9 tips to help you sleep better and boost your jiujitsu

If there's a topic where the doctors of the world remain united, it's the good old motto: sleep is life. 

As the German neuroscientist Verena Senn said, sleeping well is a kind of nightly therapy session, as important as good nutrition and exercise. It's when we sleep, she says, that our body rests and works to balance multiple of its functions. 

Which is why good sleep brings improvements to the immune system, removal of toxins, and strengthening of memory. Poor sleep, on the other hand, causes difficulty in concentration, irritability and general lack of disposition for completing tasks. A lack of good sleep can become a nasty cycle to break: lack of sleep, frustrating day, bad mood and stress, difficulty falling asleep, lack of sleep, frustrating day, etc. 

The good news is that the problem can also be solved in the blink of an eye. Studies indicate that the biggest enemies of sleep are anxiety, bad nutrition and someone snoring nearby. All three are easy to alleviate. 

If you mind is fighting your body at bedtime, specialists suggest simple and effective measures, such as:

* Avoiding coffee, black tea and soda in the evening and late afternoon. Examine how you sleep with and without them, and seek to learn what's the latest you can drink them. Some people have to stop at 2 p.m.;

* Keeping your room dark, with windows and curtains well suited for the job;

* Setting regular times for sleeping and waking up, thus helping your body;

* Avoiding eating too much at dinner and steering clear of heavy dishes — try to eat a full two hours before bed;

* Being as picky about your pillow as you are about your gi;

* Throughout the night, setting aside your electronic devices, which can bring you anxiety-inducing news;

* Swapping the bedroom TV for a book;

* To combat anxiety, practicing exercise every day, even if for just half an hour. If the gym is closed, train at home, at the park or at the beach;

* Oh, of course. And to avoid getting woken up by snoring, investing in some modern ear plugs.

Sleep well, train better and live more. Oss!