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If you’re interested in living a healthy lifestyle, the best place to start may be your bed. Sleep is much more than just an opportunity to rest after a busy day. According to Mayo Clinic, the hours that you spend in deep, restful sleep are the hours that your brain uses to build new pathways, repair cell damage and reset the central nervous system. Your immune system is also busy at work, building stronger forces allowing you to ward off bacterial infections and recover faster from any illnesses you do catch.

Beyond drowsiness and discomfort, a lack of sleep can lead to difficulty concentrating, reduced ability to learn new information and impaired ability to regulate your emotions and make well-informed decisions.

For some people, though, good quality sleep remains difficult. If you’re struggling with sleep, be sure to take advantage of FitClub’s upcoming presentation, “Sleep Hygiene.” The presentation is Monday, September 26, 2016 from 12:15PM to 1:00PM at FitClub South. FitClub’s own Andrea Byrne, RN was kind enough to share her advice, in advance, so you can prepare for the presentation by starting your own bedtime routine.

1. Actively reduce stress. Stress is unavoidable; however, taking steps to moderate and combat your stress throughout the day will reap positive benefits at night when your body and mind need sleep. Taking a proactive approach to reducing stress may include exercise, meditation, yoga, or tai-chi, all of which are available at FitClub! Experiment with the techniques that feel right to you and don’t be afraid to try something new.


2. Set yourself up for success. Plan your dinners and snacks so that you are neither hungry, nor uncomfortably full when you are ready for bed. You should also avoid nicotine, caffeine and alcohol in advance of bedtime. Both nicotine and caffeine have a stimulating effect on the body and alcohol may disrupt your sleep later at night.


3. Be consistent. Consistency is central to a quality sleep ritual not only because it keeps your schedule on track, but because it reinforces the body’s natural sleep cycle and allows for better quality sleep. If your sleep is often sacrificed because of your busy schedule, start trying to incorporate a regular bed time and regular wake up time into part of your healthy lifestyle. After you’ve chosen a bedtime and wake up time that allow for at least seven hours of uninterrupted sleep, prepare your body and mind by maintaining a consistent bedtime routine that tells your mind it’s time to unwind.


4. Don’t fight it. If you find that you have trouble falling asleep, give yourself fifteen minutes. If, after fifteen minutes, you find that you cannot fall asleep, get out of bed and engage in a relaxing activity until you feel tired enough to fall asleep. Getting to sleep shouldn’t be stressful. If you find that falling asleep is stressful, you might try reading or listening to soothing music. Avoid turning to television or your phone, though, as both may keep you awake even longer.

Whether you’re new to healthy living or have been living healthy for a while, there’s always something we can learn about sleep and its importance in our day to day lives. Check back at the blog next week for a recap of the Sleep Hygiene presentation and share your own sleep tips and tricks in the comment section!