An Olympian from Walthamstow is encouraging people to get more sleep in 2021 in order to improve their fitness and wellbeing

Great Britain Taekwondo star and 2x Olympic medallist Lutalo Muhammad revealed his secret to performing to the best of his ability is sleep.

And he is encouraging Brits, who have gone through stressful times with the pandemic, to take care of themselves and get some sleep, especially after their New Year's Eve celebrations.

The athlete, who trains multiple times a day and is preparing for the Tokyo Olympic Games scheduled for this year, said: “Everyone can benefit from sticking to a sleep pattern, going to bed and waking up at the same time is key to stay on top of your game.”

East London and West Essex Guardian Series: Walthamstow born and Olympic medallist Lutalo Muhammad encourages people to get more sleep. Photo: Mongoose AgencyWalthamstow born and Olympic medallist Lutalo Muhammad encourages people to get more sleep. Photo: Mongoose Agency

Lutalo Muhammad says sleeping is where you really make those recovery gains. Photo: Mongoose Agency

Having narrowly lost out on gold at Rio 2016, he is more determined than ever. He said: “It’s the start of a new Olympic year and I’m ready. I’ve had more time to reflect, make positive changes and train harder. I have to think that the games will be going ahead, and my mentality is fully focused on bringing home the gold medal.

“In order to perform to my best, recovery is paramount: I need to make sure that I get the right amount of sleep as it’s by far the most important thing in terms of your recovery. Everything else you do is really just supplementary, but your sleep is where you really make those recovery gains."

East London and West Essex Guardian Series: Walthamstow born and Olympic medallist Lutalo Muhammad encourages people to get more sleep. Photo: Mongoose Agency/Tom ShawWalthamstow born and Olympic medallist Lutalo Muhammad encourages people to get more sleep. Photo: Mongoose Agency/Tom Shaw

Muhammad is a Great Britain Taekwondo star and 2x Olympic medallist. Photo: Mongoose Agency/Tom Shaw

He shared his top five tips on how to get a good night's slumber.

1. Meditate

He said: "This helps me relax my mind. Being on top of my breathing exercises is so important. Even if it’s just taking five minutes at night, ending the day in a calm way - I just feel like it allows you to completely cleanse the mind and body, just like resetting the computer."

2. Regular exercise

"Regular exercise is something that can really help you sleep, as it can relieve stress and relax your body. However, it’s important to go at your own pace and not overdo it, especially close to bedtime. Basically, you should be the right sort of tired, not exhausted, but go to sleep having used the energy your body has to offer."

3. Restrict time on your phone

"I'm definitely guilty of maybe being on my phone a bit too long sometimes, so try and restrict time on your phone, especially in the evenings. Creating some general lifestyle rules that allow you to balance things in your life, making sure technology does not take over. Especially at night, it's time to switch (everything) off."

4. Limit your coffee intake

"I love coffee but I limit myself to how many I have and don’t drink any caffeine in the evening, as it interferes with the process of falling asleep. Instead, I will have a glass of milk or a mint tea, sit back and relax."

5. Yoga

"I love to relax before bed and find yoga to be the perfect remedy. It de-stresses tensions and is scientifically proven to improve your quality of sleep."

Muhammad added: “Before a competition, when adrenaline has started to set in, I have a nice long full body stretch before going to bed. It’s my way of releasing stress and tension after a hard day of training my body.”

This will be Muhammad's third Olympic Games and he aiming for selection to fight at the 80kg+ weight category, moving up a class from Rio 2016.

The Olympic medallist is an ambassador for Worldwide Olympic & Paralympic partner, Bridgestone. The company aims to inspire people of all ages, abilities and passions to ‘Chase Your Dream, No Matter What’ and overcome the obstacles they face.