How I Get the Sleep Others Dream About: How to Make the Most Out of Your Hours in Bed
Sleep is one of those things we all seem to forget about unless we are not getting enough of it. It really stinks to wake up tired without knowing the root. That is why I’m going to pass on all I have learned about getting a good night's rest in the hopes that you can wake up feeling as good as I do. But first, let’s start with what I like to consider the basics of slumber and build from there.
Why is sleep important
Sleep plays a key role in so many different areas of your life. From focus to mood, your productivity in every area of your life will drastically decline if you lack sleep .
This is a big problem for anyone who’s always working. Your performance will take a hit, and it will only get worse as the lack of rest compounds.
It’s very important to catch this as soon as possible because the long-term implications are dire. Aside from an overall bad attitude, you are far more likely to develop chronic disease, a compromised immune system, and cognitive decline.
So make sure you get enough sleep. In the short term, it may not be an issue, but over a long enough period of time, it poses a serious health risk.
How much sleep do I really need
The amount of sleep you need for a night is different for everyone. Some people are fine with less sleep than others and are still able to perform at their best.
Assuming you’re 18–64 years old, It’s generally recommended that you get anywhere from 7-9 hours of sleep a night. If you’re younger than that, the amount of rest you need goes up. For 14–17-year-olds, yes, get more rest. The number of hours in bed is trending upward the younger you are.
Over the age of 64, you start to see the recommended amount of sleep come down slightly. For people 64 and older, they can still get away with less sleep, but as long as they get between 7-8 hours of sleep, they should feel well rested.
What to do to improve the quality of your sleep
The quality of your sleep is what causes you to wake up feeling rested or totally drained. For most, the focus is on the time spent asleep. The amount of sleep you get doesn’t really matter if it’s of poor quality.
If you already get enough sleep but still wake up tired, it may mean you have to work on getting better sleep. Doing this may take a little planning, but once it becomes a habit, it will give you the most notable benefits.
Falling into a sleep routine
This one sounds simple but is the easiest to break. You just have some extra work to finish up before bed, or you want to sleep in on a Sunday. The temptation is always there. Following a sleep schedule will not only keep you asleep longer but will also make you wake up feeling better rested.
A consistent sleep schedule is the key to getting the most out of your slumber. Our brains are made for routines and systems; they love habits that allow them to use less energy. When we allow our brains to fall into routine, we can get more done with less energy.
When you fall into a sleep schedule, you are allowing your brain to become more efficient. When you do, you get to sleep faster and begin to wake up right as your alarm comes on. No more fighting against your natural hormone cycle; your brain and you are on the same page. Sunlight in the morning, No blue light before bed
Cutting out blue light before bed will have the largest impact on sleep quality. Blue light stops your brain from producing melatonin, which makes you sleepy, which is great during the day but not before bed.
Screen devices like cell phones and computers emit blue light. This blue light tricks your brain into thinking the sun is still out. This, in turn, throws off your circadian rhythm, causing your body to keep you awake even when you’re tired. A simple rule of thumb to follow is to not consume any blue light within an hour and a half before going to bed. You should also, if possible, get sunlight exposure in the first 30 minutes after waking up.
The most difficult thing is figuring out what to do with this free time. So let me share some of the things I do to get you thinking. On most nights, I read, stretch, meditate, journal, plan for the next day, or just sit and think .
If I’m being honest, on most nights I don’t stop using these sorts of devices until about 10 minutes before bed, so how do I do it? My secret is blue light glasses; they block most blue light, so you can use your screen and not affect your body’s melatonin production. When you pair them with orange screen filters, you get the best of both worlds, finishing all your work while still sleeping like a baby.
Make your environment conducive to great sleep.
First and foremost, your sleeping environment should put you in a mood to fall asleep. You should only get into or out of bed when you are sleeping. That means no cell phones are devices in bed or even in books. Your bed’s only function should be a comfortable place to sleep. This will ensure that when you get into bed, you fall asleep and stay asleep.
This means that if you wake up in the middle of the night, leave your bed if you can’t get back to sleep. Go do something else in another room if you can. This has to be something that will help you sleep, so don’t eat or use blue light devices. You want to find something to do outside of your sleeping environment until you’re ready to sleep again.
Building these associations will help you get to sleep faster and stay asleep longer. In time, you won’t even have any problems with rest. Your body will know to go to sleep because it’s bedtime; it will become nearly automatic. All you will need to do is go to bed, and your body will take over.
Going above and beyond
There are some things you can do to make your environment even more conducive to sleep. Think of these things as sleep enhancement; they won’t just make you fall asleep, but they will make doing so easier.
One of the most important things is your mattress and bedding. They are your main points of contact at night, so they have to be supportive and comfortable.
You want a mattress that supports your weight well but does not feel like a stone slab. For those of you in the market for a new mattress I strongly recommend you go out to test them out before buying.
Think about it; you’re going to have this thing for the next 5+ years. Every single night, this is all you have to sleep on. Is that something you really would like to leave up to chance?
The next thing I recommend everyone do is eliminate all excess light from their bedroom. The best way to do this is with a good pair of blackout curtains. These will ensure you sleep in total darkness, helping you fall and stay asleep no matter your sleep schedule.
If you can’t put curtains up, the next best thing is a good sleep mask. For me, it has been a real game changer. Once you get over sleeping with them on your face, I promise you will love them.
Workout in the morning
When you work out, your body becomes more active, and your heart rate increases. This boosts blood circulation, sending more oxygen and nutrients to your brain, which helps you feel more awake and alert.
Additionally, exercise releases hormones that can make you feel more energized and awake.
No coffee in the morning
Coffee first thing in the morning is a bandage solution. Sure, right when you wake up, you will get the energy you were craving. But you will sure end up crashing even harder once the effects wear off.
For regular coffee drinkers, caffeine mainly blocks off the feeling of being tired. Which makes you feel alert again. This solution is temporary, will lead to crashes, and requires a second or third cup just to function normally.
Also, since coffee is a diuretic, you will become dehydrated after drinking it. This will lead to even more fatigue, which, as we know, means you will reach for another cup of coffee soon.
The solution to this is simpler than you may think. First thing in the morning, instead of reaching for caffeine, drink a litre of water instead.
After spending 6–9 hours asleep, your body is craving water. That’s why you feel so low in the morning. Imagine spending that same time during the day without liquid. So by drinking that litre, you allow your body to rehydrate, which will make you feel much more alert.
If you don’t believe me, try it for a week; it’s a game changer. It also has the benefit of making going back to sleep impossible. Unless you don’t mind wetting the bed.
Now, to truly improve your sleep, you need to make the changes necessary to get that rest. I provided you with a guide; now it’s up to you to adapt it to your life. If you really want to wake up feeling like a million bucks, you have to act like it.