How to enhance your mind and health by sleeping better?
Sleep is the single most effective thing we can do to reset our brain and body health.
A big thank you to our sponsors who keep this newsletter free to the reader:
Today's newsletter is brought to you by Taplio!
Distributing your content shouldn’t be something painful or draw your attention away from your business.
To avoid wasting endless hours writing LinkedIn posts I use this robust and easy-to-use tool called Taplio.
Using their queue system and their organization features, I´ve been creating half month´s worth of content, each week, in just an hour or two!
The best part is that they are offering a 7-day trial, so it really is a no-brainer.
Just test it and you´ll see!
Today at a glance:
You should take sleep seriously!
Human beings are the only species that deliberately deprive themselves of sleep. An unmistakable message from the last 10 years of research: Sleep is the single most effective thing we can do to reset our brain and body health.
This week I will share the two most-effective ways of improving your sleep:
How to optimize your sleep
How to fall asleep faster
A Framework:
1. How to optimize your sleep
Sleep is an activity that has a profound impact on our performance in all aspects of life. Therefore, optimizing our sleep is one of the most effective ways to improve the quality of our lives.
A 2015 review from Clemson University found that sleep deprivation increases our risk of giving in to impulsive desires, having poor attention, and making bad decisions.
Experts recommend seven to nine hours of sleep for every “body”
Is that all? Sounds easy, right? The answer is no - there's a catch!
Not all sleep is the same. Quality of sleep matters!
You should be aware that seven and a half hours of quality sleep (REM and deep) can be more beneficial than eight hours of light sleep.
During the night, our sleep state alternates between rapid eye movement (REM) and other states (collectively referred to as non-REM).
Non-REM: Non-REM sleep is divided into three stages. The first two stages account for light sleep, the third is deep sleep.
REM: After about 90 minutes, we enter into REM sleep in which brain activity changes dramatically. Our muscles become inhibited but our eyes start flickering, hence Rapid Eye Movement.
In fact, brain activity is said to be more intense in REM than when we are awake.
Sleep Cycles: A typical adult will enter REM sleep roughly every 90 minutes. Upon completion of REM the body starts the sleep cycle again. This normally repeats 4-5 times per night.
Recent research indicates that REM sleep is necessary for processing new information, i.e. learning.
When we are sleep deprived we spend more time in non-REM, verifying our body's need to "reboot". This also means less time spent in REM sleep, leading to irritability and emotional problems.
That's why you should optimize your habits to get deep sleep and reclaim hours in your day, without compromising your energy levels.
Here are my top 10 tips for improving deep sleep:
Avoid caffeine and alcohol before bedtime.
Establish a regular sleep schedule.
Create a relaxing bedtime ritual.
Exercise regularly to tire out your body.
Create a comfortable sleep environment.
Limit screen time before bed.
Avoid late-night snacking.
Take a hot shower or bath before bed.
Consider investing in a quality mattress and pillow.
Try natural sleep remedies like aromatherapy.
2. How to fall asleep faster
Dr. Andrew Weil discovered the 4-7-8 breathing technique, based on the ancient yoga practice of Pranayama.
Here's why it works.
“It works by activating the parasympathetic nervous system, which is responsible for our rest and digest mode while switching off the sympathetic nervous system, which triggers our stress response (or fight or flight mode).”
—Hannah Coates.
And here's how to do it:
Breathe in through your nose for a 4-second count.
Hold your breath for a 7-second count.
Exhale for an 8-second count, making a “whoosh” sound through pursed lips.
Repeat up to four times, twice per day.
You can use the 4-7-8 breathing technique to reduce stress at any time. (Dr. Weil calls it "a natural tranquilizer for the nervous system")
This practice can help to alleviate the symptoms of insomnia, anxiety, and poor concentration. When done regularly and correctly, it can bring about a sense of calm and relaxation, helping the body and mind to switch off from the hectic pace of life.
A Tweet:
A Tool:
For those who want to take their sleep to the next level, I recommend Sleep Cycle.
It's an app that uses AI to track your sleeping habits and wake you up in the lightest sleep phase.
Sleep Cycle uses a wake-up phase (30 minutes by default) that ends at your desired alarm time.
During this phase Sleep Cycle will monitor signals from your body to wake you softly when you are in the lightest possible sleep state.
This helps you feel more relaxed and rested after waking up.
Sleep Cycle also offers a variety of tools such as sleep tracking, snoring detection, and sleep notes, to help you get the most out of your sleep.