Sleep Tips to Improve Your Well-Being

Clawson, MI – Aaron Wallace, a professional from Balance Your Fitness in Troy, is committed to helping people enjoy better sleep.

To support this mission, he offers free presentations on sleep and other health-related topics, like the one held on May 8 at Blair Memorial Library in Clawson.

Read Also: Best Exercise Time for Sleep

During the session, attendees shared common sleep challenges such as persistent pain, trouble returning to sleep after waking, and racing thoughts that create difficulties in relaxing.

According to Wallace, the key to better sleep lies in promoting relaxation and understanding the natural biology behind sleep cycles.

“When we are highly stressed, cortisol levels rise while hormones like estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone drop since the body is focused on managing that stress,” Wallace explained.

Typically, cortisol peaks around 10 a.m., giving us the energy to begin our day. However, this pattern can be disrupted by stressors such as traffic, caffeine, arguments, or even stimulating activities like sports or entertainment.

Read Also: Sleep Fitness Expands to UAE

While exercising is often touted as a way to improve sleep, Wallace emphasizes starting with meditative practices. “Exercise itself is a form of stress,” he remarked.

Though exercise is essential for overall health, it might not be the first solution for sleep improvement.

“Working in is working out,” he added, highlighting that internal practices like deep breathing may be more beneficial initially.

Wallace recommends a breathing technique where individuals alternate nostrils for inhalation and exhalation, focusing on guided breathing from the diaphragm to minimize stress.

Other relaxing activities he suggests include yoga, meditation, and light walking, though Wallace personally favors Tai Chi for its combination of movement and stress relief.

Wallace also educated participants on sleep science. He covered the stages of sleep, including REM sleep, which occurs approximately every 90 minutes and accounts for only 20-25% of total sleep time.

He stressed the importance of maintaining a circadian rhythm, which aligns with natural daylight cycles. He noted that even minor exposure to light can disrupt sleep.

Diet and fitness also play pivotal roles in quality sleep. Strength training, Wallace mentioned, is beneficial since muscles store sugar needed during the night to keep the body balanced.

Balanced meals that regulate blood sugar are equally crucial, and magnesium is a vital nutrient for relaxation.

Foods rich in magnesium like spinach, avocados, nuts, seeds, and oily fish are recommended. Magnesium can also be absorbed through supplements or a soothing Epsom salt bath.

Aaron Wallace's background includes a BS in Exercise and Health Science from Alma College and certifications as a CHEK practitioner, holistic lifestyle coach, and golf biomechanics specialist.

Through Balance Your Fitness, he assists clients with weight loss, physical therapy, corrective exercises, meditation, massage therapy, and more to improve overall well-being.

Source: oaklandcounty115

The opinions shared in the GymNation blog articles are solely those of the respective authors and may not represent the perspectives of GymNation or any member of the GymNation team.