Personal Trainer in St. Petersburg Shares 5 Tips For Better Sleep

As St. Petersburg’s top personal trainer for men and women over 50, one of the things I hear most often is ” I’m doing everything I used to do to drop weight and the scale just won’t move”.  So, last month, we focused a lot on sleep and recovery with our group fitness training and in-home & outdoor park personal training clients because it’s so important to your health AND keeping your metabolism revving at full speed…. especially once you become “of a certain age”.

So, as I was doing research for my 7 Reasons The Scale Isn’t Budging post,  I read some shocking statistics.

Forty-five percent of Americans say that poor or insufficient sleep affected their daily activities at least once in the past seven days, according to the National Sleep Foundation’s inaugural Sleep Health Index,  20% of Americans have a sleep disorder and it’s estimated that 27% of adults in America have trouble sleeping most nights!

That is a LOT of people – and it’s a very big deal because the quality of your sleep as well as the “hours” is so incredibly important for your mood, body,  brain … and your metabolism. So,  let’s dive in!

Today I want to give you a few tips for improving your sleep QUALITY which you may not have tried before. These tips focus on making your bedroom more sleep-friendly. The quality of your sleep is so incredibly important for your mood, body, and brain so let’s dive in!

1. Make sure your bedroom is cool, dark, and quiet –

You may have  already heard this, but it really can make a HUGE difference so I am going to repeat it until you try it.

Keeping a cool room matters because your body’s temperature naturally drops when you sleep, and anything that interferes with that can make it hard to stay asleep.

Anywhere between 60 and 67 degrees is the sweet spot. Personally, I sleep with the temperature at 72. Let me know in the comments below what temperature you sleep at.

2. Make sure your room is quiet – 

People often underestimate the importance of this.

If you need help drowning out outside noises, try using a sound machine or white noise app.

You probably already have everything you need to create the perfect ambient sound for your room. There are literally dozens if not hundreds of sleep apps for your phone or tablet, and if you have any smart home devices, like those that use Alexa, they also can play white noise for you.

I personally meditate before going to sleep to a meditation that includes soft binural beats and affirmations to sink into my mind as I drift.

3. Using two comforters on one bed if you sleep with someone else –

This one is a game changer if you sleep in the same bed with someone else. It’s something that’s pretty common in European countries  but not something you see much here in the U.S.

No top sheets –  just two comforters. That’s right, you each get your own! This is a great idea helps promote a more restful sleep  for a couple reasons.

One, there’s no more fighting for the covers. And if one of you is having a restless night or tossing or turning a lot, you are less apt to be woken up by someone moving the blanket around.

Two, and this is a biggie, you both get to choose how heavy or light your blanket is. This can make a big difference if one of you likes to sleep at a colder temperature than the other.

The only downside is washing your comforter cover more often, since it works as both your  top sheet and your blanket. But, it can be totally worth it.

4.  Make sure your room is as uncluttered as possible – 

Even though your eyes are closed when you sleep, if you are surrounded by clutter in your bedroom, it can be really hard to fully relax.

Your closet and bathroom door should be closed, your surfaces clutter-free, and if at all possible, keep anything work-related out of your room. Basically, your bedroom should be reserved for bedroom activities like sleep and, well, you know.

I learned this one personally. My bedroom is primarily clutter free but I often throw my clean laundry on Zoe’s crate at the end of my bed. They would often sit there until I used them. One day, while I was stuck at home, nursing Z after her knee surgery, I folded the giant heap of laundry for the first time in almost forever and noticed how much more relaxed I was lying in bed without the big pile of clutter at the foot.

5. Use a blue light filter so the light doesn’t interfere with your sleep if you watch TV in your room – 

The blue light emitted from your TV, phone or other device can send signals to your brain that interfere with your body’s natural hormonal rhythms and make it hard to fall asleep.

There are many filters and apps available to help you with this! I use one on my cell phone since it’s by my bed for my meditation ap and alarm clock.

I hope these tips help you get an awesome night of sleep tonight!

Do you use any of these sleep hacks? Have any other tips that you use to get a great night’s sleep? Drop a comment below! If you found this helpful and want more tips like this,  Come Join Us in Our FREE, Private Facebook Community St Pete & Tierra Verde’s Fit Over 50 where you will be surrounded by some of our most successful clients and we get real, bust through myths and talk about what REALLY works when it comes to losing weight, reshaping your body and having a body you LOVE ! This is Community for St Pete and Tierra Verde residents who want to get tips, recipes and strategies for living a healthy lifestyle and learning how to eat more, train less and achieve a body they love.

Committed To Your Success and Awesomeness,

Dianne Villano – THE Fitness& Transformation Expert For YOUR Over 50 Body
Fitness St. Pete I Tierra Verde Fitness
727-742-0816

P.S. Have You Met Our Member Of the Half, H2 2017 and H1 2018   Diane,  The Over 50 Executive who came in after years of  of corporate life left her with back and neck pain, plantar fasciatis and  barely able  to get up off the ground or perform “normal” daily ?  Check out her inspiring Personal training and Weight Loss transformation to see how she lost 40 pounds, reduced aches and pains and reclaimed her body and life.