1. Mouth Taping
Mouth breathing puts you in a state of fight or flight.
It also puts you at higher risk for sleep disorders like snoring, sleep apnea & hypopnea.
Taping my mouth at night helps me breathe through my nose allowing for deeper sleep with minimal disruptions.
2. No alcohol
I used to be a one drink every other night type of guy.
Since eliminating alcohol I’ve observed that I go to sleep faster and have seen massive improvements in my deep sleep, REM, heart rate & recovery.
Not drinking alcohol is a net positive for better sleep.
3. Blue light blockers
Blue light messes with your body’s ability to prepare for bed because it blocks a hormone called melatonin that makes you sleepy.
At times I look at screens so I put on a pair of blue light blockers to help my body to sleep faster.
4. No caffeine 12 hours or more before bed
I am sensitive to caffeine so I drink one cup 1.5 hours after waking in the morning & have a decaf in the afternoon.
I found having coffee in the afternoons causes massive sleep disruptions at night.
5. The 321 Method
I don’t eat 3 hours before bed to sleep deeper.
I don’t drink water 2 hours before bed to help me avoid waking up & peeing.
I stay away from all forms of cognitive stimulation 1 hour before bed by reading a book to help turn my brain off.
6. Morning sun exposure
I take a brisk walk in the morning regardless if it’s sunny or not.
This helps turn on my circadian rhythms. It also produces serotonin which improves mood & assists in sleep later on.
While walking I look up (eyes closed if sunny) to catch some rays.
7. Environment
Environment is the hand that shapes our behaviour.
I set my temp to 74 degrees Fahrenheit, black out my room, I have a firm mattress, a firm pillow & weighted blanket.
This is not a routine per say but environment is evergreen. Set it up to help you win.
8. Dimming the lights at night
Bright light entrains our bodies to be awake.
So when the sun goes down I dim the lights to start preparing my body for bed.
I sometimes take this a step further by lighting candles to use as a form of light when it becomes pitch dark outside.
9. Supplements
About 1 hour before bed I take:
· 200mg Magnesium Bisglycinate
· 50mg Apigenin
· 100-400mg Theanine
· 5 grams of glycine
This helps my body relax and helps me get to sleep faster.
Shout out to @hubermanlab for the supplement recommendations.
TLDR
· Mouth taping
· No alcohol
· Blue light blockers
· 321 method
· Morning sun exposure
· Environment
· Dimming lights
· Supplements
To track improvements in my sleep I used a sleep tracker called an Oura ring.
The purpose of this wisdom list is to curate the best tips for great sleep. If you suffer from insomnia or feeling tired all the time, try these tips. They work and they’re easy to do! Sleep dictates your energy levels which dictate your mood. Prioritize your sleep!