People always talk about the triad of thinking, moving and eating well, but what about sleeping well? After all, it does take up a 3rd of your day … or it should! Most people tend to forego one and give more weight to the other. The truth is, they are fairly evenly intertwined and rely on each other, much like two kids on a seesaw. In saying that, we’re talking about quality sleep, not just being lazy and laying in bed and on the couch all day! So lets look at the benefits of each.

How is regular exercise benefiting you?

  • Exercise is the number one prevention for pretty much every lifestyle disease out there.
  • Exercise helps to stimulate the ‘feel good’ hormones which can help you cope better with stress throughout the day.
  • It controls your body composition and weight while maintaining a healthy metabolism.
  • Exercise increases lymph and blood movement around the body to support a healthy immune system and delivery of nutrients.
  • Intense physical activity can maintain sex hormones and boost libido and help men avoid erectile dysfunction.
  • Exercising at the right times of day can help you achieve more restful sleep.

What are the benefits of hitting snooze?

  • Sleeping has some similar effects on the body as exercise. It is extremely important in balancing hormones and stimulating the release of endorphins, which improve your mood.
  • There are studies that show links between a lack of sleep and increased incidences of obesity, diabetes and heart attacks.
  • You train better and harder when you are well rested.
  • Your immune system works better when you are not sleep-deprived. Sleeping is when you do your growth and repair.
  • Sleep has been suggested to be an important factor in gaining muscle after a hard workout. If you are not getting enough you will potentially miss out on those gains!
  • It may help with your ‘mojo’. A constant lack of shut eye in men has proven to be responsible for a decrease of testosterone in men which not only effects sexual function but also your ability to gain muscle and overall well being.

How do you know if you are sleeping enough?

I suggest you wear a smart watch like a fitbit or similar and track the actual hours you are in deep sleep. Sometime this can be surprisingly different to the hours your eyes are shut!