Health and Fitness Coach

Tips for Better Sleep: How to Improve the Quality of Your Sleep

27 March 2009 12:55 am

Editors Note: This post is written by contributer Andrew Verdon. Andrew has completed a Diploma in Exercise Science, Certificate IV in Fitness, Level 1 Strength Coaching Qualifications with ASCA. He is currently completing a Post Grad Diploma in Applied Science (Elite Sports Training) and will go on to do a Masters in Recovery.

This month we are looking into sleep and its importance to your physical and mental performance. Sleep is an important activity and crucial in the restorative process. Good sleep is vital for high performance; be it in business sport or life. As the levels of physical and mental stress increase so does the amount of sleep we need. However, sleep seems to be the first thing to suffer with many of us “burning the candle at both ends” with late nights followed by poor quality sleep and early starts.

We go through 4-5 stages when we sleep. The deepest of these is called the REM (Rapid Eye Movement) sleep. We cycle through the stages up to 6 times per night and each cycle takes 90 to 120 minutes. This is important to maintain your natural sleep cycles and help you wake rested and refreshed.