It's not until you start to look at your sleep in a bit more detail that you start to see the opportunities you have for energy gains.
There are many consumer products out there now which allow you to get a handle on your sleep patterns but none of them medical grade. The is one product called the The Night Shift which is medical grade in terms of the data it generates (I have access if you are keen for more than the standard Fit bit info). 
However there are more sophisticated items coming onto the market all the time. I recently invested in an Oura ring, apparently Prince Harry has one! I was tired (literally) of the light on my watch kicking in during my slumber so I opted for something less obtrusive.

Deep Sleep is important because your brain waves are at their lowest frequency and you are at your hardest to wake up. This is the time when our bodies are working their hardest to recover from the previous days exertion both physically and mentally. People who report they are well rested are those that have had the most deep sleep.

1. Power down lights and screens at least an hour before bedtime - we all have busy lives but removing lights and blue light emitting devices gives your brain the best chance of dropping off and heading to wards that all important deep sleep.
2. Stick to a similar bedtime - even at the weekends (look out for a future blog on social jet lag - it's a thing!) Having a routine or getting up and going to bed at a similar time each day helps your body's natural rhythm groove itself into an solid pattern.  Hormones and many other bodily functions will rely on it as a reference point.
3. Find the right temperature - ideally somewhere between 17-19 degrees is the ideal bedroom temp. You may find yourself sticking a leg out from under the duvet - this is your brain cooling you down just a tad by exposing skin.
4. No big meals too close to bedtime - some say it's best to stay away from workouts and heavy meals at least 3 hours before bed - this is obviously very individual but these things can disturb sleep and prevent the deep slumber you are after.
5. De-stress - you will know what it's like to have work going around and around in your head. Easier said that done to switch this off but writing things down that are on your mind can help 'off load' them until the morning. Stretching, meditation (on a shakti mat is ideal) - all things that calm the mind and body before hitting the pillow will set you up for a better chance of deep sleep. 

A ViPr (Vitality Performance Reconditioning) is a cylinder of thick rubber which is used for movement training. It was originally conceived by Simon Bennett who worked in the ice hockey world in Canada. His team kept losing so he wanted a way to get them better conditioned. He enlisted the help of Michol Dalcourt and together they came up with the concept together.
The hollow tube allows for more authentic movement simulating both  athletic and common everyday movements.
How many times have you heard the story of someone putting their back out picking up a pen?! Silly but it's true, if our bodies stop doing the everyday movements, we are on a slippery slope to ill health and poor function.

Sadly the exercise industry has made the world want big muscles and think that if it looks good it's healthy. Muscle mass is good for metabolic health but this ethos promotes unrealistic body images for most people. People think if they're not lifting heavy weights they aren't doing the right thing. 
Your body's ability to move through a range of motion with control is a key foundation in human health and if we don't keep working this mobility we will begin to lose it or injure ourselves trying. 

If you have a read of my earlier blog about cross training for runners I explain about the 3 planes of movement and how important it is to work all 3 when you are training. Our balance system (vestibular apparatus) is set up with these 3 planes of movement being controlled and measured by the brain at all times. When we walk, when we run we are using all three of these planes. 
If we lie on a bench and push a bar upwards from out chest we are only using one plane. If we move sideways (e.g. side lunge) again only using 1 plane. The most forgotten and yet the one humans are best at compared to any other species is rotation. We can throw (or swing a club) better than any other on the planet. Others have to lob when they throw. 
When you put all 3 together we are now mimicking the human movement we were designed to use every day.
Our vestibular system is working to keep us balanced and the brain is processing a lot more information on how to keep us upright while completing a far more natural and whole movement. 

When it comes to life I don't see many people doing the same movements they do in a traditional gym setting. In fact if you look at machines that put you in a fixed plane of movement where you don't have to think just push or pull or whatever it wants you to do your brain really doesn't have to do anything. Your body will only be good at working in that plane of movement.
Add in real like and you sudden;y see the lack of symmetry in every day activities. The angles and the loads are always changing and making us work from unusual places.
Have you ever picked up a child that didn't move while you were lifting or holding them?? Your body and brain have to be ready for the unpredictable nature of that movement. 

With a tool that mimics the loaded movement of everyday life you'll get BIG wins with your body's ability to handle more scenarios. Going back to the running blog, that's why runners MUST get cross training into their programme as they generally run in a straight line, yes using 3 planes of movement, but working the same muscles group again and again. Variety and mixture is key to resilient bodies that have high capability in may situations.

If loaded movement sounds like something you need more of drop me a line at rich@F4L.co.nz or book in for a free 20 mins chat to see how I can help.