Like Leo and I discussed, more sleep equals more body utilization. When I finally started taking my sleep seriously, not only was my mental clarity much better, but my body felt more energetic, and my workouts got stronger.
I now make a conscious effort to get eight hours of sleep a night. I treat it like a meeting or appointment. Allowing yourself the full eight hours allows your body to achieve the adequate 20% of REM sleep, and the remaining 80% of recovery needed from fatigue.
Obviously, we cannot always get eight hours due to our schedule and life events, but is important to treat the sleep you are able to get with respect. What I mean by this, is making a conscious effort to eliminate any distractions from your sleep. This means, watching TV before bed, looking at your cell phone until you fall asleep, or having any sort of light inhibit the bodies natural clock. Ideally, you want a dark cool room to achieve the best sleep.
Another tool to prep your body for a better night sleep is stretching. I have made it a habit of doing a 10-minute stretch before bed every night to prep my body for max recovery and relaxation upon getting into bed. If 10 minutes is too long for you, maybe pick 2-4 stretches to allow your body to wind down from the day and begin to relax. Below are my top 4 stretches to open up your shoulders, hips and lower back before bed.
