus suggestion #4 is another way to improve your sleep environment, which is to remove all clutter. Your bedroom should be as clean and tidy as possible. Remove any absolutely unnecessary boxes, paperwork, clothes lying around, etc. Your bedroom should look as clear and stress-free as you’d like your mind to be for a peaceful night's sleep.

Bonus suggestion #5 is to keep your bedroom cool as this can also help to improve your sleep quality. The best temperature range appears to be anywhere in the range of 15-20 degrees C. Experiment to find out what works best for you.

Next, we have bonus suggestion #6 which is along with your bedroom being visibly clutter-free, it should also be audibly peaceful. If you live in a busy urban area, consider a white noise machine to drown out background sounds. You could also try a fan, humidifier, or HEPA filter to achieve the same effect.

Finally, my last bonus suggestion in this series is to try and get wherever possible during the day, outside in the sunlight and fresh air. Or, if you work shifts, try to get lots of bright light and movement when you should be awake.

If you live in an area which doesn’t get a lot of sunlight during the day, or if your shift pattern means you sleep during the day, try a light therapy box. Light exposure helps to set your daily melatonin rhythm. This will help to increase wakefulness during the day and helps your body gear down at bedtime.

So there you have it, my 7 bonus ideas to help you get better quality sleep. There are many others that may work for you and sharing every possible one in this video would be impractical so I have selected ones that I believe will give you the best opportunity to move further along that scale to a better night of quality sleep.

I hope you’ve enjoyed this 3-part series on getting better quality sleep, and as always I would love to hear your thoughts. Have you tried any of the suggestions for improving your sleep yet? Share with us in the comments or via email if you have. I would really like to hear about your journey towards moving along that scale towards getting better quality sleep.

Remember, getting better quality sleep means getting better quality recovery, which in turn means getting better quality running and training sessions. Look after yourself and I’ll speak to you again soon, bye for now.

How can BE Fit Coach help you?

We have a range of services that can ensure you are training optimally for you! We are all individuals, with unique and sometimes challenging lives, so choose a training solution that works with you, for you.

At BE Fit Coach, we are constantly working on developing new programs and courses. If you'd like to ensure you are kept up-to-date then I recommend joining our email list (below) as that is where all new announcements are made first!