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EN Sleep Challenge 2014

Brenda RossBrenda Ross
in Community Forum 🏠




Anyone can train. Anyone can train really hard. But the true limiter to your performance isn’t how much you can DO but how much you can ABSORB. By and far the biggest advantage that a professional triathlete has on you isn’t genetics -- it’s 10 solid hours of sleep at night, no kids, a full time recovery team and much more.

If you want to be your best, you’ve got to get your rest.

The Challenge, Should You Choose To Accept It...

For the month of January, we want you to record your daily sleep hours in this document.

Note: Please record sleep in decimals. For example, six and half hours of sleep = 6.50; 7:20 of sleep = 7.33, etc.

Level One: Average between 7 and 9 hours of sleep a night on a weekly basis, as calculated in the weekly summary column (sheet below).

Level Two: Consistently get the same (or within one hour) total amount of sleep each night (no binge make ups!)

As you get more sleep, we want to hear how, if any changes are taking place, like better workouts, more focus at work etc.  We also want you to share your ideas and thoughts in the forums about what you are doing to change your sleep habits, how you are feeling and what successes or failures you have had.



Additional Tips / Resources

To pave the way for better sleep, experts recommend that you and your family members follow these sleep tips: (much easier to take this challenge if you have the support of your family)

1. Prep for bed. Nightly routines aren’t just for infants. They’re essential for all ages. “Start a ritual about 20 to 30 minutes before bedtime to prepare the body for sleep,” It could include a hot bath (which decreases your core body temperature) or a cup of herbal tea.

2. Get your own top sheets and blankets. “Using separate ones can make up for different temperature needs you and your partner may have.” Added bonus: You won’t wake up when he/she steals the blanket.

3. Stay in the dark. If you wake up in the middle of the night, don’t check your email or text messages—no matter how tempting. When your kids must have a night-light, use a low blue one. “These eliminate the blue wavelength of light that negatively impacts melatonin production” .

4. Lower the thermostat. About 68 degrees is ideal for catching 40 winks because it causes a decrease in your core body temp. If you get cold, covering up is okay. “It’s exposing your head to cold air that naturally decreases your core body temperature.”

5. Curb the caffeine. Whether it comes from tea, soda, coffee or hot chocolate, this stimulant can keep you up at night. This means you’re tired the next day, so you reach for caffeine to perk you up, and the cycle continues.

6. Don’t allow cell phones in the bedroom…even if your kids say they use their phones as alarm clocks. That’s because every time you get a text or email, you wake up. “It causes fragmented, lower quality sleep.”


Challenge runs 06 January 14 to 02 Februrary 14



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