Welcome to Week 5 of the Fuel Forward Ride Series! This week, we’re continuing our deep dive into some behaviors that can help you meet your health and performance goals. Thie topic this week is Sleep! Hope you can join us next week for our final ride in the series! We’ll be chatting on skills & actions you can leverage to better anticipate and tolerate stress to improve your health & performance.
🚴♀️Sleep Strategies for Health & Performance 😴
You train hard. You fuel smart. But are you sleeping enough to actually see the benefits?
Quality sleep isn’t just about feeling rested—it’s one of the most underrated performance enhancers out there. Poor sleep can mess with recovery, mood, and even increase injury risk. On the flip side, getting enough high-quality sleep helps you:
✅ Improve endurance & power output
💪 Build muscle & speed up recovery
🧠 Stay sharp & focused during workouts and races
😴 Manage stress & boost resilience
Knowing What to Do vs. Knowing How to Do It
Most of us know that getting enough quality sleep is important. We may even have a goal to sleep more or improve sleep quality. But knowing what to do isn’t the same as knowing how to do it.
Improving sleep isn’t just about going to bed earlier—it requires building the specific skills and supporting actions to make better sleep a reality. That means identifying what’s getting in the way, making small adjustments, and practicing those changes consistently.
Small Sleep Wins = Big Performance Gains
Ready to improve your sleep? Start by building key skills with these actionable steps:
🌙 Create a pre-sleep ritual: Put screens away 30 minutes before bed, spend 10 minutes writing tomorrow’s to-do list, foam roll, dim the lights, or read a calming book.
🛏 Upgrade your sleep environment: Adjust your room temperature, use white noise, install blackout curtains, leave screens outside the bedroom, and cover up clocks to reduce distractions.
🥗 Align your nutrition for better sleep: Avoid caffeine at least 6 hours before bed, minimize alcohol in the evening, and aim for a balanced meal a few hours before sleep.
⏳ Prioritize sleep in your daily routine: Communicate sleep needs to family, cut back on unnecessary late-night activities, and set firm boundaries (like no screens or commitments past a certain time).
🕰 Set sleep targets & plan your bedtime: Work backward from your wake-up time to set an appropriate bedtime, then increase sleep duration gradually until you reach your goal.
🌅 Build an energizing morning routine: Wake up to gradual light or sound, get outside for morning sunlight, and move your body early in the day to help regulate your sleep-wake cycle.
🏋️♀️ Align movement for better sleep: Exercise regularly, avoid intense workouts 1-2 hours before bed, and aim for 30 minutes of low-to-moderate aerobic activity 4-6 hours before bedtime.
Choose One Action & Build a Habit
Not sure where to start? Try applying the Ready, Willing & Able framework:
🔹 Ready: Does this feel like the right time to make this change?
🔹 Willing: Are you motivated to try this action consistently?
🔹 Able: Do you have the resources or ability to make it happen?
Pick one action from the list that checks all three boxes. Start small & commit to practicing it daily for one to two weeks. Keep it simple and stack it onto an existing habit (e.g., dimming the lights while brushing your teeth or setting your phone to “Do Not Disturb” as you get into bed).
Progress happens when small actions become consistent habits. Over time, these small wins add up to better sleep, stronger training, and improved health & performance.
Looking for more support, accountability, or a game plan? Let’s chat! Book a complimentary intro call today.
