Yes, we have all heard it before; sleep is a must for many things such as recovery and to live the most vital life we can live. For the past twenty plus years, I likely averaged 5-6 hours a night. I always told myself that is all I need as I could use the extra hours to get ahead in life. Don’t get me wrong, the extra hours of awake time did help me in many ways but I look at it now as I just never realized the impact it had by not getting enough sleep.
For me the collateral beauty of this whole COVID era allowed me to get a few more hours per week on the shut eye end and it has paid dividends. I truly feel like a new human. I have a lot more energy, my workouts are better, recovery is better, patience for life is better. I truly attribute all of it to consistently getting a better night of sleep.
I have currently been working on recertifications for my private training certification through the National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA). Like most continuing education, you have to take courses, etc. for credits.
One of the lectures I was blessed to watch and learn discussed sleep, the benefits, and the impact of not getting enough. If someone can learn anything from this blog and take one or two aspects and bring action, you can truly change your world. Life is filled with choices, and the choice is yours.
Below are some of the more important notes I felt could help me which I hope can help you. According to Brandon Marcello in his talk about sleep and the only true fixall for health and performance discussed “Not Getting Enough Sleep” can lead to…
- Increased risk of injury
- Reduced pain threshold (things hurt a little more)
- Greater susceptibility for sickness
- Reduced psychological & physical performance
- Increased anxiety, irritability and mistakes made
- Impaired situational awareness
- Increased body fat %
- Revert back to old habits
- Poor judgement of distance, speed and time
“Getting Enough Sleep” and its benefits lead to…
- Motivation in all aspects of your life
- Recovery & muscle strength
- Stress (cortisol) regulation
- Situational awareness
- Memory consolidation
- Reaction time
Here is one of your challenges in 2021! Try and focus on getting a few more minutes of shut eye and watch your overall being improve. May 2021 be a phenomenal year for you and your loved ones!
