Sleep is the most important recovery tool we have. Poor sleep can stall fat loss and strength building.

When our head hits the pillow our body starts a cascade of processes to get us ready for the next day. And these processes can muck up our progress if we don’t do something about it.

Poor sleep habits even play a role in weight gain. The reason being is when we are tired and not fully rested our body crave carbohydrates to keep energy up.

We’ve all experienced the cravings for a bag of potato chips or cookies when you didn’t sleep well. Not to mention your will power to avoid highly processed foods is lower when your unrested.

So what can you do about it? One easy thing is turning all your devices to night mode at all times. Certain shades of light can tell our brain to stay alert. Avoiding those shades altogether is an easy strategy.

You might also think about going tech free an hour or two before bed. That additional visual stimulation may not be doing you any favors. Pick up a good book and catch up on you’re reading.

If you are constantly tired it may even be time to consult your doctor. No matter what you do, finding ways to get solid consistent sleep is an underrated key to health.