Step 8: Recap
Your sleep is not just to find peace and quiet; it’s the foundation of your physical and mental health.
When you’re not getting enough quality z’s your cortisol (stress hormone) levels spiral out of control, leading to irritability, poor focus, increased sugar cravings, and mindless eating. (more in Step 10)
Worse, it messes with the balance of your hunger hormones—Leptin (stop eating) and Ghrelin (keep eating)—making overeating almost inevitable.
Sleep deprivation isn’t just sabotaging your health mate; it’s hijacking your ability to make progress.
What Happens When You Prioritise Sleep?
With even small positive changes to your sleep habits, you’ll experience:
Reduced sugar cravings.
A noticeable increase in energy levels and sharper mental focus.
Balanced hunger hormones, so you’re in control of your appetite again.
Improved fat loss, recovery, and a stronger immune system.
Better sleep doesn’t just make you feel more rested—it sets the stage for smashing the pants off your fitness goals and living the life you want.
Actionable Insights from Step 8
1. The Hormonal Impact
Poor sleep disrupts Leptin and Ghrelin, throwing hunger cues into chaos. You eat more, crave sugar, and rarely feel full.
Fix your sleep, and you fix this negative feedback loop from hell.
2. Cortisol Rhythms
Cortisol should energise you in the morning and taper off at night, but poor sleep turns is right round. Getting consistent rest resets this rhythm, improving your mood, energy, and ability to handle stress.
3. Proven Strategies for Better Sleep
Limit caffeine and alcohol: Both disrupt sleep quality and recovery.
Stick to a sleep schedule: Go to bed and wake up at the same time, even on weekends.
Turn off screens before bed: Create a peaceful, distraction-free sleep environment.
Prioritise relaxation: Incorporate meditation, light reading, or a hot bath into your routine.
Time your workouts right: Keep the eyeball out sessions to the morning, light walks, stretches and yoga for the evening.
Go for a power nap: Short naps can be a lifesaver, but keep them under 20 minutes.
The Bigger Picture
You can’t out-train or out-diet poor sleep.
Quality rest fuels your workouts, sharpens your focus, and keeps cravings in check.
When you sleep better, you perform better—whether it’s at the gym, at work, or with your family.
Your Next Step
Tonight, take one or two of these sleep strategies and put them into practice.
Notice how your energy shifts, how your cravings subside, and how you start showing up better for yourself and those around you.
As always if you've not worked through Step 8, go back now, catch up on what you've missed and we'll catch up in Step 9: Part 1: Why the Best Workout Isn’t About Sweat—It’s About Showing Up
See you there mate.