At The Body Camp, we teach our guests about the twelve areas of wellness to focus on for longevity, which we call ‘The 12 Captains’. If I was to choose the single most important captain which supports all of the others, it would be Captain Sleep.

Top athletes like Roger Federer in tennis, Lebron James in basketball, and Michael Phelps in swimming have all built their day around sleep, achieving 12 hours a day. They have all realised that like a house that is built on solid foundations, our sleep is our solid foundation, supporting all of our necessary systems.

Why is Captain Sleep so important?

The startling facts are:

• all of our cardiovascular and muscular systems are negatively impacted by a lack of sleep
• shift-workers with disrupted sleep patterns were found to have reduced quality of life
• disrupted sleep leads to a reduced focus and effectiveness at work
• studies show that the shorter your sleep cycle, the shorter your life span

Poor lifestyle decisions can lead to conditions such as heart disease, obesity, and shorter life spans. These all have a recognised link to insufficient or disrupted sleep.

When you get to the age of 40 – focus on sleep!

As we approach 40, the negative impact of poor sleep quality plays a greater role in our overall health. Adults of 45 years and upwards, who sleep less than 6 hours a night, have been shown to be 200% more likely to suffer from a heart attack or a stroke during their lifetime. During this period of life, this often coincides with an increase in family and work commitments.

Here are 12 top tips for better sleep:

1. Create a sleep schedule which involves going to bed and waking up at the same time
2. Exercise daily but not too late in the day and no later than 3 hours before bedtime
3. No caffeine or fizzy drinks after 12pm. At The Body Camp, we practise this daily
4. Avoid using alcohol to help you sleep, as the effects will wear off after a few hours and you will wake up feeling worse
5. Avoid large meals at night – keep your evening meal light – and avoid drinking too much fluid as this can disrupt your sleep
6. If possible, avoid medicines before bedtime in case they disrupt your sleep
7. Avoid naps after 3pm as they may affect your ability to sleep at night
8. Relax for the last hour before bed by reading or listening to calming music or a soothing meditation. Avoid news and social media before bedtime.
9. Take a hot bath or have a massage before bedtime in order to calm the central nervous system down
10. Eliminate electronics in the bedroom such as phones, iPads and TV. Create a ‘safe zone’ where your eyes get a rest from screens
11. Create a comfortable luxury hotel bed environment by choosing a good quality mattress, pillows and bedding. It should feel like heaven to be able to sleep in your bed! No pets allowed in bed
12. Ensure the room is dark, cool and has no sunlight. The body runs on the Circadian rhythm which is linked to the sunrise and sunset. Therefore, make sure you get plenty of sunlight exposure daily if possible, but that at night, your house and bedroom lights are dimmed. Just before you sleep, your bedroom should resemble a dark, cosy cave, which will support and align with the Circadian rhythm.

Sleep is your no. 1 wellness protector, and the best free healthy medicine that you can get. Get as much of it as you can, at the right time every day, in order to ensure a healthy life. Or better still, come to The Body Camp and WE will provide the environment to practise these principles!

Rick Parcell
www.thebodycamp.com