Dark chocolate, evening full-body workouts and chamomile tea: Kayla Itsines shares the sleep routine that keeps her healthy and in top shape all year
- Sleep is an essential component of muscle recovery after you workout your body
- Personal trainer and mother Kayla Itsines has created her own sleeping 'routine'
- It involves exercising three to four times a week and stretching before bedtime
- South Australia-based gymgoer also eats magnesium-rich foods like leafy veg
Personal trainer and young mother Kayla Itsines has had to reshape her sleeping schedule since giving birth to her daughter Arna in April 2019.
The South Australia-based gymgoer, who is best known for inventing the Bikini Body Guide (BBG) in 2014 alongside her fiancé Tobi Pearce, has tried to increase the quality of her rest time now that she has a baby on board.
Sleep is important for muscle recovery and gives an individual enough energy to complete their daily workouts without fear of injury, so the 28-year-old wrote a blog about how chamomile tea, green leafy vegetables and a host of stretches helps her get the most out of bedtime.
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Personal trainer and young mother Kayla Itsines has had to reshape her sleeping schedule since giving birth to her daughter Arna in April 2019
The South Australia-based gymgoer, who is best known for inventing the Bikini Body Guide (BBG) in 2014 alongside her fiancé Tobi Pearce, has tried to increase the quality of her rest time now that she has a baby on board (right)
EXERCISE THREE TO FOUR TIMES A WEEK
Kayla cites high-intensity workouts, like the ones she offers in BBG, as the best for helping bring about a deep sleep, because they are fully exerting the body.
'I like to schedule my workouts in advance, and I include both high-intensity workouts and low-intensity cardio throughout my week,' she said.
The brunette bombshell tends to workout in the evenings, which can be problematic in terms of bringing your heart rate back down in time for bed.
So in order to compensate for the jump in adrenaline, Kayla listens to calming music and tries to get an early night regardless, so she's well-rested for the following day.
Kayla cites high-intensity workouts, like the ones she offers in BBG, as the best for helping bring about a deep sleep, because they are fully exerting the body
'I like to schedule my workouts in advance, and I include both high-intensity workouts and low-intensity cardio throughout my week,' she said
STRETCH BEFORE BED
If you've worked out during the day or you're predominantly sitting down for your job, the body will tense in particular areas, making it difficult to relax later in the day.
'Before bed each evening, I like to take a few minutes to stretch to help ease any tightness. I start with some dynamic stretches to get the blood moving through my body and then move into some static stretches to release muscle tension,' she said.
She uses a foam roller to roll out her calves and hamstrings, followed by a supine hamstring stretch with a 'recovery band', a knees-to-chest stretch, pigeon pose glute stretch and a wide child's pose.
This combination of regular stretching and yoga moves helps to relax the body, with the application of magnesium oil to particularly sore parts a perfect final step.
She uses a foam roller to roll out her calves and hamstrings, followed by a supine hamstring stretch with a 'recovery band', a knees-to-chest stretch, pigeon pose glute stretch and a wide child's pose
EAT MAGNESIUM-RICH FOODS
Magnesium is important to add into our diets because it's an essential mineral that isn't made naturally by our bodies.
It maintains optimal nerve and muscle function and manages the amount of stress our bodies feel during a particular activity or exercise.
'Most of the time, we get enough magnesium from green leafy vegetables, dairy, legumes and even dark chocolate - but if you are having trouble sleeping through the night, ask your doctor about whether a magnesium supplement might help,' Kayla said.
This - combined with a chamomile tea before bed - should help ease the cortisol levels in your body, as it does for Kayla.
Magnesium is important to add into our diets because it's an essential mineral that isn't made naturally by our bodies
Eating magnesium-rich foods - combined with a chamomile tea before bed - should help ease the cortisol levels in your body, as it does for Kayla
RELAX WITH A SKINCARE ROUTINE
Kayla finds washing her face, removing her makeup and moisturing her skin a relaxing part of her sleep schedule.
Firstly, she starts with a cleanser. For this, Kayla's go-to product is Cetaphil's Cleanser for Oily Skin ($10.99).
'Under $15 you can buy Cetaphil for oily skin and that gets your makeup off, and that's what I use. I got makeup on? Cetaphil, one quick wash and it gets my makeup off,' she has said previously.
Next, the exercise guru said she 'swears by' the Envy U Skincare Charcoal exfoliator.
'Honestly, I tried everything and this $13 or $14… it's called Envy U Skincare, charcoal, the charcoal one. I swear it fixed my skin,' she said.
Kayla has opened up previously about her journey with acne, and how she managed to get her skin under control (pictured before and after)
She follows her cleansing routine with a hyaluronic serum by Germaine de Capuccini, which she said is a particular saviour during the winter months when it's cold and her skin is cracked
Kayla said she used the exfoliator with the Foreo Luna Go For Normal Skin Tool, which costs $149 and provides an extra layer of cleansing.
She follows her cleansing routine with a hyaluronic serum by Germaine de Capuccini, which she said is a particular saviour during the winter months when it's cold and her skin is cracked.
She then uses a moisturiser for sensitive skin by the French brand, La Roche-Posay ($31.99), which Kayla said helped her pregnancy dermatitis hugely.
'So eye cream, Drunk Elephant. I just use it after I put my moisturiser on – that's the last thing I do and then I'm done,' she added.
Kayla favours the Shaba Complex Eye Serum ($92) from Mecca, giving her skincare regime a total of $343.
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