Day Four – Deeside personal trainer’s advice for people hoping to keep fit during firebreak lockdown

A Deeside personal trainer has given advice for people in the community wanting to keep fit over the firebreak lockdown.

This advice follows on from the past three days, where Jack Sullivan – a former soldier and owner of JS-PT – gives his thoughts and opinions on how to keep healthy over the two weeks.

Today, Jack focuses on sleep and the benefits which come out of it including “an improvement in mental health”, “energy, productivity and motivation”.

He said: “Whether we want to feel good, relax, recover, reduce stress, have a better body composition or generally be healthier, then sleep holds a lot of the answers and is the foundation.

“More than fifty per cent of the UK population don’t feel they get a good sleep – whether that’s waking, struggling to get to sleep or feeling fatigued each day.

“So, how could a good night’s sleep help you?

“It can help with your thinking, brain fog, provide an improvement in mental health or a big increase in energy, productivity and motivation

“Everything becomes easier – from food choices to popping on the trainers and getting out for a walk, but what can we do to help our sleep?

“Well, stats show overthinking, worrying and stress are the biggest causes in poor sleep.

“COVID, family, money, work, events that have happened – these are all things we start to think about once we slow down and try to sleep.

“Here are some tips to try to help, but don’t do them all at once.

“Try them a few times, note any improvements and move through the list.

“Your environment – a dark room, a good temperature and a minimal amount of blue light such as a TV, phone or items plugged in around you.

“Keeping a routine before bed and when you wake is also key.

“Like you would do a warm up before a workout, you should have the same thought process for sleep – to start preparing yourself and getting ready for sleep.

“Then the reverse when you wake, slowly bringing yourself to starting the day.

“Avoid ending the day with closing your eyes to expect to sleep, and then opening them and going straight into work mode.

“Reflecting – whether this be through some breathing techniques, lying still, or noting down your day.

“This is called ‘brain dumping’, with the idea being that you dump all your thoughts onto the paper and leave them there rather than take them to bed with you – this works great when you have a lot of anxiety, worry or stress.”

To contact Jack about anything he mentions, such as if you are struggling to sleep, then email jack@js-pt.co.uk.

Day One: Deeside personal trainer gives advice regarding lockdown fitness

Day Two: Deeside personal trainer gives advice to help with lockdown fitness

Day Three: Deeside personal trainer gives advice to help with lockdown fitness