Something we can ALL try to do to improve our running and our health!

As you know, I am working really hard to catch some of my dreams.  I want a sub 3 marathon really bad and I am going to do what it takes to get there.  

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I am doing my running workouts, making sure to strength train, attempting to clean up my diet (progress, not perfection;) and working hard on my mental strength.   There is something else though that is going to make a HUGE difference in my running and health and that is getting enough SLEEP!

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I know I am not alone in working towards getting more sleep each night and that a lot of you are working towards this too!  It is recommended that adults sleep eight hours per night but a lot of us are missing the mark!  Not only is our quantity of sleep suffering but so is our quality.  

According to Sleep Number’s Sleep Survey 6.7 hours of sleep is the national average for adults per night!  Respondents to this survey (from Americans across the country) averaged only 5.68 hours of restful sleep each night.

On average, 41 percent of people get four hours or less of quality/restful sleep.  

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So why aren’t we getting enough sleep?  We could be missing out on our incredibly important sleep because of work, kiddos, technology (like tv or our cell phones keeping us awake), going out with friends or household chores.  Sometimes we think that checking things off our to do list is more important than sleep!!

I try to remind myself when I am falling into the trap of not making sleep a priority that——>  Sleep is just as important for us as our diet and exercise when maintaining a healthy lifestyle!  

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Join me in making sure to get enough sleep each night in order to reach our full potential as athletes and everything else we are doing in our lives.  

Here are my tips for getting more sleep!

-Just move your bedtime up 15 minutes each night!  That 15 minutes will make a big difference for you in the long run.  Making it a priority to get in bed a few minutes earlier each night can help you to feel more rested!

-Watching TV or using computers before bed stimulates the brain and the blue light from screens makes it harder to to get quality sleep.  Sleep experts recommend powering down one hour before bed.  

-Do something before you go to bed to help you to unwind and relax.  Take a bath or hot shower, do some easy yoga or do something like read to allow your body and mind time to slow down.  

-Wear comfy/non-restricting pajamas and treat yourself to a comfortable bed and bedding that will help you to fall right to sleep:)

-Track how much you are sleeping.  When I keep track of my sleeping patterns I work harder at getting enough sleep each night.  Have you heard of SleepIQ technology?  It’s a cool Sleep Number product that gives you the knowledge to adjust for your best sleep. There is nothing to wear.  Nothing to turn on.  All you have to do is sleep! And when you wake up, SleepIQ technology gives you a score based on how restful or restless your sleep was that night. 

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-Exercise.  Most of us are really good at that already:)  When I exercise regularly I have a much easier time falling asleep at night and staying asleep.

-The biggest thing that I do to make sure that I get more sleep is to put my phone on the other side of my room at night.  This way I am not scrolling through social media when I should be asleep.  It is so easy for me to waste a half an hour looking at my phone before falling asleep so avoiding my phone in bed helps me to fall asleep in no time!

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There isn’t much that feels better than waking up after getting enough sleep.  I feel like my entire day runs much more smoothly.  When I get a good night’s sleep I am stronger during my run, I have more patience with my toddler and I am much more productive throughout the day.  I even make better food choices throughout the day when I get enough quality sleep because I’m not reaching for fast sugars to give me the energy I’m craving because I am exhausted from not getting enough sleep. 

Let’s all work together on making sure we are treating our bodies right and giving it the sleep it needs.  After we conquer those hills, speed workouts and long runs it is so important that we give our bodies the chance to recover properly and commit to sleep!FE 1214 9768 

****Sponsored by Sleep Number! Thank you for supporting me, the Brookers and our sponsors.  

Check out SleepNumber.com/SleepIQ to learn how you can sleep better, and share tips on how you #CommitToSleep.

Do you feel like you get enough sleep?  What are your tips for getting more sleep?  

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64 comments

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OH GOODNESS! I want a SleepNumber so bad! I’ve tested them a time or two, but it’s just not in the card right now.

I am an early bird and seem to be wide awake as soon as the sun comes up. Most days I feel rested, but some days I just know when I didn’t get quality sleep.

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Hope you have a chance to try one out at home soon, Sabrina. :-) Just get in touch if we can help with anything in the meantime.

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I feel my best when I get anywhere from 7 1/2 hours – 8 hours so I try to aim for that each night. It can be tough to power down early since I wake up early, but I always feel 10x better when I get in some quality sleep and quantity hours when I am up early to run and strength train!

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Sleep number, king sized please ;)
While recovering from a tibial stress fracture a few months ago, I got serious about getting enough sleep and moved my bed time back by an hour. Now it’s a regular habit and those 4:45 alarm times for a run before work happen so much more frequently than they did last year :)

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Stop in anytime, Karen. We’d love to help with that. ;)

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Most nights I feel like I get enough sleep. But some days I can totally feel the drag. I make sure to exercise but not less than 2 hours before I go to bed. Other wise I don’t fall asleep easy.

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I listen to podcasts so that my mind doesn’t run a million miles an hour before I go to bed!!

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I love your tips! I am the worst at going to bed at a good time. I need to check out sleep number too. Good ideas!

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Stop in whenever you’re ready, Lynn. Try setting a bedtime alarm in the meantime. It could be the reminder you need to start sleeping on schedule. :-)

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Black out blinds help me sleep enough, especially during the summer months when there’s only 7 hours from sunset to sunrise. Turning off all technology is huge! My only problem sometimes is calming down my mind.

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Now that I am taking swimming at my community college at 5:00am, I am really getting more into a sleeping routine. I try to get in bed 30 minutes earlier than I want to fall asleep, just to relax with a book or something.

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I have so much faith in you Janae! I know you can hit that sub-3 this time. You have been working so hard, and this is your time. Hopefully the focus on sleep will help you. :)

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I know exercise in general helps us get more sleep, but most of my training runs are in the evenings after work, and I am never able to wind down after a long tempo or hard track workout! My body still thinks its running when I lay down for bed. (Or my mind is too excited! :) The week before our marathon, husband and I were in bed by 9:30 PM and didn’t let our alarms go off until 6:45 AM. It was so worth it! I’m sure the extra sleep lead us to both clock great marathon times at the end of that week!

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I was getting less sleep when I was working out every morning at the gym. I always felt bad going to sleep earlier because once my daughter goes to bed it’s kinda the only time my husband and I have together. But now with my running mainly being outside I go to bed around 9:45-10:00 and up at 5:15. So 7-7.5 hrs which works well for me :) If I get more than 8 hrs I’m a zombie… it’s almost too much sleep.

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I wake up so early, so I’m always ready to go to bed at night! It really helps me to do some core and stretching on the floor beside my bed. It lets me wind down and get sleepy.

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I’m doing better than I used to. Exercise helps, but also having rest days seems to help, too. Forcing workouts seems to make me have an adrenaline rush. ? I gave up diet soda (gasp!) and have started turning off screens an hour or so before bed, reading a book instead. Oh and I try to get in bed before 10. Not always attainable but it has helped.

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I need to get better about sleep.! I’m actually pretty good about it, but I work long hours and I run. So on the weekends I’m SUPER tired and sleep most of my day off. I think I need more sleep and I need to clean up my diet a bit, I can feel that my body is pretty tired lately.

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This is a GREAT post because I am right there with you, I am constantly feeling like I don’t get enough sleep, actually I know I do not! Recently, in order to get more sleep I start getting ready around 9:30pm so that by 10pm all I need to do is take my dog out before getting in bed around 10:30pm. I wake up somewhere between 5:15 and 5:45am every weekday morning so it is really tough getting in a full 8 hours during the week. I try to aim for 7.

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I swear I get more and better sleep when my husband is out of town. For months I’ve been bothering him about getting a king size bed and I think a Sleep Number memory foam bed would make a world of a difference…one day!

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Sounds like it could be a great fit, Betsy. Stop by when you’re ready and we’ll help find one that’s perfect for both of you!

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Insomnia and a snoring husband is not an amazing combo! I have suffered from sleepwalking and insomnia as a child and in my twenties. Once I had kids it stopped, I credit breast feeding! My 2nd had medical issues and slept for only 20 min at a time for her first few months and that killed me but I still fell asleep quickly. Over the past 3 months I am averaging 0 to 4 hrs a night. 2 weeks ago I cut exercise out is the picture temporarily to see if that would help with getting through the day. In my case it did. I just could not add that to the plate with 2 kids and 2 hrs of sleep!! I will start back up again soon but sleep is so important.

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I definitely need to put my phone on the other side of the room. I’m guilty of looking on instagram when I can’t sleep. I’ve definitely tried to make increasing sleep more of a priority recently.

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I definitely need more sleep! I have not been good about making it a priority!

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I try to get 7-8 hours of sleep a night. Typically I get more sleep during the winter because the days are shorter and the dark, cold mornings makes it easy to stay curled up in bed. During the summer when the sun rises at 5:30am, I just want to get up and play! :)

I find that getting into a routine helps me fall asleep easily every night. When my schedule is all over the place, I tend to have a more difficult time sleeping.

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I’ve always felt like 7 hours isn’t enough sleep for me. I swear 9 or 10 would be the perfect amount for me. My Mom said when I was a baby I would sleep all the time. They would have to wake me up to eat. I guess I’ve always been a sleepy girl. :)

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I typically sleep 7-9 hours a night so I definitely feel like I get enough. I know I’m one of the few. I think what works best for me is just to just power down, turn off the lights, and shut my eyes when it’s bedtime. Also I don’t have any kids. I think that’s the real secret to being able to get a full night’s rest. =P

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These are great tips, especially the ones to get more sleep. I always struggle with finding ways to go to sleep earlier. And when I do finally get in bed at a decent time, I’m not tired! I never thought about how being on my phone could affect my sleeping and how quick I fall asleep. I definitely have to start putting it down sooner!

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I could definitely improve my sleep! These tips are excellent!!

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I rarely feel like I get enough sleep, I am a crazy insomniac! I definitely need to work on getting away from the computer and phone before bedtime. I’m also wishlisting an amazing mattress…

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Thank you for this. I haven’t been getting enough sleep for YEARS. I’m starting my new career tomorrow, and I’m hoping for a lot of new beginnings–including more SLEEP!

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Most days I feel pretty good. But I know I feel way better when I get my 8 hours of sleep. Obviously not tonight cause I have an early wake up call tomorrow…

I think not drinking caffeine before bed and drinking any liquid before bed helps too. Cause they you don’t wake up in the middle of the night. :)

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I am so so so so glad there is a science behind my daily 8 hours of sleep!
I am sure you can get to run a sub 3 marathon…GO JANAE!!!!

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Love this post! I am a total culprit of missing out on sleep, and I KNOW it effects my body. Way to set a good example, and remind us that sleep is SO dang important! Better put away my computer, and turn off the online shopping late at night if you know what I mean!!! xoxoxo

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This bread that looks like watermelon could make for a terrible practical joke! Imagine you think you’re getting a refreshing piece of watermelon…only to find out it’s bread!

http://www.foodandwine.com/fwx/food/taiwan-bread-looks-watermelons?xid=soc_socialflow_facebook_fw

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Sleep is tough for me too. I wake up really early to run and can’t get to sleep early enough to get the hours I need in! It’s better than it was when my kids were really little, but it’s still so tough, and not sure it will ever change.

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Ugh!!! This is something I am constantly working on. Has anyone tried the sleep number bed?? My husband and I have been in the store no less than 3 times, but just can’t seem to pull the trigger. We even bought their pillows!!… Need some reviews!! It is a big investment, and if it is worth it we are willing to try. We both work early morning jobs and love to work out. That combined with 4 kids makes for some precious sleep hours!

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We love our sleep number bed! We bought the one that splits at the top but not the bottom. It is seriously heaven to sleep on. It’s the thing we miss the most when we travel.

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Glad you’re loving it, Natalie. :-) Have you tried searching for hotels with our beds? It’s a great way to sleep better when you’re on the road.

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Hope you get the feedback you’re looking for, Heather! Let us know if we can answer any questions for you.

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Yes this is so so so important. One of my goals for 2015 has been to be in bed by 9pm, up by 4:30am, and running by 5am. Most weekdays I hit the mark, and I’m a little more relaxed on this for weekends. It’s worked pretty well for me, although things like travel and social events can throw off the routine. The biggest thing that keeps me on track is actually the wakeup time… if I get out of bed when I am supposed to, it’s guaranteed that I’ll be sleepy when I’m supposed to be! :)

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How do you get such great photos of you running? Every time I try I just look like a huge blur.

My friends make fun of me because I try to go to bed at 10 every night (especially during the week). It makes waking up a bit easier.

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Do you have a sleep number bed? My husband and I bought one last year and it is heaven! A bit pricey, but so worth it!

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I always feel like I get enough sleep, but I wake up not feeling refreshed AT ALL. It’s the worst. I always love how great of a mom you are and how you make sure to get in time to train while spending time with Brooke. :)

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I’ve had insomnia since college and have been on medication to help me sleep for years. I always notice an improvement in my workouts when I get 8+ hrs compared to when I only get 6 or 7. Sometimes a 20-30 min afternoon nap can give me a ton of energy to workout too!

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I struggled with sleep for years and finally found a routine that works for me (I need 7-8 hrs. of sleep). I cut out caffeine after lunch, read before bed, use a noise machine and lavender oil. I also do a ‘Top 5’ of my day and come up with 5 good things that happened that day. Makes me calm and grateful before I crash:)

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I have the utmost faith that you will get that sub 3:00 marathon!!
I tend to get 7-8 hours of sleep per night. I really have to be conscious of getting to bed early to get in the hours since I wake up early to get my runs/workout in. My husband is one to stay up late so he always makes fun of me for going to sleep so early but hey, it definitely helps me be at my best so I keep with it! Having a relaxation/sleep routine at night is really important- it helps our bodies and minds recognize its time to be restful. Great tips!

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I know I do not get enough sleep. I also know that sleeping a couple extra hours on the weekend isn’t a way of making up for the lack of sleep during the week. But I try to make myself feel better about the lack of sleep by taking a nap once a week! :)

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I love sleep! I try to get at least 7, but prefer 9. I know you don’t drink, but cutting back on drinking at night has helped me so much with sleep! If I have more than 2 drinks, I have a restless night.

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Since I aim to wakeup at 0430 four-five times a week to workout before work I always make sure I’m in bed by 9. also helps that its just me myself & I these days :)

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The past couple of nights I have actually gotten close to ten hours of sleep! Holy Cow! Usually I get anywhere from 7.5 to 9 hours. I try to aim for 9, since they say teenagers need lots of rest.

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I need to sleep more for sure! It’s so easy to put other priorities about sleep!

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My husband and I just got a Sleep Number bed and we absolutely LOVE it!!! Best sleep of my life. Sleep is so important, great post.

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So glad you’re enjoying it, Amy! Keep up the great sleep. :-)

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I think I’ve been a bit sleep deprived lately without realizing it. I usually get about 8 hours, but am awake with the sun so if I go to bed later than 10:00 I’m in trouble. The alarm went off at 5:45 as usual, but I went back to sleep until 8:30 this morning!!

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I went to bed at 8 pm last night and woke up at 7 am this morning. I am very rested and I’m glad I listened to my body because I know that’s what I needed. I was very frustrated yesterday and that helped so much.

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I would say I get 7 hours of sleep most nights. I’m trying to get back on the morning workout routine so I know that I will need to be going to bed earlier. I have a hard time falling asleep without the TV but I know that it’s not good to be on all night…

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Love the tips! I try to be better about using my phone in bed by turning it on Airplane mode so I don’t get tempted with notifications!

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I love your tip about powering down. I know when I choose TV over reading I have a much harder time falling asleep. Sleep is so key to helping your body repair and recover after running.

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Love the powering down tip! @jacquelinesjemsofsavings.com

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My alarm goes off at 3:45 am for one of my jobs (I have to be at work at 5 am), so getting to bed early is important. It’s definitely tougher over the summer months when the sun stays up late.

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Sleep is definitely something that I struggle with big time too! I normally get around 6 hours of sleep a night which definitely isn’t enough!

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It’s one aspect of my life I really need to be improving. I ALWAYS get a nap during the afternoon though. I think the jury’s still out whether or not it’s good for you, but it seems to work for me. I could definitely go to bed earlier though, but sometimes there just isn’t enough hours in the day…. (PS. it’s 11.45 pm UK time as I write this, and I’ve still to finish tonight’s blog post…) I’ll maybe try your 15 minute trick :)

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A few weeks ago, I read Arianna Huffington’s latest book, Thrive. In it, she talked about women specifically sacrificing rest because we are being taught that we should do more. I found the book very motivational towards making rest a priority. Check out my review here: http://runwright.net/2015/06/09/thrive/

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Working nights has my sleeping pattern all upside down. Hopefully I get it all squared away soon because I complete agree that rest is very important for training.

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