COMMANDO STANDARD SLEEP
A good night's sleep is arguably one of our greatest tools in helping you perform at your best, and utilise the hard work you put into training.
Energy levels play a vital role in every component of not just fitness, but life.
If you are struggling to progress with your training - Sleep quality is one of the first lifestyle elements you should address.
The best indicator of a good night's sleep is how you feel in the morning.
If you wake up feeling awesome and can approach the next day with energy, it doesn’t matter if you got your recommended 7-8 hours of sleep. Don't obsess over the numbers if you feel good and perform well.
Now, if you have 4 hours kip and wake up tired, it’s obviously because you haven’t slept enough. But what happens to those who get a decent amount of sleep and still wake up feeling exhausted?
HOW A POOR NIGHT SLEEP AFFECTS YOU
PHYSICALLY
You simply will not be as fit and strong as you can be if you are fatigued. Your log-book and fitness assessments will provide useful data in monitoring your progress. If you are hitting a wall, when you should otherwise be stronger - sleep, or lack thereof is likely a big factor.
COGNITIVLEY
When you are tired, you aren’t as sharp, you are less adaptable, you are less present, and you are less of yourself. When your ability to focus is diminished - you cannot expect to be at your best.
IMMUNITY
Poor sleep quality lowers our defences to fight off sickness.
RECOVERY
When we train, we stress our body. When we sleep we adapt to those stresses. A poor night of sleep compromises our ability to adapt into a more robust, stronger human.
MOOD
Sleep affects hormone levels that can alter our mood. A poor nights sleep inhibits positive hormones and leaves us feeling broken, beat and distracted.
You can understand why all of these factors can hurt effective training. Value your sleep quality and you enhance all of these factors.
BEAR IN MIND
‘Perfect’ or ‘Optimal’ sleep can be incredibly difficult to achieve - and even tougher to do so consistently. Life is unpredictable, at times inflexible and the world will not revolve around you getting a good nights sleep.
Solutions beat excuses - Aim for ‘better’ sleep rather than ‘perfect’ and you will improve your sleep quality.
FACTORS YOU CAN IMPROVE
Pick the one, apply your focus to it and reap the reward. When you feel like it is in a good place, and has a positive impact on your sleep - move on to another.
PREPARE
You will struggle to transition from stressed to relaxed without taking the time to wind down and prepare for sleep. Start with a 30 minute window where you actively seek activities that chill you out. Read a book, stretch, knit - whatever works for you.
LIMIT
Caffeine can be a useful tool in sharpening up your senses and giving you a temporary energy boost - but there is a time and a place. Consuming caffeine in the late afternoon/evening can disrupt sleep. You might get the hours, but you will lack the quality. Reduce or replace your coffee in the back half of your day.
SWITCH OFF
Aside from potential frustrations from an email/social media post etc, the artificial light from televisions, phones, laptops, etc can disrupt the regenerative benefits of sleep. In your preparation window - switch off and seek alternative means to relax.
CONSISTENCY
Irregular sleep patterns can throw your body off and result in a rollercoaster of energy levels.
Set an alarm for a reasonable time and aim to get up without fail. You will find that after a tough first week, you will build a routine. This usually means you start getting tired at an appropriate time to facilitate a good enough sleep duration for your alarm.
ENVIRONMENT
Make sure its dark! Changes in light can disturb you from a good night's sleep. Be aware of a phone notification lighting up your room, a flickering lamp outside your window or a blinking light from a switched off electronic device. The darker the better.
Get a good temperature! Keep it cool and you are less likely to get uncomfortable and wake up! Open a window, buy a thinner duvet or have a fan to reduce the temperature so it's nice and cool.
Get comfortable. You spend a lot of time in bed, so it is worthwhile investing in a comfortable mattress, pillows, and bedding. Yes, it can be expensive and isn't practical for everyone to change everything in one swoop. But next time you are in the market for something new - take your time and make the best decision for what you can afford.
DISCIPLINE
There is simply no place in this program to hit the snooze button. Set your alarm for the time you realistically need to get up and see it through. This comes down to straight up discipline. You may want to snooze, but it won’t do you any good. Make the tough choice that benefits you long-term.
YOU HAVE HAD A BAD NIGHT - NOW WHAT?
Despite your best effort - you have had a crap night’s sleep. What should you do?
DON’T MAKE EXCUSES
People have achieved greatness on a bad nights sleep. You may not be at your best, but you can still get the job done. Don’t allow it to become a reason to skip your workout, give up or not go for that extra rep.
STEP INTO THE COLD
A cold shower, cold enough to make you not want to step into it is a fantastic remedy to fatigue and can sharpen you right up. At the end of your morning shower, go as cold as possible for 30-120 seconds. It will not be pleasant, but you won’t regret it afterwards.
HYDRATE
Dehydrated bodies don’t function as well - so do yourself a favour and avoid layering on more difficulty.
IN SUMMARY
Good sleep is important for performing well in fitness and life
Poor sleep quality can affect physical fitness, cognitive abilities, immunity, recovery, and mood.
Aim for ‘better’ sleep rather than ‘perfect’ sleep.
Prepare for sleep by winding down for at least 30 minutes before bedtime.
Limit caffeine consumption in the late afternoon/evening.
Switch off electronics before bedtime to avoid artificial light disruptions.
Maintain consistency in sleep patterns.
Optimise sleep environment by keeping it dark, cool, and comfortable.
Discipline is your key to unlocking all of the above.