Sleep and rest is just as important as exercise and nutrition.

We recover as we sleep.

If you are not getting adequate sleep your body will not recover, which means you will not be able to put the effort into exercise, work or anything else.

But, if you get your sleep cycle right then everything else will fall into place.

Lack of sleep or poor quality sleep can cause many problems here’s just a few:
* headaches
* poor recovery from exercise
* neck pain
* lack of focus on work tasks
* makes it harder for you to think and learn
* can kill sex drive
* can lead to depression
* ages your skin
* leads to weight gain

And that’s not even to mention that you’ll feel tired and washed out.

But even more seriously:
* heart disease
* heart attack
* heart failure
* irregular heatbeat
* high blood pressure
* stroke
* diabetes

Your sleep cycle is called your Circadian Cycle.

The Circadian Cycle is a natural physiological cycle of about 24 hours that persists even in the absence of external cues: LIGHT being a big factor in this.

If light stimulates your skin or eyes, your brain and hormonal system will thinks it is morning – reaction to this is known as cortisol release.

Cortisol is the hormone that is released in response to stress.

It prepares the body for increased activity.

But it also causes your body to hang on to body fat, especially around the middle.

So, when planning a good night’s sleep think about this: do you have light sources in your bedroom that, in a lighter sleep phase, could stimulate cortisol?

Even the light of an alarm clock could trigger an awake response: sleep in 100-per-cent darkness.

A natural cycle our bodies should follow is in line with the sun: wind down and go to sleep around 10-10.30pm then wake at about 6am.

Our bodies’ physical and mental activity accelerates between 6am and 9am, making this the best time to exercise and do paperwork.

This is when our cortisol levels are at their highest, so it pays to use this to your advantage.

Here are a few points to follow for better quality sleep to help you feel GREAT throughout the day: p Go to bed at 10pm with no TV, laptop or phone.

Sleep by 10.30pm, maybe read a fiction book – no study books!

Don’t try to learn anything at this time.

p Dim the lights in the evening.

Try to turn off everything you don’t need.

Keep light levels low or have candle light or a small lamp whilst watching TV, then nothing at bed time.

* Sleep in 100-per-cent darkness – not even the light of the alarm clock p Keep electrical items away from you p Avoid stimulants after lunch time – no caffeine, no sugar.

* Drink lots of water – maintain a good hydration – if dehydrated the body responds with a stress reaction – cortisol.

* Exercise, ideally in the morning, so as not to raise that cortisol level in the evening.

However, if this is not possible then please . . . just exercise!

Getting in to a good sleep pattern can be hard for some people, but it really is worth making the effort to try to ensure enough rest.