As a personal trainer, you know that your client’s fitness is really just much more than how long they can run for, or how much weight they can lift. For this reason, online personal trainer software can prove incredibly valuable, bridging the gap between you and your clients outside of your training sessions.
The importance of sleep
Getting to bed early means waking up feeling refreshed after a good night’s rest. On top of this, it’s widely accepted that lack of sleep plays a major part in fitness.
Dr Roked, author of The Tiredness Game, explains the impact of sleep deprivation. She states: “The body hasn’t had enough time to recover, to regenerate and rest, and the constant change in sleep patterns is not allowing it time to recover.”
Naturally, this pattern can be made worse when an individual is doing strenuous exercise, as this also requires the body to rest and recover from whatever impact it has undergone.
“Adrenal fatigue is a major cause of tiredness and lack of energy,” Dr Roked continues, “but the conditions is not taught to most medical doctors, despite being recognised by the World Health Organisation in 2010.”
Problems caused by lack of sleep
The first signs of tiredness are a fuzzy head and not being able to concentrate. Naturally, these symptoms can have a negative impact on a client’s performance at work and at the gym, and limit general productivity at home.
Another problem that can stem from a lack of sleep is an increased likelihood of catching a cold or other bug. Again, this can lead to a client taking time away from work and exercise in order to recover from the illness.
Last but not least, a major problem that can arise from lack of sleep is a reliance on sugar and caffeine as emergency sources of energy. As you most likely already know, cutting back on refined sugar consumption is one of the most important things you can do to increase your natural energy levels in the long term. When we consume sugary or caffeinated goods, we gain a quick burst of energy, but this only lasts a few hours. Meanwhile, our body develops a reliance on these substances to feel properly awake.
Overcoming the issue
By making small lifestyle changes, you can make a massive difference to your energy levels. Starting with the most obvious advice, a health diet is key. It’s important to have a minimum of five portions of fruit and vegetables a day, as well as regular servings of protein, and oily fish which comes packed with omega fatty acids.
Taking part in gentle exercise and practising relaxation techniques can also boost energy levels in the long term. However, it’s important not to go over the top and burn out. As Dr Roked states: “New habits take time to form so making small, attainable changes and sticking to them is the key to success.”
As a personal trainer, we also believe that using the best personal trainer software can help you support clients with a whole range of lifestyle habits.
How can online personal trainer software help?
Once a new client starts working with you, you can create a personal account for them on our online personal training software. This enables you to communicate with them outside of the gym, monitor their workouts and track their training progress. Membr even integrates with a range of third party health and fitness apps to share data effortlessly.
As a result, you can provide an intuitive and challenging training program. Even more importantly, you are ready to notice any drops in personal performance. By tackling any problems sooner rather than later, you minimise its impact on your training regime and on the client’s health.
If you’d like to know more about our personal training software and see what Membr is all about, get in touch or even request a demo to find out more.