ZZZ Z
AND REAL RUNNERS REVEAL… What worked for us…
JEN TAYLOR, 24: “I swear by a warm bath each evening after training, to which I add a calming chamomile tea bag. Afterwards I stretch all my muscles out, as they are relaxed from the warm water. It’s a perfect time to do deep stretches without doing myself any harm.”
NINA PITCAIRN, 35: “I found myself waking up at night with night sweats, which left me freezing cold, so I tried some new specialist bedding called DermaTherapy which worked for me (see products on page 20). It’s soft and keeps my skin cool and dry.”
AROMATHERAPY AND MASSAGE EXPERT TIPS
Therapist Sue Mellish stresses runners must
allow time to recover from training or they run the risk of muscle fatigue, which can lead to insomnia.
Sue, who offers deep tissue massage and aromatherapy treatments at her practice in Richmond, North Yorkshire, says: “Aromatherapy oils, such as juniper, chamomile, lavender, eucalyptus, cypress and rosemary, either in a bath, on the pillow or as a massage oil, are excellent. Emu oil is particularly good as it has anti-inflammatory properties.
“Just before bed, put a cup of Epsom salts for every 60lb of your body weight into a warm
bath and lie in it for 20 minutes, then pat the body with a towel before going straight to bed.”
Professional treatments, such as myofascial massage, can help insomnia caused by muscular aches and pains. For those who find it hard to relax, Sue recommends an aromatherapy treatment.
“The oils are absorbed into the skin and the mind gets a chance to relax totally which is often the hardest part for a dedicated sportsperson,” says Sue.
■ Sue Mellish offers massage from £35 for an hour. Contact her at susiemellish@
googlemail.com to book an appointment.
GARETH TAYLOR, 27: “I find having a nice bowl of porridge about an hour before bed works well for me!”
COLIN LANCASTER, 50: “Inability to sleep can often be a sign of hyper training, so when I get to that stage I take two days off and see if that helps me relax at bedtime.”
KIM BRAY, 40: “If I can’t get to sleep, I go through the route of my last run or bike ride in my head and I tend to fall asleep before I get back. If that doesn’t work, I start on another run or a race in my head!”
KARL GLENDENNING, 41: “I struggle to sleep when I’m staying in a hotel so I use the herbal version of Nytol – Hops, Valerian and Passion Flower – along with ear-plugs!”
JOHN SIMPSON, 38: “As a child I had a hot choclate before I went to bed. My adult, athlete version is SIS’s Nocté, a night time drink,
www.sleepstrong. com/
nocte-weight.htm.”
RUNNING FREE ■ 19
ZZZ Z
PERFORMANCE
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