How to Optimise Your Sleep?

You often wonder how to sleep better so that your hard work in the gym finally pays off? We know that discipline in training and diet isn't everything. That's why we're going to explore together how to optimise your sleep to turn it into a true recovery and performance booster, far beyond the advice you've already read a thousand times.

Assess the quality of your sleep

Assess the quality of your sleep by 2 minutes thanks to this quiz based on scientifically validated factors. Find out if your habits promote optimal recovery or hinder your performance

Based on scientific studies
Immediate personalised estimate
10 questions only

What is the quality of your sleep?

Assess the quality of your sleep based on your habits and lifestyle

Sleep Quality Score

Answer the questions to find out your score

Question Previous Next See my results Answer the questions to find out your score Retake the quiz Yes No Rarely or never Sometimes Often Always Sleep Quality Score Overall score Do you get up at the same time every day (including weekends)? Yes, always at a set time During the week, yes, I shift things around at the weekend No, it varies a lot Do you expose yourself to natural light as soon as you wake up? Yes, within the first 30 minutes Sometimes, but not always No, I'm staying in the dark Do you stop using screens at least 1 hour before bed? Yes, complete stop 1 hour beforehand I try, but not always No, I stare at my screens until bedtime Do you consume coffee or stimulants after 2 PM? Never after 2pm Occasionally Yes, often in the late afternoon Do you consume alcohol in the evening? Rarely or never 1 glass occasionally Regularly Do you finish your intense workouts at least 3-4 hours before bedtime? Yes, always Sometimes I train late in the evening I often train just before going to bed Is your last meal light and taken 2-3 hours before bedtime? Yes, light meal 2-3 hours beforehand Sometimes, but not always No, heavy meals or just before sleeping Is your room cool (17-19°C), dark, and quiet? Yes, optimal conditions Partially (1-2 criteria OK) No, suboptimal conditions Do you have a wind-down routine before bed? Yes, 30 minutes of light activity Sometimes No, I just fall asleep straight away If you're having a nap, is it short (< 30 min) and before 3pm? Yes, or I don't take a nap Sometimes too long or delayed Long naps (> 30 min) or after 3 PM Champion's Sleep Your sleep habits are excellent. You are maximising your recovery and performance. Continue like this: Keep your wake-up time consistent Continue to avoid screens before bedtime Maintain your optimal sleep environment Stay disciplined for the long haul Good Sleep You have a solid foundation. A few tweaks can further enhance your recovery Recommended improvements: Set a consistent wake-up time, even on weekends Stop using screens 1 hour before bedtime Optimise your environment (temperature, darkness) Create a 30-minute relaxation ritual Improving Sleep Your habits are undermining your recovery. Changes are needed to make progress. Priority actions: Set a consistent wake-up time (even on weekends) Avoid coffee and stimulants after 2pm Avoid alcohol and heavy meals in the evening Finish your workouts 3-4 hours before bedtime Sleep at Risk Your sleep is seriously compromised. It's urgent to reassess your habits for your health and performance. Urgent Actions: Consult a sleep specialist Set a consistent wake-up time (the most important) Eliminate screens, alcohol, and late caffeine Create an optimal sleep environment (dark, cool, quiet)

The key takeaways Sleep isn't just passive rest; it's an active phase of muscle and hormonal rebuilding, just as crucial as training. To optimise it, discipline is key: set a consistent wake-up time, even on weekends, and stop using screens an hour before bed. It's consistency that will turn your nights into a genuine performance asset.

Sleep: the forgotten pillar of athletic performance

You spend hours in the gym, weighing every gram of protein… but how much time do you really dedicate to the quality of your sleep? Let’s be honest, we’ve all been there. Thinking that losing an hour of sleep means an extra hour to train.

Big mistake.

This mentality is one I know all too well. It’s the classic trap of the passionate athlete who believes that only visible effort pays off. However, after years of practice and scientific analysis, my conclusion is clear: Neglecting your sleep is undermining your own results. It's like building a racing engine and running it without oil

Sleep is not a break. It’s a active recovery phase, for muscle recovery and hormonal regulation. It’s at night that the real magic happens. The body releases growth hormone, a key player in anabolism, and gets to work repairing the micro-tears in our muscles that we inflict on our fibres during training.

Without quality sleep, protein synthesis slows down and your hormonal balance is disrupted. Cortisol, the stress hormone that breaks down muscle, takes over. In short, you work against yourself.

Understanding the mechanics of sleep to master it better

That's where a part is played immense impact on our sleep. To fully benefit from it, you first need to understand its mechanics, which are very easy in theory but complex in practice.

Your biological clock

Imagine an invisible metronome in your brain that keeps time over 24 hours: this is your circadian rhythm. This internal clock not only dictates when to sleep; it regulates your energy, your hunger, and the release of your hormones. You understand, it goes condition your pace.

Its main synchroniser? Light. The morning natural light acts as a starting signal who sets your clock. The morning sun is your best pre-workout.

On the contrary, the blue light from screens in the evening is a saboteur. It sends a conflicting signal to your brain, the blue light says: "it's still daytime!" and it blocks the production of melatonin. As a result: a delayed sleep onset and a disrupted rhythm.

Your biological clock: the circadian rhythm

Follow the natural cycle of the sun and discover how your body adapts to the different phases of the day

06:00

Optimal Wake-Up

Exposure to natural light to calibrate your clock

Explore your day:

00:00
Midnight

06:00
Wake-up

12:00
Noon

18:00
Evening

24:00
Midnight

💡 How it works: Your circadian rhythm is synced by natural light. morning sun calibrate your internal clock and boost your energy. At the end of the day, the absence of light triggers the production of melatonin to prepare for sleep. Respecting this natural rhythm optimises your physical and mental performance

The sleep cycles

Sleeping is not a passive state. Your night consists of a series of cycles (generally 4 to 6) made up of several phases: light sleep, deep sleep, and REM sleep. For us athletes, deep sleep is the most valuable.

It’s during this phase that the magic happens: repair of muscle fibres, immune system boost, and a surge in growth hormone release. It’s your anabolic rebuilding phase. Neglecting it means leaving gains on the table.

REM sleep is essential for mental recovery. It consolidates memory, including the motor patterns learned in the gym. Disrupting these cycles with awakenings is like interrupting a crucial download. The goal is to sleeping uninterrupted.

Moreover, many believe that a glass of alcohol helps you fall asleep. This is a misconception. If falling asleep is quicker, the impact of alcohol on sleep quality is disastrous: it disrupts cycles and annihilates deep and paradoxical sleep phases.

The sleep cycles: your night in detail

Visualise how your body alternates between the different sleep phases during a typical 8-hour night

Awakening Light Deep

22:00 23:00 00:00 01:00 02:00 03:00 04:00 05:00 06:00

Awakening / Very light sleep

Light Sleep

deep sleep

Explore your night:

💡 Key takeaways: Your night consists of 4 to 6 cycles of 90 minutes each. deep sleep (turquoise) dominates the first half of the night: this is when physical recovery occurs and growth hormone is released. The paradoxical sleep/REM (violet) becomes more prominent towards the end of the night to enhance your memory and motor skills learning.

the 10 things to do for a good night's sleep

Enough theory, let's get to the practical side. Sleep is like training: consistency and discipline pay off. After years of science-based testing, I have developed a genuine combat routine for restorative nights.

Here are the 10 golden rules that I apply. Follow them, and I guarantee you a significant difference in your recovery and energy at the gym. It’s a game plan, not a vague suggestion

Light, your ally and your enemy

Expose yourself to daylight first thing in the morning to reset your body clock. In the evening, it's the opposite. Put an end to screens at least an hour before bedtime, as their blue light disrupts your melatonin.

The timing of your evening meal

A light dinner, featuring complex carbohydrates and protein, 2 to 3 hours before you go to bed. Avoid heavy and greasy meals that force your digestive system to work overnight.

Caffeine, the essential break

It's non-negotiable. No more coffee, tea, or pre-workout after 2pm. The half-life of caffeine can undermine the quality of your deep sleep, even if you think you'll drift off easily.

Alcohol, the false friend of sleep

A glass to help you sleep? Big mistake. Alcohol may make you fall asleep faster but destroys the architecture of sleep in the second half of the night, causing micro-awakenings and disrupting REM sleep

Physical activity, but not too late

Finish your intense session 3 to 4 hours before bedtime. This allows your nervous system and body temperature to cool down, a prerequisite for a good night's sleep.

The nap, a double-edged sword

If needed, a nap is possible, but keep it short: a maximum of 20 to 30 minutes, and always before 3pm. Beyond that, you risk cannibalising your nighttime sleep.

The room temperature

Aim for a relative freshness between 17 and 19°C. A body that cools down slightly sends a strong signal to sleep. This is a fundamental physiological principle.

The sanctuary of silence and darkness

Your room should be a sanctuary. Total darkness and silence. Invest in blackout curtains and earplugs. It's a small investment for a huge gain

The decompression ritual

Give yourself 30 minutes of quiet activity to transition: reading (a real book!), light stretching, meditation. No work, no stressful emails.

The importance of a fixed wake-up time, the golden rule

It might be the hardest, but it's the most effective. Get up at the same time every day, including weekends. It's the absolute key to firmly anchor your biological clock.

When nutrition and supplements give you a boost

« To sleep well, you must sleep fully », you’ve probably heard this saying which, let’s be honest, may seem true in practice but in reality, even if you feel like you’ve had a good night’s sleep, your body may have been struggling to digest, making sleep take a back seat. Yes, there are aids, whether natural or with supplements, to help you sleep better

Key nutrients on your plate

Some nutrients are true allies, as usual, everything or almost everything starts with your plate. One of the most well-known? Tryptophan. This amino acid is the precursor to serotonin, and then to the melatonin, our sleep hormone. You can find it in poultry, dairy products, eggs, or nuts.

Another key player: magnesium. It is essential for muscle and nerve relaxation, two conditions for a peaceful sleep. Think of green vegetables, almonds, and even a square of dark chocolate to reconnect with nature

Tip: Pair these foods with complex carbohydrates in the evening (brown rice, wholemeal pasta). facilitates the transport of tryptophan to the brain.

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Tryptophan

Melatonin precursor. Poultry, eggs, nuts.

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Magnesium

Muscle and nerve relaxation. Green vegetables, almonds.

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Complex carbohydrates

Aid in the transport of tryptophan to the brain.

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Chamomile tea

Natural calming effect for relaxation

Proven supplements

Let's be clear: the Supplements should never replace a healthy lifestyle. Never. But they can be a valuable support. Melatonin is helpful for resetting your internal clock (jet lag, night shifts), but it’s not a one-size-fits-all solution.

Fortunately, there are gentler natural alternatives backed by science. I'm thinking of apigenin, a promising flavonoid extracted from chamomile, which promotes relaxation by acting on the brain's GABA receptors, without inducing forced drowsiness. This is why we have included a high-quality extract in our sleep formula, for those seeking targeted support

Other molecules deserve your attention. Here is a overview of those that caught my attention after reviewing the studies:

Magnesium (Bisglycinate) : For muscle and nerve relaxation. A highly absorbable form
L-Theanine: Promotes a state of mental clarity without sedation, perfect for cutting through those repetitive thoughts.
Apigenin : Helps to reduce anxiety and promotes natural sleep.
Glycine : An amino acid that can help lower body temperature, a key signal for the body to fall asleep.

Apigenin

Flavonoid extracted from chamomile that promotes relaxation by acting on the brain's GABA receptors, without causing forced drowsiness. Ideal for reducing anxiety and helping you fall asleep naturally

Discover Apigenin →

Magnesium Bisglycinate

Highly bioavailable form of magnesium for optimal muscle and nerve relaxation. Calms the nervous system and prepares the body for deep restorative sleep

Discover Magnesium →

Take action: your sleep is your greatest asset

There you have it. You now have all the tools at your disposal to turn your nights into a powerful ally in your progress. Sleep is not a waste of time, it’s the fundamental pillar on which your muscle gains rest, your energy and focus during training. This is when the magic happens: tissue repair, motor memory consolidation, hormonal balance. Never underestimate it