It’s 1am exactly and my alarm is set for 6am. That’s 5 hours until I’m expected to wake and tackle the day ahead. I have Beyoncé barre with DKNY Sport first thing, before heading to the agency to collect a package and have a catch up with my bookers. I’ll then come back to the apartment for a conference call, will work out- I’m thinking a run seeing as it’s forecast to be nice tomorrow- and then will sit down to tackle emails, work my way through an important contract, put in time on a secret project and scout new music for my spin classes. I’m planning to have a productive day, yet there’s one problem- I can’t fall to sleep.
Sleep
How You Can Achieve An Effortless Night’s Sleep By Dr Nerina Ramlakhan
When it comes to health, exercise and diet seem to dominate our conversations but there’s one vital thing that isn’t spoken about enough… sleep!
I attended the FitBit Heart Rate Hotel to experience a high intensity workout followed by a rather different sleep session (read all about it right here). With the latter run by leading sleep expert Dr Nerina Ramlakhan, I came away with some very interesting tips on how to improve your sleep. Here’s how!
1. Eat breakfast within 30 minutes of waking up. Who knew?! Apparently this breaks the fast (obviously) but also helps to increase metabolism and melatonin levels, which helps us to have a better quality sleep.
2. Keep hydrated! Drinking the recommended 2litres of water per day helps to reduce nocturnal restlessness. Pass the water, please!
3. Cut back on caffeine. Seems quite obvious but did you know that caffeine isn’t just found in coffee? It’s in soft drinks, teas and even chocolate bars and ice creams! Dr Nerina recommends no caffeine after 3pm.
4. Withdraw from technology at least one hour before bed. Now this one for me is a toughy- I’m scrolling through Instagram in bed never mind putting it down one hour before. Dr Nerina recommends swapping the iPhone for a book when it’s getting close to bedtime.
5. Go to bed early- ideally before 10.30pm. Or at least be resting by this time. Rest qualifies as relaxing in bed or on the sofa, perhaps with a book. No energy should be sent out after this time.
You can see more from Dr Nerina right here. She explained how she won’t see clients again until they try these top tips. So if you want to improve your sleep, you now know where to start!
Time for some TLC!
With all the strain that we’ve put our bodies through during the party season, it’s bound to show somewhere. Whether it’s through illness, weight gain, eye bags, dull skin (the list goes on), it’s likely that we’re all not looking or feeling our best at the moment. My body’s cry for help is always through my skin- I look much paler than usual and often find unwanted blemishes making an appearance. Time for some good old TLC!
Sleep. Use this weekend to catch up on your sleep. You’ll be amazed at how much of a difference this can make- you’ll feel much more alive, have brighter eyes and your skin will look that little bit healthier!
Relax. Take some ‘you’ time by running a nice bubble bath or having a little pamper session. This will help your body to unwind after a hectic December!
Vitamin C. Stock up on Vit C rich food such as strawberries, kiwi, broccoli, yellow peppers, kale and tomatoes. Vitamin C is well-known for it’s illness preventing properties. It protects cells helping to keep them nice and healthy.
Run. Although you may think that running will tire you out, it actually energises our body and mind way more than sitting around ever will! Make time to go for a run. It will clear your mind and have you instantly feeling revitalised.
Always remember to look after your body no matter how busy you are. The January Fitness Challenge is all about improving our health and bodies. You can’t be your best if you’re run down! xx
Tigeress Lifestyle 