Finding the best balance of sleep, exercise and nutrition is so important for our overall health and wellness.
To find out the best diet and exercise to help you sleep, we spoke to Wellness Expert, Rachel Grunwell. Learn Rachel’s tips on how healthy diet and exercise go hand-in-hand with a great night’s rest.
When it comes to forming good habits for a restful sleep, what you do during the day is just as important as a healthy bedtime routine in the evening. Sticking to a few key well-being rituals helps us to feel more in balance, both mentally and physically, which paves the way for a deeper, more restorative sleep.
So, if you’re keen to make a good night’s sleep part of your wellness journey, try adding a balanced diet, and physical activity, as well as these healthy habits to your daily routine:
Regular exercise helps you sleep
The World Health Organization recommends we exercise for 150 minutes every week to keep up good health. And it really doesn’t matter how you do it – just move … I personally love adding running, weights or yoga to my routine, but you could also just head out for a walk or a swim. I tell my wellness clients to keep trying until they find an exercise activity they love – and then keep at it.
Great sleep means a diet of nourishing, real foods
Food fuels how you think and feel. When it comes to making better choices about what to eat each day, a good rule of thumb is to stick to foods that grow in the ground, on trees, or move (if you’re not vegetarian, of course!) Try to avoid sugar, too, as this can have a detrimental effect on your energy levels through the day. And try not to eat too much before bedtime, as it can upset the digestive system, which isn’t ideal for a great sleep.
Stay hydrated
What we’re drinking each day can have a big effect on how we’re sleeping at night, too. As always, make sure to drink plenty of water throughout the day and avoid any caffeine in the six hours before bedtime. And if a good night’s rest is what you’re after, it pays to avoid too much alcohol, as this can also interfere with your sleep.
Practice mindfulness
It can get tricky trying to find the time in our busy schedules to sit and be mindful, but it really can help with our overall well-being. Mindfulness is all about living in the moment and being happy ‘in the now’, rather than feeling stuck in the past or worrying about the future. Perhaps your morning cup of tea can become a time for practicing a little mindfulness. I like to sit and savour the taste of my brew, the warmth of the cup in my hands and just have a quiet moment of stillness.
A warm bath can help relax you before sleep
If you have access to a bath, this can be a great ritual to add to your routine. It’s a good chance to soak and let go of any stress (or practice that mindfulness) and sets you up for a relaxing end to the day before going to sleep.
Invest in a quality bed
A comfortable, quality bed makes a big difference to how we sleep and how we feel when we wake up in the morning. A bed that is too hard, too soft or too hot for your personal sleep profile, doesn’t make for a restful sleep. It’s important to consider how you sleep and ensure you select a bed that offers you the right level of comfort. Look for a bed that offers both support and functionality for helping you to keep cool and comfortable at night.
How to start improving your diet and exercise for better sleep
A healthy night time routine is all about what you do during the day. Everyone’s capacity for different types of exercise and food varies wildly, so it’s up to you what food and activity is best for your lifestyle and will set you up for good sleep. Find things that you can easily slide into your daily routine and shift your diet towards natural based foods.
As you add these wellness rituals into your day, you’ll soon begin to feel more in balance, which along with the right bed choice, will lead to a restful night’s sleep. When you have a great sleep, you feel more inclined to stick to those exercise and nutrition choices the next day. It’s a wellness cycle that will fuel a healthier, happier you!
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