Wednesday, March 21, 2012

GO TO SLEEP!!!

Sleep is natures performance enhancer.
The reality of training is if you are not resting and recovering correctly you are likely wasting a lot of your efforts.
It is difficult to change the amount of time we have for sleep but we certainly can start to improve the quality of our sleep.



What are some ways to improve quality of sleep?

DO NOT do any of the following:


  • Have caffeine after the early afternoon
  • Eat a big meal or have alcohol within 3 hours of when you intend to go to bed
  • Take long naps during the day – sometimes it’s unavoidable, but try to keep them under 30 minutes to avoid throwing your biological clock off. Taking long naps can have a similar effect on the body as jet lag.
  • Wake up early to do a workout and keep yourself from getting enough sleep – you are moving backwards, not forwards. The body needs sleep like it needs water. You wouldn’t deprive yourself of water so you could work out, right? Of course not, because it would be counterproductive.
  • Watch anything on an electronic screen right before bed – these screens emit blue light, which essentially inhibit production of melatonin and prevent sleep. If you need to watch tv, etc…before bed then buy a pair of blue light blocking sunglasses for a few dollars and wear them while watching. You’ll notice the difference in sleepiness right away.

DO all of the following

  • Eat better – better nutrition helps sleep, and sleep in turn helps the metabolism. It’s a cycle, and to maximize the benefits of nutrition and sleep you need to do both well.
  • Give up smoking or any other form of tobacco
  • Try to do your WODs in the late afternoon or early evening (finishing the workout before 7:30pm if possible). Your circadian rhythms prime your body for peak performance during this time. In contrast, early morning and late at night are the circadian rhythm low points for performance. If you do multiple workouts in a day try to put the hardest one in the late afternoon or early evening and avoid doing any workouts too early or too late in the day.
  • When you get a particularly hard WOD or WODs in during a day or even over the course of a week or a month, be sure to get extra sleep during that time to maximize your gains.
  • Keep your room dark, quiet and cool at night. Light, hot temperatures, and noise can disrupt sleep patterns and cause you to sleep poorly.

MOST IMPORTANT OF ALL, GET A GOOD SLEEP SYSTEM!

  • What is a sleep system? It’s a mattress, adjustable foundation, and pillow.

WHAT SHOULD YOU LOOK FOR IN A GOOD SLEEP SYSTEM?

  • A mattress made of primarily natural materials – synthetics, including urethane and memory foam, may emit harmful VOCs that create an unhealthy environment around the bed.
  • A mattress that creates airflow from top to bottom – airflow keeps you cool at night. A cool sleeping environment helps you sleep better and undisturbed.
  • A mattress with softness/firmness that you can customize to fit your personal needs.
  • An adjustable foundation with head and foot adjustability to allow you to adjust into any relaxation or sleeping position you like. Ideally the foundation would have a massage feature to help break up lactic acid buildup and improve circulation while you are resting.
  • A pillow that is as soft/firm and thick/thin as you like it to be.

WHY IS A GOOD SLEEP SYSTEM SO IMPORTANT? CONSIDER THE FOLLOWING:

  • Disruption of sleep, be it tossing and turning or actually waking up, throws off your sleep patterns and deprives you of the true benefits of sleep. Many people wake up and toss and turn because they sleep on an uncomfortable sleeping surface that cuts off circulation to their muscles during the night.
  • You spend 1/3 of your entire life in bed – make an investment and sleep on something that will have a positive impact on your health and athletic performance.
  • Athletes and anyone with sleep apnea will find an adjustable foundation with the ability to adjust the mattress surface to a zero gravity position is perfect for sore muscles and relaxing before or even during sleep.
Ask me how to get a great discount on a sleep system through Reverie!

Thursday, November 24, 2011

Even though it feels a little spam-ish

I am coming out of my slumber from this blog to share a website recommended to me.
With the high unemployment rate out there, find yourself a new job right here:

http://jooble-us.com/

seems simple enough to use.
This also goes to those of you who hate your jobs.
The worst thing someone can do is waste 40+ hours a week doing something they do not enjoy just for a paycheck.
I have been fortunate to love practicing PT.
If you enjoy doing it, its never work.

Stay tuned (not nearly as long as last time) for some updates on my latest moves.

Monday, June 13, 2011

Ke$ha Spine

Saw this in the latest Billboard magazine. Inspired by one of my favorite blogs, #Street Anatomy (link to a great Salvador Dali remake), enjoy.

Monday, June 6, 2011

Podcasts

In case you have not taken advantage of the many free podcasts that are available here are two of my favorites:

British Journal of Medicine

CrossFit Journal

Great for jogging and commuting!

Let me know if you have any recommendations, just leave them in the comments.

Tuesday, May 31, 2011

Platelet Rich Plasma (PRP)

I attended a very thorough talk last week given by Dr. Steven Lee of Lenox Hill Hospital on the topic of PRP.

His main points included the idea that the research is very far behind with very few high or even moderate level research studies to support the use of PRP. The amount of variables that can influence the outcome of this treatment are vast and thus limit the research potential. Despite this lack of research it can certainly be a welcome treatment for those who have failed other forms of conventional treatment for their tendonopathy (not tendonitis, please make sure you speak with a health care professional about the difference). Eccentric training of the affected tendon and cross friction massage which is a much cheaper alternative to PRP as far as re-creating an inflammatory process have some favorable research studies and are worth a "shot" before trying PRP.

I do get concerned when MDs site one research article and are selling the product: http://www.orthopedicsurgerynyc.com/137759/2011/05/31/platelet-rich-plasma-injections-for-tennis-elbow.html#comments

I have not met Dr. Stein but I invite him to discuss his criteria for choosing a candidate for PRP. I have left a comment on his blog and will look forward to his response and update this post as to the outcome of that conversation.

Tuesday, May 10, 2011

House

On the most recent episode of house
Dr.: "She is having a heart attack!"
Patient's Boyfriend: "That's impossible, she runs marathons"

Which leads me to where I have been hiding since my last post.
I have been in the process of starting my own CrossFit gym:
empirecitycrossfit.com


The quote regarding marathon runners connects to CrossFit not because all marathoners are at risk for heart disease, but they certainly are not free of it either as the boyfriend was implying, rather it has come to my attention that most people have gaps in their fitness. CrossFit is the most complete fitness approach I have seen to date and I have adopted it as part of my practice to help people reach their full potential in athletic performance.

If you are ever in NYC please come for a free trial class. See our website for schedule and details.
I hope to be continue to post here or back and forth with the CrossFit blog.

I also realize CrossFit is poorly understood (even worse than how physical therapy can often be perceived) thus, invite anyone to engage in a dialogue to foster the correct information about health and fitness becoming available.
I look forward to hearing from you!

Monday, April 4, 2011

My Run Movie

http://www.myrunmovie.com/

I saw this the other night. Ticket sales went to benefit Livestrong.
It is fascinating when people push their bodies WAY past their "limits".
Back in 1996 there was a man who ran 75 marathons in 75 days from St. Paul, MN to Atlanta, GA. Very interesting documentary. You should all check it out.