Neglecting sleep. Super easy, right? We can all do it. We’ve all been there. You know what I’m talking about. Those times when deadlines are looming and you’ve got to crush work. There aren’t enough hours in the day, so you just stay up a little later and pound more caffeine in the morning.
Or maybe it’s one of those nights when you’re partying your balls off like a 17-year-old again. Even though you’ve got work the very next day. Because, why the fuck not, right?
The point of the matter is, we’ve all been there. We’ve all decided we don’t need sleep because something is far more important at that moment in time. It doesn’t change the fact that we fundamentally know we need sleep. But being a responsible adult versus living in the moment just isn’t all that fun sometimes, right?
And here’s the thing, we’ve all been there.
We’ve all lived our days in a state of tired and wired. Walking around like overstimulated zombies who could fall asleep right after pounding a pot of coffee. We tell ourselves we’re going to get better at it. We’re going to quit sucking at sleep. And where do we find ourselves near bedtime? Hyped up and ready to go for no reason whatsoever.
I’m here to tell you it’s time to fix that.
Why? Well, aside from the obvious answer of sleep is kind of important, despite the fact that science is still debating what goes on inside of our brains when we’re sleeping, and just exactly why we need it.
The fact remains, those who get better sleep live better lives. Thanks to the fact that better sleepers recover far more quickly they’re able to hit the gym harder and more often. Which means more gains, because they’re able to recover from those grueling sessions.
It doesn’t stop there though. Certain studies have even shown that more restful sleepers tend to be leaner on average, partially in thanks to being able to use more energy throughout the course of a day, and at night when you’re resting.
On top of that, your brain is able to convert short term memories into long term memories more effectively. That may sound kind of trivial, but it makes a huge difference with recall. And in a world where we’re constantly fighting to be more productive, having better recall can be a huge game changer in the workplace
So yeah, sleeping. That shit is kind of important. Sold on it? Good. Looking to get better sleep now? Even better. Here are three ways to get better sleep and in turn live a better life.
Cut out the blue light.
Easily the biggest detriment to your sleep is going to be staring into a rectangle that is shining lights right into your eyes. That’s typically not conducive for sleep. But this is especially the case when we’re talking about dealing with blue light, which is what electronics emit.
Blue light, without getting too far into the weeds, inhibits melatonin production. Melatonin is a natural byproduct that your body creates to get you to sleep. So when that’s not being secreted, then your sleep habits suffer.
Luckily modern technology has wised up to this by equipping most modern smartphones with a setting to turn blue light off. On a Mac or PC you can download a program like f.lux But even then, I would suggest trying to limit screen time within an hour before you go to bed to ensure you get plenty of restful sleep.
Think about your mattress.
Mattresses are one of those weird things that we often don’t think about, despite the fact that we all have an opinion on just how firm or soft a mattress to be. They’re an expensive investment. But they’re just that, an investment. Because the truth of the matter is, if you’re using a high-quality mattress, then your sleep is going to be infinitely better. You’ll be more rested, recover more quickly, and look better as a result.
Consider this one of those areas in life where you should give yourself permission to shop around and find something that’s just right for you. There are obviously plenty of brands out there, but one lesser known brand that I’ve tried out lately is Essentia.
Like all good companies, they put time and effort into making sure the mattress fit me personally and was just right for what I needed. All that matters here though is that you take your time and find a mattress that works perfect for you. Your sleep will be infinitely better because of it.
Create a cave.
For my entire childhood I wanted to have my own Bat-cave. I desperately needed one. And unfortunately, I’m not a billionaire playboy just yet. So I can’t afford a bat cave. But I can get the next best thing, and that’s turning my room into a cave.
By making your room as dark as possible, cool, and quiet, you set yourself for more restful sleep. On top of that, if you’ve got a great mattress and your not spending the last hour of the day staring straight into your phone, you’re bound to enjoy that cave environment a hell of a lot more.
It sounds simple, and that’s the point. By making things dark, cool, and quiet you can immediately take your sleep up a notch. Which is just a weird phrase to think about.
But you will perform better because of it.