Spring Cleaning

I was lucky enough to be asked to contribute to another excellent article by Gabriella Boston which was featured in today's Washington Post-


https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/wellness/?nid=menu_nav_lifestyle-wellness&utm_term=.0607a07d7e78


I encourage you to give it a view. It was nice to see that many of the key points I shared with Gabriella were also mentioned by other local experts. Two of these key points were the importance of sleep habits, and proper nutrition.

The value of sleep can't be overestimated. The body heals when we sleep, and without it we are on borrowed time. I see this time and time again. When an athlete or patient is not able to get adequate sleep, I don't want to see them in the clinic. I value you them using that time to set the balance straight with their sleep. I also advocate for setting a threshold of sleep time under which you skip workouts. To me, it makes sense.

For the athlete, the next workout is going to compromised if adequate rest since the last effort has not occurred. If the goal is to build or progress fitness, then short changing sleep/rest prior to the workout is madness.

For the patient, a similar pattern is true. We want the body's "environment" to be conducive for healing. If the body is robbed of sleep time, or adequate rest/recovery, it will simply to less effective at reaping the benefits from exercise. My feeling is a cornerstone of athletic success is rest first, workouts second.

Another key part of reviewing our exercise routine for a spring cleaning includes nutrition. I tell folks that a PT is a mechanic and their body is the machine. Nutrition is simply the fuel we put in it. Making sure the fuel is as pure and healthy as possible will optimize the function of the engine. Simple enough. What we use to fuel, and when we fill the tank are widely discussed topics. I would encourage you to explore these topics to ensure you are firing on all cylinders! Be well, Robert