How to manage your shape after a short night?!

Hi from New York City, where I landed late last night. I was invited by the Vendée Globe Race to meet Skipper, these adventurers’ extremes, long -term resistance athletes.

So, like any passenger in the phase phase, I barely slept 4 hours and here I am on the computer at 5 in the morning … classic.

The lack of sleep is the sworn enemy of the form. Not sleeping is hungry because satiety hormones have not been made today tomorrow. Sleeping badly also increases muscle and joint pain. We feel more heavy and less motivated to move. The heart rate is altered and the heart does not respond well to rapid stress of increase and decrease in its beating frequency. In short: the scenario of the disaster!

In addition, as a former Isomnian and very experienced sports coach for almost 20 years, here is your control list after a night of insomnia:

• Exhale in the light of the day. Exposure to the real sun, even if it is not beautiful, will stimulate our biological clock and promote the production of hormones. Sex hormones, mood adjustment hormones, hunger hormones and satiety … most of our behavior is linked to our exposure to the light of day.
• Do sports but cool. The fun cardio will decrease the pain of the muscles, increasing the level of energy as a double espresso and producing energizing hormones such as dopamine. But don’t go too hard, because your body is subject to a great stress of lack of sleep, with the production of pro-inflammatory cortisol. So we will prefer to prefer 1 hour of walking or fresh bicycles, 1 small jogging ‘if the race is part of your habits, 30-40 minutes of fresh swim. No hit or heavy heavy muscle that will stress the body even more. In the evening: a yoga, stretching, soft pilates 1 hour before going to bed.
• Avoid sugar and plague. Of course when we slept little: we will look for sugar to quickly climb our energy level. Great mistake to follow this instinct because a tired body will have less ability to preserve sugar in muscle cells. So this sugar will remain more in the blood vessels to damage our arteries and will be more stored in our fat cells. Glycemic peaks are a little increased, so let’s avoid!
• Eat a lot of fresh vegetables and fruit. Be careful not in the juice! 2-3 chewable fruits without problem and vegetables at will. The more they are, the better it is. This antioxidant push will facilitate recovery and reduce cortisol damage.
• I give up with coffee !! Ok for 1 or 2 coffee, but not more. Coffee stimulates our energy but basically tired because it forces the heart and brain to turn at full speed. Try Guarana to give you energy. 1 teaspoon in the morning in yogurt or muesli, it works great.
• Water water! Water, tea based on sugar -free herbs, green tea (2 maximum cups), flat water, sparkling water … anyway! The water is at will. A well -hydrated body is a body that works better and that recovers better.
• Lying at a usual hour. Yes, I know, it seems contradictory, we would like to go to bed at 21:00. … ideally we try to go to bed in your usual time or 1 hour before your hour to go to bed. Otherwise we risk the micro get lag which will increase even more the risk of other bad nights. So 22:00 – 7:00 to recover it is ideal. Don’t change the hours in bed too often and get up.

If you return to this control list more than 3 times a month: invest more in sleep. Sleeping badly can be the ball that prevents you from improving, going well, progressing in your sport or work. Hypnosis, car -ipnosis, sophrology, psychotherapy, meditation, sound therapy … everything works! So investigate, try and find what helps you sleep better.

Conclusion

Arriving in New York City for the Vendée Globe Race gathering offers a unique mix of excitement, fatigue, and anticipation. Meeting the skippers—athletes who embody extreme endurance and resilience—provides an extraordinary opportunity to witness firsthand the mindset, preparation, and determination required for one of the toughest sporting challenges in the world. These sailors are not just competitors; they are adventurers navigating both the physical demands of the sea and the mental fortitude needed to endure months in isolation under relentless conditions.

The experience of traveling, combined with the effects of jet lag and minimal sleep, highlights an important reality: endurance is not only the domain of elite athletes but also something we all experience in different ways. In this case, waking up at 5 a.m. after just a few hours of rest mirrors, in a small and temporary way, the sleep deprivation and mental adjustment these skippers face over weeks at sea. Observing them will likely inspire reflection on what it truly means to push human limits and adapt to challenging environments.

From a broader perspective, events like this connect people from diverse backgrounds through a shared appreciation of courage, perseverance, and adventure. Whether you are crossing oceans or simply crossing time zones, resilience comes from a blend of preparation, mindset, and adaptability. Watching these sailors prepare for their monumental journey is not only a privilege but also a reminder that endurance—whether physical, mental, or emotional—is a skill that can be nurtured and applied to all areas of life.

In essence, the Vendée Globe Race is more than a competition; it’s a celebration of human determination and the will to face the unknown. Even in the quiet early hours of a jet-lagged morning, there’s an undeniable sense of being part of something bigger—a shared story of challenge, survival, and the pursuit of greatness.