What My Fitbit’s Taught Me About My Sleep

You’re active every day – what do you do to recover?
“My four main cheap and effective methods of recovery are sleep, nourishment, hydration and mobilisation. I aim for AT LEAST SEVEN hours of quality sleep each night, even if that means being asleep by 9pm some nights. Nourishment is huge for me; I try to avoid anything that is going to add any inflammation to the body and eat as much nutrient-dense foods as possible. 

"Adequate hydration is another really important factor when it comes to recovery; remembering to always be hydrated before a big session as well. I also stretch, foam roll and trigger point a few times a week to keep my body mobile and free of any sore spots that may pop up as a result of training.”

What has your Fitbit showed you about your sleep?
“It’s as simple as making sure I’ve got it on my wrist before I go to sleep; the watch does the rest! Every morning after I wake up and have my coffee, I’ll check to see how I slept that night and if there’s anything that I need to do to help my sleep the next night. I’ve learnt that I will usually have more deep sleep than normal after a big training session, which is handy as it aids in physical recovery!

"I’ve also found that my REM sleep will drop a little if I was on my phone or laptop a lot that day, so the following day I’ll ensure to limit my screen time to help with my quality of sleep that night. I also didn’t know this before tracking my sleep, but your nights are made up of mainly light sleep, which promotes mental and physical restoration. I feel like over time I’ve been able to perfect my sleeping patterns with the help of my Fitbit.”

How often do you have days completely ‘off’ and what does that look like?
“I won’t train for two to three days a week, but these days are still quite active for me. I love moving my body every day, walking and yoga are my favourite ways to do that without overdoing it throughout the week.”

What’s your ultimate treat?
“Everyone that knows me knows that I’m a MASSIVE sweet tooth. I’ll never turn down anything with a bit (or a lot) of sugar, but my absolute favourite would be any kind of vegan chocolate. I’m also that person that likes their chocolate cold so it’s always kept in the fridge in my household.” 

Do you have a ritual to start and end your day?
"I’ve always wanted to be the type of person that has a luscious morning routine with journaling etc., I’ve tried to be that person before but it just doesn’t work for me. My mornings are normally quite fast paced; I’ll have a super quick cold shower to wake me up ... But my nighttime routine is a different story. I used to be a troubled sleeper, so implementing some things to help me get settled before bed was vital, and I still do them every day. I’ll have my magnesium about 30 minutes before bed, have a warm shower, put some lavender oil on my chest and neck, ensure I’m wearing my Fitbit to track my sleep, try score a back massage off my partner if he’s feeling generous, and by that time I’m out of it!”