I’ve just blasted out a 5k run this morning in a gale force winds! This week is pretty full on with weight training three times over Monday, Wednesday and Friday and two more 5k runs thrown in.

It’s fair to say that I am pushing myself harder so I need to make sure I get my recovery right. I’d like to talk to you today about something many people overlook in their training routine and that’s sleep.

Here are two quick facts about sleep and exercise:

• Sleep plays a role in protein synthesis and gives you the necessary energy needed for another day in the gym
• Lack of adequate sleep affects mood, motivation, judgment, and our perception of events

Sleep wasn’t something I paid any really attention too until one of my friends was explaining just how important it actually is for health and any gains you want in fitness or sports performance.

It wasn’t until I got my hands on a Leesa Mattress that I finally started to get the best of out of my sleep and the best out of my training.

So I tried doing a few things different and noticed a better change for a while but I was still finding that I was struggling to get to sleep at times when going to bed. Wiggling and moving my body into a better position and then I was waking up in the early hours and not getting back to sleep. This was frustrating to say the least as I start to get annoyed and stressed thinking about other things, which then started to ruin my my whole daily routine as I was grumpy and tired.

I had no idea what to do until my friend said “have you checked your mattress?” While I thought he was having a laugh, he was actually right! The mattress I had been using was 5/6 years old and a bog standard one from the local bed shop. There were dips in the mattress and the springs were clearly damaged. The reason I was actually moving about at the start of my sleep was because I was not comfortable.

So swapping the old mattress for the new Leesa mattress was quick and easy. It was delivered in a box that was easy to move upstairs and even easier to put on the bed frame due to its vacuum packaging. I just tore away the inner plastic wrapping and watched it expand into place. Amazing!

Without getting too technically, the Leesa mattress has three layers. They help with conturing and pressure relief for all sizes of sleepers so you get the best comfort possible. For more information, see what’s inside the Leesa?

Since I have been using the Leesa mattress my sleep patterns have improved massively, I’m no longer wriggling about trying to get comfortable and I’m still in dreamland. I am totally convinced this is also why I stay asleep through the night without waking up.

I’m no longer grumpy or tired in the morning and I feel fresh and awake. So much so that I am now running as soon as I get up. This is something that I would not have even considered before as I was just too tired. I also have been able to progress and increase my weight lifting routine a bit quicker and heavier as I am charged and refreshed in the gym now too.

So if you want to improve your training with ease then look at your sleep pattern and consider how you unwind before bed. What you have eaten and drank in the last 4-6 hours before hand and what mattress you are sleeping on.