Carving out time on your weekdays to sneak in a workout can be tough, especially if you’re on the clock from 9-to-5, and on family duty for the slim hours you have left. But have no fear; squeezing your workouts in over the weekend won’t set you back as much you might think. And our expert-backed sleep tips can help ensure you’re firing on all cylinders when it comes time to work up a sweat.
In a study published in Circulation, it was revealed that those who squeezed their 150 minutes of prescribed sweat sessions into one weekend were still able to lower their risk of developing 264 diseases— just like the regular reppers. So if you’re a classic “weekend warrior”, you just need to ensure you’re in peak condition to maximize your gain. The trick? Fix your sleep.
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“The weekend warrior wants peak performance for the weekend, whether they’re tackling a race or a lengthy training session,” says Barry Bridges, a sleep recovery specialist and founder of succesfulsleeper.com. But your typical weekend go-getter is usually struggling with a busy schedule, consumes too much caffeine, eats at irregular times and is dealing with monumental amounts of stress, adds Bridges.
Use his “Weekend Warrior Recovery Plan” to put the lid on stress and sleep easy so that you’re primed to tackle your weekend workouts like a pro:
Are You an Early Bird or Night Owl?
In other words, what’s your chronotype? Are you someone who relishes waking up early and rushing into your workouts, or do you prefer to stay up after midnight and hit the snooze button multiple times before you’re ready to (groggily) pull yourself out of bed?
Night owls usually skip breakfast, pile on the caffeine in the AM and tend to eat dinner as late as possible. “The world doesn’t make sense to [a night owl] in the morning,” says Bridges. “They tend to really only get kickstarted after 11am.” Early birds are fully onboard when it comes to the morning routine. They eat regular meals, they’re rearing to go the moment they step into the office but their energy tends to flag after lunch (and they don’t do well when their schedule is thrown out of whack).
READ MORE: Get the Sleep You Really Need—an Expert Answers Your Most Pressing Questions
Tailoring your sleep recovery plan to your chronotype will ensure you’re ready to switch off the moment you get into bed, and that you’re getting the requisite eight hours of quality sleep (no tossing and turning). Let’s take a look at three easy steps you can take for easy shuteye throughout the day based on your chronotype:
If You’re an Early Bird…
- Eat your lunch at the same time every day.
- After lunch, Bridges suggests soaking up 5 to 10 minutes of sunlight. Scope out a comfortable outdoor area or couple this “shine time” with a quick walk for added benefits.
- Take three “recharge” breaks in the afternoon. “Breaks don’t need to be long,” says Bridge. “Ideally, you want to take a 20-minute break, but two to five minutes is fine, too.” These scheduled moments can involve anything that’s unrelated to work: listening to music, taking a bathroom break, filling up your water bottle or chatting to a colleague about next weekend’s rugby test.”
If You’re a Night Owl…
- As soon as possible after you wake up, make sure to soak up 5 to 30 minutes of sunlight. Snagging that golden glow at the right times will spark the release of serotonin to get your motor running and your mood stabilised, says Bridges. But this sunlight soak-up also ramps the production of melatonin, the hormone responsible for your sleep-wake cycle.
- Do a “negative brain dump” in the first 1.5 hours after waking up, says Bridges. “Evening chronotypes tend to be quite anxious people,” he adds. Research has shown that this practice might not just yield better shuteye, but can help ward off depression and lead to long-term benefits for your overall mood.
- Eat a high-protein breakfast, you should never be skipping the first meal of the day. “Eating breakfast helps release serotonin,” says Bridges. This is your mood-regulating hormone and getting a healthy supply will help you stay sane under pressure. It also plays a crucial role in modulating sleep. “But to get the maximum benefits, you need to get the timing right.” So make sure you eat just after you’ve done your “brain dump”.
When Should I Followed This Plan?
Every day. If you’re only thinking about your sleep just before you hit the hay, it’s too late to do anything about it, says Bridges. Getting proper, quality sleep requires daily reps, and these simple steps will lay the foundation for superb shuteye every night. Ultimately, if you want to tap into peak performance in your next weekend race or gym session, getting enough sleep is one of the most important parts of your training routine, and those efforts start right now.
Meet Barry Bridges
He’s a sleep recovery specialist who has helped countless guys rein in their restless nights. To book a free session (or download his free sleep recovery guide) tap HERE.
