Bridal Prep: What's the One Change Our Fitness Expert Made to Routine?

Our resident fitness expert, Fiona Murphy from Metabolic Fitness is back and today she’s giving brides-to-be some really useful advice (that everyone else could probably do with too!). 

So you might have noticed I didn’t post here last week but I have a good excuse - I got married! I'd like to share this really useful information that saw me through the lead up to and the big day itself.

In the run up to the big day,  I made a few small changes. I didn’t train any more than I normally do but I was stricter on myself when it came to bed time. By going to bed nice and early I really felt better. I was more relaxed and had enough energy to get through all the last minute bridal prep tasks. Sleep to me is just so important. I honestly look like pants and can’t function properly if I don’t get enough. I think a good sleep helps my skin too, a bad sleep definitely makes my skin look tired and dull.

I mentioned before that sleep is really important for recovery and fat loss but some people struggle with finding a proper sleep routine. The unfortunate fact is, if you aren’t sleeping efficiently you will not properly reap the benefits of good exercise and nutrition. Also, sleep deprivation causes increases in ghrelin, (the hormone responsible for stimulating hunger) often resulting in cravings the next day and an insatiable appetite.

How much sleep do you need? We suggest a minimum of seven to eight hours per night. Don't worry if you are not getting that amount at the moment, just a few changes can make a big difference when it comes to getting a good night’s sleep.

Here are the few simple tips I recommend to help get the best night’s sleep possible whether it’s for a big day or just every night.

• Stick to a sleep schedule of the same bedtime and wake up time, even on the weekends. This helps to regulate your body's clock and could help you fall asleep and stay asleep for the night.
• Exercise daily. Vigorous exercise is best, but even light exercise is better than no activity.
• Try supplementing with magnesium. The most powerful relaxation mineral available, I take magnesium most nights going to bed. Clients who suffer from disrupted sleep find it makes a massive difference to sleep quality, contributing to a deeper nights sleep.
• Wind down.Your body needs time to shift into sleep mode, so spend the last hour before bed doing a calming activity such as reading or take a bath. If you have trouble sleeping, avoid using a laptop, Ipad or phone in bed. The type of light which emanates from these devices down-regulates sleep hormones and up-regulates hormones which will keep you awake.
• Use a black out blind. Artificial light from the street can disrupt sleep quality. Make sure to keep your bedroom as dark as possible.

Hope these tips help you get a better night’s sleep tonight! They certainly help me each night and especially coming up towards my wedding day. Sweet dreams.

Until next week,

Fiona

Metabolic Fitness Trainer

How's your sleep pattern? Do you have trouble getting a good night's kip? Try these tips and let us know how you get on!

Follow Fiona’s fitness adventure on Instagram!