Module 4: Sleep and Improved Fitness

Sleep

As little as one hour less sleep than your mind and body needs each night can cause weight gain, lower testosterone, higher cortisol, emotional instability, fatigue and under-performance over time.

The importance of sleep is vastly underestimated. Sleep expert Dr. Michael Breus, says that “Sleep recharges you physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually. Everything we do, we do better with sleep”.

Take sleep seriously and make sure you are doing what’s needed to get plenty of REM (deep) sleep. Here are some tips to do so:

1. Get to bed early enough to make sure you get 7-8 hours in bed.
2. Don’t use your computer or mobile device at least one hour before bed.
3. Darken the room completely.
4. If you use your phone as an alarm and that’s why it’s beside your bed, consider getting an alarm clock and leave your phone in another room.
5. Avoid alcohol and drinking liquids too close to going to bed
6. Do some form of exercise during the day.

Make good sleep a habit and you’ll ensure you get the best out of your mind and body each day.

Improved Fitness

Being fitter will give you a lower resting heart rate, meaning that you can withstand more stress before you go beyond your optimal arousal state. Daily physical activity has been proven to lower anxiety levels and it also increases blood flow to your brain to provide it with more focus-fueling oxygen.

If you don’t already have a regular work-out regimen, start with doing at least 30 minutes of cardio, 3-4 times per week. If you can do this, your fitness levels will improve in just a few weeks.