Apart from building lean muscle mass and reducing body fat, sleeping better is high on the agenda for leading a full and healthy life. Many people would like to improve their sleep quality. The quality and amount of sleep you get each night is important for maintaining optimal hormone levels and sustaining a high metabolic rate. Because hormonal levels and the bodies metabolic rate play such an important part in lean muscle production and reducing body fat, it is an important fitness consideration.

Furthermore, if you do not get enough sleep or you don't sleep well enough to get sufficient recuperation, you can bet this is contributing to fat retention. The lack of sleep creates fat producing hormones that is counterproductive to your overall fitness goals. Research indicates that most people do not get sufficient sleep and don't sleep as well as they should. Thus, sleeping better is also conducive to reducing body fat.

Often the lack of sleep is due to the fact that people do not shut down their minds. The tossing and turning thinking about daily stresses can contribute to the lack of sleep. The following provides some tips for getting better quality sleep.

(i) Get regular exercise during the day but avoid exercising within two hours of your bed time. The exercise will help you sleep but performing exercise close to bed time can keep you awake.

(ii) Do not try to sleep hungry. Eating after 6 or 7pm does not mean that you will be storing the food as fat. Eating a small meal 30-90 minutes prior to bedtime can help satisfy your hunger and help you sleep better.

(iii) Avoid stimulants such as caffeine at night. Coffee can keep you awake.

(iv) Herb teas such as mint and chamomile are great relaxation agents. You can combine them with a little honey for a relaxing blend.
(v) Try ground nutmeg in capsules an hour or two prior to bed. A good way to go is to purchase a few rounds of whole nutmeg and use a coffee grinder to grind them into a powder. You can fill the empty capsules and store them in a ziplock inside the fridge. Taking a couple of capsules each night seems to help with sleep. They are also a great source of antioxidants.

(vi) Try to clear your mind. Meditation can help in this regard. If you find your mind is active at night, try to use a note pad to record anything that comes to mind. This way you will have a recollection of anything that may need attending to the next day.

This is a few tips that I have found useful to get better quality sleep. You might like to try some of the suggestions to get a better nights rest.

An article on exercise and nutrition.