NEW YEAR, BETTER ME: WHY SLEEP IS THE ANSWER TO YOUR FITNESS GOALS
Breathe it in! The air is filled with the promise of dreams and aspirations for the new year. At Kydra, we are all about exercise, fitness, and wellness goals that are easy to incorporate into your life! So we’re here to help you achieve those “New Year, Better Me” goals.
But, in your quest for a healthier mind and body in 2022, you might be overlooking one crucial (and straightforward) factor - sleep.
Everything begins with a good night’s sleep, and the best way to accomplish any fitness goals you have for this year is to be well-rested and ready for whatever comes your way!
The Science Behind Sleep
Sleep is likely to be something that you pay very little attention to if you're like the rest of us. In the daily rush to attend meetings, pick up groceries, and see your friends - quite literally, who has the time to catch their breath, let alone catch a nap?
According to the CDC, more than 35 percent of people are sleep deprived, which means that a staggering 1 in 3 people isn’t getting enough sleep regularly. The harsh truth is that sleep deprivation has become so normalised that we don’t even realise how critical sleep is for our bodies to function correctly!
The sleep-wake cycle is an enormous part of your circadian rhythms! ! If you don’t get enough sleep every day, your body’s internal rhythm is disrupted, and none of your physical and mental processes can work as well as they usually do.
Why Chugging Kopi Gao Isn't Enough
The pandemic haze of the past two years hasn’t helped either. Lines between rest and work were blurred. Like,you knowsleep is essential. But on those nights where you have to pull an all-nighter, you just down a couple of kopis the following day and hope you feel as good as new.
But did you know that feeling of alertness after drinking coffee is an illusion? It certainly doesn’t trick your body. Sleep is essential for yourbody to recoverand regroup from the stress of each day.
You Shouldn't Have To Choose
Alright, so we’ve convinced you of the importance of getting your minimum of 7-8 hours of sleep. But there’s never enough time in the day to accomplish all those obligations. Something has to go! After all, both exercise and sleep are equally important, and both complement each other in helping you lead a healthy lifestyle.
The more well-rested you are, the better your mind and body function every day - and that includes getting the most out of your workout! Whether you work out at your HDB flat or you go to a gym or spin class, you can really commit to exercising instead of half-heartedly (and ineffectively) working out.
A good night’s rest is all the more important for a fit and active lifestyle. Sleep, which generates the growth hormone, helps you build lean muscle and helps your body repair itself after a hard workout.
Sleep Gives You The Energy To Achieve Your Goals
Think about it - if you’ve only had a few hours of rest, you’re probably going to grunt, rollover, and switch off your pesky alarm when it rings - sacrificing your morning workout.
But, if you’re well-rested, you’ll wake up feeling excited to get dressed and go to the gym before work (as shocking as that might seem to some of you!).
Exercising also helps you maintain your circadian rhythm and a regular sleep schedule. Working out tires you out and primes your body to fall asleep quickly at night - no more tossing, turning and scrolling through Tik Tok until you see the sun.
How To Balance Sleep and Exercise
You can have it all! This is your cue to sit down, pull out your brand new 2022 planner or your calendar, and figure out how to balance a healthy sleep schedule with your daily exercise routine (ideally 30 minutes or more). Here are a few suggestions:
You might consider fitting in an 8 AM workout before you have to head off to work! If you want to save time, you could even considercycling or jogging to work in the morning.
If you’re currently working from home, you could even fit in aquick workout during your lunch break! Just pull out your yoga mat and resistance bands, pop your earphones in, and you could have that perfect midday reset before you have to get back to work.
You might consider fitting in an 8 AM workout before you have to head off to work! If you want to save time, you could even considercycling or jogging to work in the morning.
If you’re currently working from home, you could even fit in aquick workout during your lunch break! Just pull out your yoga mat and resistance bands, pop your earphones in, and you could have that perfect midday reset before you have to get back to work.
You might consider fitting in an 8 AM workout before you have to head off to work! If you want to save time, you could even considercycling or jogging to work in the morning.
If you’re currently working from home, you could even fit in aquick workout during your lunch break! Just pull out your yoga mat and resistance bands, pop your earphones in, and you could have that perfect midday reset before you have to get back to work.
You might consider fitting in an 8 AM workout before you have to head off to work! If you want to save time, you could even considercycling or jogging to work in the morning.
If you’re currently working from home, you could even fit in aquick workout during your lunch break! Just pull out your yoga mat and resistance bands, pop your earphones in, and you could have that perfect midday reset before you have to get back to work.
However you decide to best balance your sleep schedule and exercise routine, we can guarantee one thing: you’ll come out of it a stronger, healthier, and happier person, ready to conquer 2022. Kydra will be cheering you on every step of the way!
New Year, Better Me
New Year, Better Me
DISCLAIMER: THE VIEWS AND OPINIONS EXPRESSED HERE ARE OF THE AUTHORS AND DO NOT NECESSARILY REFLECT THE OFFICIAL POLICY OR POSITION OF KYDRA. ANY CONTENT PROVIDED BY OUR WRITERS ARE OF THEIR OPINION, AND ARE NOT INTENDED TO MALIGN ANY ORGANIZATION, COMPANY, INDIVIDUAL AND MORE.