Olympian Speed Skater Brittany Bowe on the High-Tech Sleep Solutions She Swears By

Whereas there’s quite a bit that goes into getting ready for a world-best competitors, Bowe has solely not too long ago begun to acknowledge the significance of restoration. In truth, she considers sustaining a constant sleep routine key to her success on the monitor.

“As I’ve gotten older, I’ve realized that restoration is simply as necessary—if no more so—than coaching,” she says.

SELF talked to the elite velocity skater, who additionally served as a group U.S. flag bearer on the Olympics opening ceremony in Beijing, about her routine and the tech she depends upon to log strong sleep.

The whole lot I do after dinner is in preparation for a great evening of sleep.

I often eat dinner round 6:00 or 6:30 p.m., after which all the things that occurs for me after that’s about getting ready for a great evening of sleep. I watch TV, so I get some blue mild publicity there, however laying on the sofa watching TV helps wind me down. Because it will get near 10:00 p.m.,I’ll go upstairs to start out my bedtime routine.

I like what I like in relation to bedtime. Take my Eight Sleep mattress: It does heating and cooling, so it finds an optimum temperature for my physique by my completely different phases of sleep: getting ready for bedtime, deep sleep, REM sleep, after which waking up. After a time period, it learns your sleeping routine, and relying on the temperature in your bed room, your mattress will modify accordingly.

I depend on some merchandise to assist me wind down.

After a troublesome day, I’ll get into an epsom salt bathtub. I put some lavender oil in there. I usually use Dr. Teal’s Epsom Salt in just a few completely different combos, and particularly benefit from the lavender. I’m undoubtedly a shower individual—I take a pair baths per week to wind down.

I’m an Usana athlete, and the corporate relies proper right here in Salt Lake Metropolis, so it’s a fairly cool partnership. They’ve a balm referred to as Calm Response and I put that on my wrist, arms, neck and chest and rub it in. It’s a very enjoyable scent.

After actually arduous coaching days when my nervous system appears actually labored up, I’ll use Pure Relaxation from Usana, which is their melatonin complement. I additionally use this spray from Bathtub & Physique Works referred to as Pillow Mist—it’s truly discontinued, however I received it on Amazon. It’s from their sleep line, and it’s made with lavender, cedarwood, and with completely different important oils. I’ll spray that throughout my mattress.

Then I’ll be certain that my humidifier goes subsequent to me. Along with that, I’ve an Air Physician air air purifier.

I really like monitoring my sleep high quality by wearable tech.

Once I get into mattress, I am going by eight to 10 minutes of cadence respiration (a type of rhythmic respiration) by my Polar Vantage V2 watch’s serene setting. With cadence respiration, you spend a sure period of time inhaling and exhaling with a pause between. The watch vibrates on the inhale, so I really feel the vibration on my wrist, which signifies a breath in. When the vibration stops, I breathe out. That repeats for no matter period of time you set it to. Typically I’ll truly go to sleep earlier than I can get by that.