How I prepare for sleep

My busiest work days often entail waking up at 5am and getting home at 8.30 pm which leaves me little time once I get home to spend time relaxing before going to bed if I want to get in 7 hours of sleep.

I can be difficult to easily go from a state of heightened alertness when training a client combined with a gym that is artificially lit to unwinding and being ready to sleep.

I find that missed sleep is the quickest way to kill my gains in the gym, it'll also leave me feeling ratty and not very happy the next day.

Supplement Approach

One supplement protocol (adapted from a bio signature protocol from Charles Poliquin) I have used very successfully is-

30 minutes before bed-

450 mg of Magnesium Citrate and Glycinate

5 grams of Inisotol

300mg of phosphatidyl serine

2 grams of Taurine

5o0mg of Glycine

These combination of supplements work on relaxing neurotransmitters in the brain and also reducing levels of the stress hormone cortisol.

Lifestyle Approach

I combine these supplements with dimming the lights in my house (I eat dinner by candle light) and not checking emails after I get home.

I will write down any tasks for tomorrow down on a 'to do' list so that they are not playing on my mind while in bed. I plan experimenting on incorporating a grateful log as recommended by Charles but have so far not used this strategy.

I will then also often have a relaxing shower and do some diaphragmatic breathing to relax the whole body as a final preparation before sleep.

Electronic devices will be switched off at the wall and mobile phones are kept out of the bedroom.

I use ear plugs to block out sound and a combination of black out curtains and an eye mask to eliminate light.

This so far have never failed to get me to sleep quickly.

Try these tips out and let me know how you get on.