Quality rest is one of the most important aspects of health and pivotal to maximising your performance. Getting enough sleep at night, at the right time that suits your natural circadian rhythm, and taking downtime during the day, is key to energising your mind and body so you can train harder, and ultimately be the best you can be.

I am a huge advocate for afternoon naps. Trust me on this. Find a way to incorporate a nap into your afternoon and you’ll find you’ll be so much more productive and happy for the rest of the day and into the night. One of the most common oppositions I face to this suggestion is waking up feeling groggy. So, here’s how I combat that.

I imagine my mind taking long slow steps down a staircase.

First of all, I schedule my afternoon naps into my calendar. I actually put them in and I schedule 30 minutes for it. Now, 30 minutes, is not a long time. So I have a process for falling asleep quickly. Once I lay down, I imagine my mind taking long slow steps down a staircase. Literally, within about 5 steps I’m asleep. And how do I wake up within 30 minutes? Simple. My subconscious knows. Seriously. Because I’ve put my nap on my calendar, and whatever is next, I just wake up. I don’t actually know how this works. But it does.

How Do I Get More Quality Rest So I Am Energised to Train Harder?

Figure out your sleep animal. Quality sleep is more than just about quantity. Yes, quantity is important. But so to is the time of night you fall asleep and wake up. A few years ago, I was doing some research for a blog article on sleep, which you can read here, and I came across a guy named Dr Michael Breus. Through his research he classified people as one of four sleep animals: bear, lion, wolf, or dolphin. By knowing which one you are you can plan to go to live your life according to your natural circadian rhythm. And that includes your nap time.

Take naps. There are all sorts of benefits from napping — from increased processing and creativity to reduced stress and heart conditions. But you don’t even have to fall asleep to experience these benefits. Even just switching your brain off is beneficial. Thomas Edison is said to have held balls in each hand that dropped on the floor when he drifted off and Salvador Dali was said to have held a spoon.

Eat right. Beyond sleep and resting, what you fuel your body with is important to feeling energised. Avoid simple carbohydrates that spike your heart rate and fill your diet with highly nutritious foods that contain as many vitamins and minerals as possible. Plants are a good source of this. In addition, high quality protein will keep you feeling fuller for longer and fuel your body with amino acids, which your body needs to function properly; and of course healthy fats, which provide your body with energy and are involved in many essential processes to sustain life.

Train at the right time for you. By understanding what sleep animal you are and consequently your natural circadian rhythm, you can choose a time to train that suits you. Some people may not have a choice due to work or lifestyle commitments but if you can modify your training plan to suit your circadian rhythm you may just find you’re more energised to train harder, and even enjoy your training more.

Enhance your sleep hygiene. This is becoming more of a bit of a buzz phase, and rightly so. Do what you can to make your sleeping environment as relaxed and stimulant-free as possible. Go to sleep at the same time each night, keep the temperature the same each night, wash your sheets regularly, get a comfy bed and splurge on a good pillow, and as we always hear, keep the bedroom for only sleeping as much as possible. If you’re going to do anything else, the only approved activity is special time with your significant other. Plus, snuggling with them will only support healthy sleep hygiene.

Consider supplements. If everything else has been implemented and is next to optimised, you may want, or need, to consider supplements. The most effective supplements to help you train harder and enhance your performance is creatine, protein powder, and branched-chain amino acids (BCAA’s). You may also want to consider a pre-workout. I prefer a non-stimulant one. The other supplement that may be beneficial is a magnesium supplement. Magnesium is responsible for over 300 enzymatic reactions and your body doesn’t store it; therefore, you may need a supplement to have it readily available when you need it.

Hydrate. Your body is made up of approximately two thirds water. When you are hydrated your cells actually swell and become plump. This allows the mitochondria (the energy production component of the cell where ATP is produced) to function more optimally.

Quality rest is important for energising your body to train harder. Being rested primarily comes from quality sleep, but afternoon naps also have positive effects. In addition, consideration for what time of day you’re training, and your nutrition, must be taken into account.

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Which of these strategies resonates the most with you? 

Leave your answer to that question, and any thoughts, in the comments section below.