Have you ever wondered how to wake up fresh and ready to crush your day? Have you ever felt your energy level dropping to the ground after being awake for only 3 hours? Today you are going to get all the answers you have always had about sleep. But first, let’s answer a simple question...
Why do we sleep?
You have a response for that, right? You will say something like “I sleep because I don’t wanna die” and you will be right. Well, generally...
While there are various theories to answer this question, the expert researcher on sleep, Dr. Matthew Walker, says that we should not wonder why we do sleep, but rather why we don’t sleep all day. There are so many benefits that happen to our bodies and minds while we sleep that he calls it our superpower!
Here are some of the benefits of sleep:
- Psychical recovery - this is the moment where our brain recovers.
- Physical recovery - when we sleep our body recovers and builds certain tissues (muscles).
- Process information - Reorganize the memories and information that we accumulated during the day.
- We save energy - when we sleep we need less energy.
- Immune system recovery – sleep helps to rebuild and strengthen the immune system.
If you are not convinced yet, whether to take these important 7-8 hours of sleep, here’s more...
What happens if we don’t sleep enough?
To answer this question, we have to examine the consequences of sleep deprivation. One study showed that if you are only sleeping 2-3 hours less than the optimum amount of 8 hours you will have 24% more hunger throughout the day. The increased appetite leads to overweight and risk of many other conditions such as diabetes, high blood pressure, and heart disease in the long term.
Another big issue with sleep deprivation is that we don’t recover optimally. Even if our diet and training plans are on point we’ll have a hard time making these gains.
Furthermore, our productivity will decrease. In other words, our body will suffer, our mind will suffer, our relationships will suffer. If that isn’t enough to make you get these important 7-8 hours every night, we have one more thing to convince you to get more serious about it.
Short sleep duration will lose you money!
That’s right.
When you had a bad sleep, you will have trouble making the right decisions. You are not focused enough, and you miss opportunities. Missed opportunities lead to losing money.
After knowing all the consequences of bad sleeping habits, let’s jump straight into some tips that will help you.
How do we actually get better sleep?
The truth is that the quality of your sleep is affected by a variety of factors, some of which you may not even know about. There are various strategies that are used in cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia, which will do the job if you go by them, so let’s have a look!
1. Create a routine
Going to bed at the same hour every night and getting up at the same hour will make your life easier. You should train your brain to “shut down” and wake up at specific times. By developing and supporting your circadian rhythm, you teach your body when it is time to rest and when it is time to progress.
2. Invest in a good mattress
We spend ⅓ of our lives sleeping. With that being said, we shouldn’t compromise the good mattress because it has an important role in the quality of our sleep. One good option is the bear mattress pro which is not too firm or too soft and provides both support and comfort. Also invest in the pillow and spend your money wisely for a comfortable one.
3. Remember the 3 keywords
- Cold - 17-18 degrees is a perfect temperature for sleeping.
- Noise - It should be quiet in your room.
- Darkness - It must be fully dark when you sleep, so buying dark curtains is a smart idea. Did you know that we have light sensors on our skin??
4. Take a hot bath before sleep
It helps in reducing body temperature, which is important for sleeping.
5. Reduce caffeine consumption
Caffeine takes six or more hours to be fully metabolized. Limit caffeinated beverages to the morning hours, and especially avoid caffeine after late afternoon, or your sleep will suffer.
6. Don’t look at your phone, laptop, TV before bed
The blue light is damaging your sleep, so reading a book is preferable. You may also opt for a stretch or light yoga session before bed. If you need a mat check out these options.
Final thoughts
If you are finally ready to get the best sleep of your life and say goodbye to insomnia and low-quality sleep, follow these tips and come back here to thank us later! Sleep tight.