As a group exercise instructor, you’re used to giving advice about exercise and health. But how often do you consider the importance of sleep in your own health journey?
Sleep plays a pivotal role in good health and well-being. When you sleep, your body is working to support many functions in the brain and body. Sleep helps the body heal and repair, helping you feel refreshed when you wake.
Why is sleep important for group exercise instructors?
Good sleep can enhance your class teaching in a variety of ways:
-
It can significantly improve energy levels. This helps you maintain a high-energy, high-quality group exercise experiences. Feeling sluggish doesn’t provide a good class experience for you or your class attendees. So getting good sleep helps!
-
Good sleep also aids cognitive processes. This helps you remember your routines more and deliver clearer instructions.
-
Sleep is also essential for muscle recovery. This is especially vital for those who lead intense exercise classes like HIIT.
-
Sleep helps to prevent fatigue, injury, and ensures consistent performance.
In short, prioritising sleep is not just important for health. It also helps class quality, benefiting both you and your class members.
What is quality sleep?
Good quality sleep refers to how well you sleep, not just the duration. It involves several factors, including:
- Having a consistent sleep routine
- Having uninterrupted sleep
- Having the right amount of sleep
A night of high-quality sleep leaves you waking up feeling refreshed, and ready to face your day.
How can you improve sleep?
Here are five tips for improving your sleep:
-
Establish a consistent sleep schedule. Aim to go to bed and wake up at the same time every day. This can help your body’s internal clock and could help you fall asleep and stay asleep for the night. Some phones have a bedtime mode which helps create your routine.
-
Optimise your sleep environment. Make your bedroom a sleep-friendly place. This means a cool, dark, and quiet room. Consider using earplugs, an eye mask, or a white noise machine if needed.
-
Consider your diet. Avoid large meals, caffeine, and alcohol close to bedtime. These can disrupt your sleep cycle and prevent you from getting deep sleep. If you’re teaching classes in the evening, consider when to have your last meal of the day.
-
Promote relaxation before sleep. Put that phone away! Develop a pre-sleep routine that helps your mind and body wind down. This could include activities like reading, meditating, or taking a warm bath.
-
Avoid late-night teaching where possible. Regular physical activity during the day can help you sleep better at night. But, try to finish teaching at least three hours before you plan to sleep. This helps your body have enough time to wind down. Think about when your last class is and work around that.
Improving your sleep quality can bring about positive changes in your mood and energy. Proper sleep restores the body and helps to improve concentration and productivity. Let’s make good sleep a priority.
