Episode 13 – Improve your sleep – secrets to better rest
Need some secrets to better rest?
How bad is it when you’re so tired and want to sleep, but as soon as you get into bed, you can’t sleep! Why is that? Is it circulating thoughts? Is it restlessness? Hmmm..
It’s common to have trouble sleeping these days. But at the same time, this is also quite simple to fix. In this article let’s discuss four top tips to improve your sleep so that you can have a better and more energetic tomorrow! Even without coffee (yes sir!).
Sounds good yeah?!
1. Exercise to sleep better
Life is about “relative” balance. One of the great Taoist symbols – the Yin-Yang symbolizes this quite well. This is also particularly important when it comes to being active and rest.
If you’re only a little bit active, you only need a small amount of rest (in other words, light sleep). However, if you are quite active, you will need more rest (which usually translates to a deeper, more restful sleep). Sounds straightforward right! The rest is relative to the work!
To extend on this, you only get what you put in. If you want a lot of energy you need to expend a lot of energy through exercise first. The more intense your workout, the more you adapt to the imposed demands and the fitter and more energetic you will be the next day. So exercise to sleep better.
Try out these exercise options:
- Resistance training
- Cardio training
- Physical Play
- Hobbies
- Team sports
2. Sleep hygiene
It’s time to clean up your sleep. And the best way to do this is with sleep hygiene. The number one way to clean up your sleep is to train (or anchor) your body to wind down and wake up at the same time. This will also create a routine for your body hormones to start and end its recovery and awake processes at the same time.
To train your body for sleep:
- Have a wind-down routine
- Block and turn off all lights
- Prepare your bedroom space so it’s appealing to sleep in
- Cool your room temperature down.
Want to know the other 2 secrets to better rest to improve your sleep? Read on below.
3. Avoid Electronics at Night
Light in your home and emanating from your electronic gadgets deter your body from adequate rest.
Basically, the artificial lights from these sources are interpreted by your brain as “daylight”, inducing the continued production of “daylight” hormones and thus, will keep you awake for longer. The other thing is your “daylight” hormones don’t just switch off. It takes a couple of hours to wind down for your body to start producing the “nighttime” hormones that repair and recover. So start early!
What to do:
Limit your exposure to light and electronics for at least 1-2 hours before you go to bed. Instead, start to chat with people in real life or even read books.
4. Follow some thought management hacks
Thoughts are things. I know you’ve experienced lying in bed with thoughts going around and around — bills, relationships, work, kids, school. It’s time to get them out of your head. Externalizing thoughts on paper will help you organize your thoughts and allow you to relax because you found another way to “remember them.” You see, the brain only circulates thoughts to help you to remember. Once you write them down, they will go – just don’t lose the piece of paper!
Try this out:
Get a piece of paper and pen and write down all your thoughts before going to bed such as,
- What are you going to do tomorrow?
- What are you grateful for?
- What didn’t you like today (or stressors)?
- What did you learn today?
Rest up!
You deserve the best sleep possible. By internalizing these tips and developing better habits in and around sleep, you’ll be assured of an energised, refreshed, and ready-for-anything body to enjoy your life! Exercise more to rest more, clean up your sleep, avoid electronics and follow some thought management hacks. Rest well.
Improve your sleep
Thanks for reading how to improve your sleep – secrets to better rest. These tips will help to address the symptoms straight away. If you’re having any more problems, have a chat with your doctor or a sleep specialist to make sure this information is personalised to you. Take one tip now and start installing it into your life, then add in the rest over time. Goodluck!
To summarize the tips again, here are the top four (4) tips to keep in mind:
Tip #1 – Exercise to sleep better
Tip #2 – Sleep Hygiene
Tip #3 – Avoid electronics at night
Tip #4 – Follow some thoughts management hacks
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Need extra help?
- My PURITY Protocol is an amazing resource packed with 6 secrets to detox your life and supercharge your energy. It’s my personal wellbeing philosophy. Check it out here.
- The First Five Fitness program is a complete 35 day guide to nutrition, mindset, and fitness for beginners and intermediates AND it only takes five minutes blocks to start. Click here for details.
- Don’t know what or how to cook and prepare food?! Check out My Meals & Recipes book here. It’s packed with loads of practical, healthy and simple to make breakfast, lunch, dinner options as well as snacks and drinks.
- Want live coaching? Click here to contact me. I look forward to working with you soon.
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Feel free to watch the video.
Bibliography
- McKeown, G. (2014) Essentialism: The disciplined pursuit of less. Crown Business.
- Levitin, D. (2014) The Organized Mind: Thinking Straight in the Age of Information Overload. Plume Printing
- Duhigg, C. (2012) The Power of Habit: Why we do what we do in life and business. Random House
- Chek, P. (2009) How to Eat, Move and Be Healthy!
- Chopra, D. (1995) Boundless Energy: The complete Mind/Body Program for Overcoming Chronic Fatigue. Three Rivers Press
Videos
- Russell Foster: Why do we sleep?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LWULB9Aoopc&index=15&list=WL - Improve Your Sleep With These 7 Easy Tips – Dr. Oz at 92nd Street Y
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bHEAoWRY_rQ&index=12&list=WL - Jessa Gamble: Our natural sleep cycle
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Z-vyLHi2us&index=18&list=WL - Jeff Iliff: One more reason to get a good night’s sleep
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MJK-dMlATmM&index=16&list=WL - What would happen if you didn’t sleep? – Claudia Aguirre
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dqONk48l5vY&index=17&list=WL
Chris Everingham lives and breathes health & fitness.
Hi, I’m Chris Everingham.
I’m sharing the holistic performance secrets that I both personally used to overcome racial scrutiny, escape poverty and depression, AND taught others so that they too could bring proven success and happiness into their lives.
Learn more about my time competing in international sports, in front of media and speaking with live audiences of thousands of people to discover my high performance secrets. Click here to grow your mindset, rewire your habits and transform your life.
