8 Step Plan: Goal #5

Alright lets keep the ball rolling here. I hope the workout went well for everyone. We are on to a different type of goal this week that is very important, but often either over looked or forgotten. This goal will sound easy and simple, but lots of us don't do it. So lets get after it.

Goal #5- Get 6-8 hours of sleep per night

Why Do It?-There are many important reasons to get enough sleep. Here are a few:

-during sleep your body's neurons can shut down and repair any damage that occurred during the day, which in turn increases our ability to concentrate and form memories the next day

-tissue repair occurs when you sleep. This includes skin and muscle cells. The same muscle cells that we just worked at the gym that we want to repair and grow so we become stronger.

-insufficient sleep throws off the body's hormonal balance.

How To Do It-Between work, kids, and numerous other commitments getting adequate sleep can actually be a very difficult task. Here are a few tips that might help:

-try to keep your room as dark as possible, if you have to get up in the middle of the night to go to the bathroom try not to turn on any bright lights, just make sure you don't miss.

-try either having some white noise in the room like a fan or a relaxation c.d. playing quietly.

-avoid late night snacks right before you go to bed, especially anything high in sugar. It will create an insulin spike and you will have difficulty falling asleep.

-keep a journal by your bed and write down anything you were thinking about before you go to sleep. Think of it as clearing your head so you can relax.

So there you have it. Go get some more sleep. Post questions to comments. See you next week. Go Get It!