DO YOU SUFFER FROM SLEEP DEPRIVATION?

Sleep deprivation is a very common theme in alot of people I train. Whether it be from a child who doesn't sleep well at night, not getting to bed early enough, not being able to switch off at night or not being able to get back to sleep if you wake in the middle of the night.

This might be one of the reasons why you are not losing weight if you try to eat and train right but still get nowhere.

This is an interesting question that I found while doing some research during the week. It is from Strength Coach Jimmy Smith's newsletter which is always full of great information. This bloke does alright for a young kid - he's around 25 from memory!

Q: Jimmy how do you usually assess and determine the quality of sleep with your clients?

A: Sleep is a very important factor since it is one of the best things that we can do to enhance recovery. It also is one of the more undervalued things in today's society.

We're busy but ignoring sleep is down right dumb. The problem begins once everyone says that if they just had a few more hours of sleep they'd be better off. That isn't always the case and is the underlining sign of a nutrition problem.

This is a questionnaire that I give to clients with sleep issues. If they answer "yes" to two or more questions then they have an issue.

Answer YES if this applies to you more than one night a week

1.Do you have trouble falling asleep at night?

2.Do you have difficulty waking up in the morning?

3.Do you sleep less than 8-9 hours a night?

4.Do you wake up once or more during the night?

5.Do you sleep in a room with any light or noise?

6.Do you wake up feeling tired?

7.Do you wake up only with an alarm?

8.Do you go to bed later than 11 pm?

9.Do you get up earlier than 6 am?

10.Do you use medication for sleep?

If you've answered yes, to more than 2, see how you can change those and see if you notice any difference.

For more information on Jimmy, visit http://www.jimmysmithtraining.com/index.htm