Sleep underpins our wellbeing. It gives us energy and stops us from feeling sluggish. Sleep gives us sharper concentration so we can make smarter decisions.
If we sleep well, we are calmer and manage stress better. So there are fewer slammed doors at home and we are nicer to be around.
Sleep helps our immune system, too.
Sleep helps us to perform at our best. So athletes take it seriously — and so you should, too. And while there are lots of expensive supplements out there to aid sleep, this is actually a free tool.
I'm helping the disability sport organisation Parafed with wellbeing tips. The wellness advice is to help our future Olympians to perform at their best. I helped them with sleep tips this week. So I thought I'd share some of these sleep tips with readers.
■PS: Can someone tell my teenage son sleeping in until midday is not ideal? I may be a wellness expert, but I'm an ordinary mum, too (chuckle).
HOW TO SLEEP LIKE A BABY
1 Regularity is king. Go to bed at the same time. We do routines for babies; We should do it as adults, too. Aim to get to bed by 10pm.
2 Make sure you get 7 ½-8 hours nightly. Kids actually need more. If you train hard then you need more sleep than those minimum-hour recommendations. Sleep improves muscle regeneration and getting enough recovery powers your performance.
