Sometimes I happen upon a Practically Well blog subject that makes perfect sense. One that will enhance everyone’s health, wealth & well being. One that is simple, doesn’t cost much money (if any at all) and is a real quality life hack. One that has relevance to me. That I’m sure would enhance my life and the quality thereof. There’s only one problem…

…I don’t wanna.

This is one of those….

…but I digress…

Sleep. The quality and duration of your sleep can have a drastic impact of your health & wellbeing. It can impact your energy, your mood, your body’s ability to resist illness and disease. In short, sleep is important. Get it?

And there are some simple tips to enhance your sleep. A series of fairly straightforward steps that you could probably name off the top of your head without reading any further. But, because everything old is new again, and life coaches need new sounding concepts to charge you for, the term “Sleep syncing” was born. “Your circadian rhythm, otherwise known as your sleep-wake cycle, is your internal body clock which follows a 24 hour cycle and is influenced by many internal and external factors as well as light and dark,” Martin Seeley, sleep expert and CEO of Mattress Next Day explains.

I’m quoting the CEO of a mattress company. This is a first.

“it’s about gradually aligning our lifestyle with our biological rhythms in order to wake up feeling refreshed and energized” OK, that’s enough from Mr. Seeley.

So, what are some of these simple steps to align our circadian rhythms?

Going to bed and waking up at the same time every day (yes, even on weekends and days off work) is a great way to regulate your body’s internal clock – which will, in turn, make it easier for you to fall asleep and wake up. The average adult needs eight hours of sleep each night to feel refreshed and energised, but you may find that you need more or less. Experiment with different lengths, perhaps noting how you feel in a journal or sleep tracker. Now this step I’m pretty good with. I don’t sleep much past my normal wake up time ( 7:30-ish, in case you wondered) unless I was really burning the midnite oil the night before, which doesn’t happen very often.

Waking up to natural light This notifies our circadian rhythm that it’s time to get up. When you wake up in the morning, try to get into the habit of opening the curtains, and letting the light fall on you. You may even want to take a few steps outside. You’re more likely to experience cognitive benefits such as improved concentration and memory when you wake up from light, rather than sound such as an alarm. This one I’m good with as well. I’m a fan of light in the morning. Cool, so far I’m 2 for 2.

Caffeinated drinks (ie coffee, cola, energy drinks, etc.) can be great for giving us a boost when we need it, but they can also throw us off our natural rhythm – particularly if we’re more sensitive to caffeine. Try to reduce the amount of coffee you have each day, and ensure your last one is early afternoon so the caffeine has time to leave your system before you head to bed. Oops. I don’t do “energy drink” energy drinks, because I already drink coffee & diet soda. (And yes, I know, “diet cola Gestapo”. Diet cola will lead me to cancer, inflammation, credit card debt, homelessness and relationship issues. Give it a rest.) And I have been known to drink coffee & cola any time, night or day. I like it. End of story.

God, I am so touchy sometimes, huh?

Using your phone, laptop or ipads right before bed can have an adverse effect on your sleep hygiene and could promote a disturbed sleep or interfere with your sleep quality. Exposure to bright light, especially from electronic devices, can disrupt your body’s production of the sleep hormone melatonin, making it harder to fall asleep. To the best of your ability, try to limit the amount of time you spend on tech in the evenings. ( No, I won’t) You may want to try to make your bedroom a tech-free zone. ( My bedroom is already a zone which is free of many amusements. Tech will not be added to that list).

Napping throughout the day is one of the worst things you can do for your sleep cycle, and can throw your routine completely off. The best thing you can do is get into a regular sleep routine and try your best to stick to it. Also, if you are tired and feel yourself falling asleep on the sofa, get yourself up and into bed so you won’t be disturbed in the night. (No. I like my naps.)

Circadian eating means that you are eating during certain hours of the day so as to not upset your digestive system or cause sleep problems. Try to avoid eating heavy meals in the evening or late at night. ( Hmm. Well, maybe, not as often at least..)

So, there it is. These simple ideas, grouped under a new, glitzy title, are generally good ideas meant to maximize your sleep experience and augment your wellness lifestyle. You should try them.

Really.

And no. I don’t have to live all of the stuff that I advocate in these blogs.

I haven’t tried “cupping”, either.

Talk Later,

Bob