How to sleep well

[Shin]

Everyone knows that sleeping well increase your energy level of your days, but it is far FAR MORE IMPORTANT than just that ...

Sleeping well will improve your brain and heart health, your immune system, creativity, and vitality.
Not only that, but it will also boost your productivity, your emotional balance, and even your weight.

It is by far the most important habit to have in place, because everything else depend of it.

 

 

 

 

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Sleep patterns

• Try to get to sleep and get up at the same time every day.
• Stay consistent, even on weekends.
• Limit naps to 15 to 20 minutes in the early afternoon.
• If you're sleepy after a meal, get off the couch and do something mildly stimulating, such as washing the dishes, calling a friend, or getting clothes ready for the next day.
• Figure out how much sleep you really need (too much sleep is as bad as not enough).
• A full cycle is 1.5 hours, so if you wake up a bit early, get out of the bed directly. If you you fall asleep again without finishing the cycle, you will be tired.

 

 

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Light exposure

 

During the day:

• Expose yourself to bright sunlight in the morning.
• Spend more time outside during daylight.
• Let as much natural light into your home or workspace as possible.
• If necessary, use a light therapy box.
   

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What is Melatonin ?

Melatonin is a naturally occurring hormone controlled by light exposure that helps regulate your sleep-wake cycle. Your brain secretes more melatonin when it’s dark—making you sleepy—and less when it’s light—making you more alert.

During the night (maximizing melatonine):

• Avoid bright screens within 1-2 hours of your bedtime.
• Turning the brightness down, or using light-altering software such as f.lux.
• When it’s time to sleep, make sure the room is dark.
• Keep the lights down if you get up during the night.

 

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Eating and drinking

What you put in your body has a HUGE incidence on your sleep quality, the number one reason why you can't sleep correctly besides a steady schedule...

• Caffeine can cause sleep problems up to ten to twelve hours after drinking it.
• Smoking disturb sleep too, try to smoke your last cigarette of the day 1 to 2 hours before bed (and seek help to stop definitely, you're literally paying to die faster).
• Alcohol, same thing as above.
• Don't drink too much in the evening, and stop drinking 1 hour before going to bed.
• Eat lightly in the evening,  and definitely NOT something that you've trouble to digest.
• Avoid sugar and refined carbs (white bread, white rice, and pasta) during the day cause they trigger wakefulness at night and pull you out of the deep, restorative stages of sleep.
• If you're hungry before bedtime or during the night, eat something very light, such as half a turkey sandwich, a small bowl of whole-grain (low-sugar cereal), milk or yogurt, a banana.

 

 

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Exercice

You need to exercice a minimum if you want to fall asleep easily at night:

• Simple walk of 15/30 minutes each day.
• Stretching for 5-10 minutes, when you wake up and when you go to bed (yoga is great too).
• For moderate to vigorous exercices (sport, work-out etc…), do it at least 3 hours before bed.

 

 

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Stress, worry and anger …

They fuck up your capacity to fall asleep (and to sleep well) to a great extent, don't underestimate these negative impacts.

• Start a daily meditation habit. It will, in the long run, resolve most (if not all) mental issues you have.
• Set a moment in the day to check facebook/sms/e-mails, otherwise your brain will be accustomed to quick stimulation, which makes falling asleep way harder.

 

 

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Sleeping environment

• Keep noise down (if necessary use earplugs).
• Cool room (65°F, 18°C), if the room is too hot or too cold it will intefere with the quality of your sleep.
• Your matress and pillows have an impact, study this if necessary.
• Make your bed about sleeping, sex and reading/listening music/audio book only, like this your brain will associate the bed with sleep, and sleep only.
• Sleep naked.
• Avoir sleeping on the stomach.
• The room should be in total dark, if for a reason or another it can't be done, wear an eye mask.
• Turn your phone off.

 

 

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What to do to fall asleep (get back to sleep) ?

• Read a physical book (with a soft light).
• Listen to audio books.
• Listen to calm and relaxing music.
• Take a warm bath/shower.
• Stretchs for a few minutes.
• Deep breathing relaxation techniques (search online).
• Sex.

Do one or several of the above 1 to 2 hours before bed.

 

What NOT to do before sleep ?

• Coffee
• Smoking
• TV/laptop/smartphone
• Digital book
• Heavy exercise

 

 

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Sources I used to make this guide:

https://www.helpguide.org/articles/sleep/getting-better-sleep.htm
https://www.wikihow.com/Sleep-Better

 

 

Edited December 15, 2017 by Shin

[Colin]

I will throw this in here. 10 dollar uvex blue blocking glasses, if worn every day a few hours before bed, will help you fall asleep faster, sleep deeper, and wake up in a better mood.  

http://www.newsweek.com/blue-blocking-glasses-may-help-treat-bipolar-disorder-promote-sleep-484065
 

[Anakin]

Great post!

 

To add, I started taping my mouth shut during sleep after seeing this post:

Now, I wake up everyday feeling so much more rested than before. According to the OP this is the "maybe the single easiest yet most beneficial thing you can do for your health". And i completely agree.

Edited December 15, 2017 by Anakin

[Colin]

@Anakin It is true, it works. I did it for like a week a few years ago and I would spring out of bed feeling fully rested. I finally got inspired to do it again recently. My surgical tape is on the way! 

[Nahm]

@Shin you had me at naked. 

[Shin]

Don't hesitate to add the post to your commonplace book (onenote), that's why I did it in the first place  

[Spiral]

We don't have sun in the morning  

Why should I sleep naked?

[Faceless]

An orderly mind during the day the quieter the mind when asleep. 

 

[Joseph Maynor]

Try to get in sync where you are sleeping when the Body wants to sleep not when the Mind wants the Body to sleep.  Body awareness can be built where the Body will communicate very clear information about when and how much sleep it needs.

[Luis Jones]

There are many ways to improve your sleep. I was very interested in reading about sleep, and testing myself. Many of the ways were not very convenient, and you had to spend a lot of time on them. I found a solution after reading this article: happysleepyhead.com/best-over-the-counter-sleeping-aids/. Also, there are many informative articles about sleep pills on the Internet. After testing Melatonin Sleep by Natrol, I realized that a quick way to improve sleep - it's pills. They are not harmful to health, and do not spend much time to cope with insomnia.

[Hellspeed]

Sleeping yes, is like being awakened. Is a stage in life. 

So awake  and no need for sleep anymore