| What is Melatonin? Melatonin is a hormone that is realised by the pineal gland (a small, pea-shaped gland in the brain) that is circulated around all areas of our body to signal that it’s night-time. Our night- time levels of melatonin are at least 10 times greater at night than during the day. The main function of Melatonin is to relax our bodies and indicate for us to go to sleep. So how can we use this natural sleeping tool to be more refreshed, productive and sleep better? How to improve our sleeping rhythm Sleep is the most powerful performance enhancing tool known to humankind and it’s free. Lack of sleep is a stress on us and can have detrimental effects on every single part of our body. It also leads to bad food choices, lack of exercise and it will increase our stress levels. We all have a bad night’s sleep from time to time! We have all been in the position when we are tired and end up falling asleep on the sofa but we still decide to watch one more episode of a drama/series and then wonder why we feel awful and unmotivated the next day. We have had it built into us from a young age that we can catch up on our sleep over the weekend (have a lie-in on Sunday and you will be fine). But does this really work? Studies show that we accrue ‘sleep debt’ which we can’t just repay with a couple of Sunday morning lie-ins, instead we need to create a sleep rhythm to get the full effects of this amazing and powerful tool that our body craves. Potential benefits of a good sleeping rhythm: improve energy, improve concentration, greater capacity to learn, better healthy food choices (because our body isn’t craving a quick energy fix = sugar), improved immune function, reduce risk of type 2 diabetes, and better memory just to name a few! Tips to improve our sleep 1) Set yourself a bed time – I know what you are thinking….. however, it’s the same as anything we do throughout the day, if we don’t set a time to do things we procrastinate until we have no choice to either avoid it completely or do it at the last minute in a rush. If you set yourself a time to exercise, cook food, or do admin work it’s more likely to get done. So, try to set yourself a bedtime and work backwards from the time you need to get up. This doesn’t mean you need to be asleep straight away, it’s the time you need to start relaxing, e.g. put some music on, read a book or talk to your partner. Don’t put the TV on or flick though your phone as this will keep you awake for longer (as we release dopamine and adrenaline). 2) 1 hour of screen free time before our ‘bedtime’ – As I mentioned above screen time is one of the worst things we can do an hour or two before bed, the lights (blue light) from our e-devices imitate the light we get from morning sun, which tricks our bodies into thinking it’s the start of the day again. Your brain may signal to your body that it’s not bed time which will have an effect on the amount of Melatonin our bodies secrete, which in turn affects our sleep. You can on most devices now add a sleep timer onto your phone that restricts your phone access, give this a go and let me know if it works. – Charge your phone outside of your bedroom, taking away the urge to look at it. .3) Get outside in the morning – This starts our circadian clock and sets a timer for Melatonin to be realised 12 hours later. If you can wake up and embrace the morning sunlight first thing in the morning, we realise a lot of amazing hormones into our bodies to set ourselves up perfectly up for the day. This includes dopamine and serotonin which is used to boost our mood. If you could fit in a 10–20-minute walk in the morning you will also increase your daily exercise. What a start to the day! If you have any questions regarding the information above please contact me. Consistency is Key Paul Jennings |
PT Consultancy
Melatonin – a new Rhythm
Hi, I’m Paul
I have been in the health and fitness industry for 14 years and have a wealth of knowledge and experience that I am eager to share.
I have previously worked at one of the leading health and fitness clubs in the UK running a very successful personal training business for 10 years. During this time I have been able to help hundreds of clients achieve their goals and simply enjoy the process along the way.
I also have extensive experience in sales and marketing in the health and fitness industry. More recently I have been working as a Senior Personal Training Tutor for one of the leading providers in Wellington, New Zealand.
This role has enabled me to see personal training through a different lens. I have not only trained people to become fully qualified personal trainers but to go on to build a successful business in the PT industry.
3 Easy Steps
- Simply download the consultation form
- I will contact you within 24 – 48 hours after receiving it.
- Once we have touched base and had a chat, we will book your FREE consultation at a time/day to suit you. This can be in-person or via video link. Whatever suits YOU!
“As a new PT, the transition from studying into working/setting up a PT business can feel overwhelming. However, mine was made a lot easier as I was lucky enough to work with Paul during the first few months.
He has always been happy to answer any questions that I have had, and in areas that I have found specifically challenging he has set achievable goals to work towards to try and overcome the barriers I have had. I have gained a lot from his knowledge and experience, and I feel like the sessions I deliver to my clients now are better because of this. I highly recommend working with Paul to anyone looking to improve their PT business and/or to those who need a bit of guidance while starting out”