If you struggle with sleep, you'll struggle with exercise.

I would not be able to keep going at the pace that I do if I had continued at the weight that I was. I feel so much better; I eat better. I sleep better. I actually enjoy exercise.

Sandi Toksvig

If you’ve followed my blog for any length of time, you’ll know I’m a bit of a gym bunny! I love exercise, I love to challenge myself and I love the feeling you have when you’ve done a good workout or a run. In the current topsy turvy world though, I’ve not been feeling the love as much as I usually do, and it became a concern. About a month ago I read an article which seemed to make a lot of sense. The premise of the article is that you shouldn’t throw yourself into a full workout if you’ve not had enough sleep and I’m thinking, hang on a sec, my sleep is shite at the moment plus, (honesty here), I’d been drinking a lot more wine so, the quality of my sleep was pretty poor.

The thing is, you might feel okay if you work out on no sleep every once in a while, however, continue to do so, and you will likely spend every day feeling like you got hit by a train. Sleep is the foundation for all things, fitness included: Without sleep, your body won't recover from the stress of physical activity and your fitness will either plateau or start spiralling downward.

Not exactly a secret however, when I read this it was like the proverbial lightbulb moment, everything sort of clicked, all of a sudden, the article was talking to me, about me! The article went on to say; don't succumb to gym bunny culture just to feel you’ve accomplished something. You won't accomplish much through a sleep-deprived workout except more exhaustion and maybe some resentment toward exercise. I’m now thinking…… YES!

There's a clear link between sleep and fitness. Research suggests that inadequate sleep negatively affects athletic performance while adequate sleep improves performance. There's some debate as to whether lack of sleep biomechanically affects your fitness abilities, but researchers think that fitness performance decreases after sleep deprivation because working out just feels harder, (It does!!). Most people already know that from their own experience, (I do!!). Everything feels tough on no sleep.

Lack of sleep can affect your motivation to work out in the first place. You might find yourself dreading your workouts and hating every minute in the gym -- that's not good for long-term adherence to a fitness plan.

Conversely, getting enough sleep can improve the likelihood that you're encouraged to work out in the morning.

Without sleep, your muscles can't recover from the stress you put them through during workouts. It makes sense really; it doesn't do you much good to keep breaking down your muscles without giving them time to recover and grow stronger.

Lack of sleep may also contribute to joint pain and stiffness, as well as headaches and body aches. In addition, sleep deprivation can lead you to make poor food choices, which undoubtedly affects your fitness and physical performance. Why have a salad when a pizza will do!

Whilst I now understand that it’s important to prioritise sleep of a full work out, I’m not saying your should do nothing, quite the opposite actually. For me, going for a 30-minute walk in Greenwich Park followed by a 30-minutes of stretching is the perfect antidote to a poor night of sleep. I always feel refreshed and I still get the endorphin rush from exercise. I also feel accomplished and proud of myself for honouring what my body was telling me!

You might go for a leisurely bike ride, an easy to moderate yomp up some hills, or take a dip in the local pool. You could also dance around your living room or practice a skill you want to learn (like nailing a handstand) or dedicate your usual workout time to getting the garden look fab.

Do what works for you, do anything that makes you feel happy and refreshed. This is about hitting the reset button for yourself, not doing some form of exercise because you feel obliged to.

I suppose what I’m saying is, if you’re not getting the most out of your usual exercise regimen, take a look at your sleep pattern and allow your body to get it’s message cross, I’m delighted to say, (after a good nights sleep last night followed by an early 10k!), it’s certainly worked for me!

What’s on this week?