Man lying in bed asleep with a silver bell alarm clock in the foreground
man lying in bed asleep with an alarm clock in the foreground

How to get a good night's sleep

Sleep is all the rage right now… I mean it should be all the time but that’s beside the point. Sleep is the single most fundamental foundation to our short- and long-term health span and lifespan and getting a good night's sleep is essential for your physical and mental health & wellbeing. 

In this blog post, we will discuss the importance of getting a good night's sleep and provide some tips on how to achieve it. We will also discuss some supplements that may be able to help you get a better night's sleep!


When you sleep, your body has a chance to rest and repair itself; and that’s your body AND mind. During sleep, your body will do its best work resynthesising muscle tissue and your brain gets to work consolidating memories, learning, and processing emotions too!

Now, a ‘good night’s sleep’ can and will be different for everyone but we’re going to share a few tips and tricks that we’ve learnt from our time in high performance sport and that we are confident you will be able to put into action daily. 

Even if you start with one or two for the first couple of weeks to see how you feel. As sleep is something we need to do every day, it is the perfect habit-forming test bed (pun 1000% intended) so experimenting to find what works for you is never a bad thing.

man sitting on the edge of a white bed wearing pyjamas and holding his head in his arms because of sleep deprivation

If you weren’t already aware, there are many reasons why getting a good night's sleep is important. Here are just a few:

  1. Improved Mood: Lack of sleep can lead to irritability, mood swings, and depression. Getting a good night's sleep can help to improve your mood and reduce the risk and or severity of these conditions.
  2. Increased Productivity: When you are well-rested, you are more productive and efficient. You can focus better, make better decisions, and accomplish more and often in less time too!
  3. Better Health: Sleep is essential for good health. Lack of sleep can lead to a weakened immune system, increased risk of chronic diseases, and weight gain, with severe sleep deprivation being linked to obesity and diabetes as a probable contributing factor. 
  4. Improved Memory: Sleep plays a critical role in consolidating memories and learning. Getting a good night's sleep can help to improve your memory and cognitive function.

 

And consequently, not getting enough sleep can lead to several opposite problems, including (but not limited to): 

  • Fatigue
  • Irritability
  • Difficulty concentrating
  • Mood swings
  • Weight gain
  • Increased risk of accidents 

Any state or reason for sleep deprivation should be addressed as quickly as possible. And luckily there are several things you can do to improve your sleep habits. Here are a few tips:

man standing outside in a silouette shadow from the sun whilst drinking from a bottle of water

Stick to a Schedule. Try to go to bed and wake up at the same time every day. This will help to regulate your body's internal clock otherwise referred to as your circadian rhythm which helps you to both make it easier to fall asleep at night and wake up in the morning ready to go! And this is for weekends too…sorry! 

 Make sure your bedroom is dark, quiet, and cool. Darkness helps your body produce melatonin, a hormone that promotes the onset of sleep. Quiet helps you avoid distractions and fall asleep more easily as well as reducing the chance of you waking up or being disturbed whilst you snooze. 

Cool temperatures (roughly 18 degrees Celsius or 65-degree Fahrenheit) help body temperature drop 1-2 degrees Fahrenheit, which is necessary for good quality sleep.

 

Avoid caffeine and alcohol before bed. Caffeine and alcohol can and will interfere with the architecture of your sleep, i.e., the quality of your sleep. Alcohol can act as a great sedative to help you get to sleep but that doesn’t mean that you then don’t have poor sleep… you inevitably will. 

In short, caffeine can make it harder to fall asleep, and alcohol can disrupt sleep later in the night, so it's best to avoid them in the hours before bed. Recommendations say that you need to avoid caffeine at least 8-10 hours before bedtime which for most would mean that your last coffee or caffeinated snack or beverage would fall in the early afternoon at lunchtime. For alcohol, limiting your intake from roughly 4 hours before bedtime is the recommendation. 

man and woman wearing sports clothing running together outside in a park on a gravel trail

Get regular exercise. Exercise can help improve sleep quality but be sure to avoid intensely exercising too close to bedtime. Exercise releases endorphins, hormones that have mood-boosting and sleep-promoting effects. However, exercising intensely too close to bedtime can make it harder to fall asleep. 

That’s not to say you can’t exercise in the evening – for many of us that is our only window of opportunity but try and keep the intensity low (think Zone 2 cardio) as this has been shown in some studies to promote sleep.

 

Take a warm bath or shower before bed. The warmth of the water can help relax your body and mind and actually kickstart (actually more like trick) your body’s thermostat into thinking it is warm and therefore it will promote the natural cooling that happens in final hour or so before your usual bedtime. 

Get your sleep hygiene right! This is our all about our earlier point of routine and habit forming. The best sleepers have a non-negotiable routine that features most if not all the above tips plus other calming and restful activities. 

These can include reading a book or listening to calming music or a podcast before bed (we would highly recommend the Huberman Lab podcast as an excellent resource for actionable science and science related tools for everyday life).

Basically, the best sleepers are doing everything they can to avoid digital screens and bright artificial lights and not overstimulate the body or mind. Practising mindful meditations, breathwork and even gentle moving meditations can have a positive impact on sleep quality and quantity. 

Now, as always, we would recommend you see your registered doctor or physician if you're still having trouble sleeping. If you've tried the above tips and you're still having trouble sleeping, it's important to see a doctor. 

There may be an underlying medical condition that is causing your sleep problems. Your doctor can help you identify and treat any underlying conditions and recommend other treatments that may be helpful for you.

 

The same goes for our next section that’s all about SUPPLEMENTS. We always recommend that you consult with your doctor before you add any new supplement into your routine. 

We’re all familiar with the use of supplements for optimising our performances during the day, but many of us don’t know that there are a whole host of supplements out there that have been shown to help us get and stay asleep to maximise our recovery for the day ahead. 

Melatonin: Melatonin is a hormone that your body produces naturally. It helps regulate sleep-wake cycles. Melatonin supplements are available over the counter in the US but unfortunately not here in the UK. 

Valerian Root: Valerian root is an herb that has been used for centuries to promote relaxation and sleep. It may be helpful for those with insomnia or anxiety to help ease trouble when trying to sleep. 

L-Theanine: L-Theanine is an amino acid commonly found in green tea. It has been shown to have calming effects and may be helpful for those with anxiety or stress-related sleep issues.

Lavender oil: Lavender oil is a natural remedy that has been shown to help promote relaxation and sleep. Lavender oil can be used in aromatherapy or applied to the skin.

Magnesium Threonate: Magnesium is a mineral that is involved in many processes in the body, including sleep. Taking a magnesium supplement may be helpful for those with restless leg syndrome or other sleep-related issues.

Supplements rich in the amino acid Glycine have also been shown to be effective at enhancing the depth and quality of sleep. Collagen unlike any other source of amino acids is abundant in Glycine. In fact 33% of the amino acid content of collagen is Glycine. Our Active Sport Collagen is a popular supplement for daily maintenance and as a tablet it is convenient to take before bedtime - giving your body the best chance to recover and repair whilst encouraging quality sleep at the same time too!

It's important to note that while these supplements may be helpful for some people, they may not be effective for everyone. Additionally, it's important to talk to your doctor before starting any new supplements, as they can interact with other medications or health conditions as well as looking for supplements that have been produced by reputable manufacturers and to high quality standards. 

active sport collagen

active sport collagen

Active Sport Collagen is an evidence-backed formulation of specific Bioactive Collagen Peptides® proven to support the health and recovery of cartilage tissue. Active Sport Collagen is a convenient and cost-effective way to optimise joint health to support your active lifestyle.

✔ Clinically proven results in as little as 12 weeks

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£29.95

THE BOTTOMLINE

Getting a good night's sleep is essential for our overall health and well-being. By following the tips outlined in this blog post, and potentially incorporating supplements into your ‘sleep stack’, you can improve your sleep quality and reap the benefits of a good night's sleep. Remember, it's important to prioritise your sleep and make it a priority in your daily routine. 

A good night's sleep is truly a game-changer, and it's worth investing the time and effort to make it happen. You’ll see and feel the difference the next day if you do! 

We hope you enjoyed reading this blog as much as we enjoyed writing it. Don’t forget to share this with someone who you know would benefit from reading this. The U Perform family loves sharing ideas and encouraging each other. 

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