by Coach Tommy
Today, we are going to specifically talk about sleep.
You hear it all the time.
“I will sleep when I’m dead!”
“I work when everyone else sleeps!”
There is this ego drive culture in America where less sleep is better.
This is pure, 100% Grade-A bullshit.
Sleep is probably the most effective tool for long-term health than any supplement or workout routine in the entire universe.
Best part….it’s 100% FREE!
Yet, most Americans aren’t getting enough sleep.
We are full of caffeine, glued to our phones, and late-night snacking ourselves into constant sleep deprivation.
This wreaks absolute havoc on our bodies when it becomes chronic.
For men, our testosterone drops by more than 50% after even a few days of severe sleep deprivation. Heck, it’s the reason why it’s such an effective torcher technique. It works!
Our bodies will also start to hold onto fat stores as a protective mechanism to stress. So if you are looking to get fit and lose weight, guess what? You aren’t going to see the results you want if you aren’t getting enough sleep.
Want to get better sleep?
Here is the best place to start: a nighttime routine!
1) Try to be as consistent as possible with your sleep schedule. The body follows a natural circadian rhythm and likes consistency.
2) Remove all stimulants 60-90 min. before you go to bed. This includes all electronics and blue light exposure. Turn off the TV, put away your phone, and dim the lights in your house. Even better, invest in blue light blocker glasses. You may feel like a complete dork, but trust me, they work! Here is my favorite brand off of Amazon: Click here.
3) Cool your bedroom beforehand. The body senses heat and light as a time to “wake” and cool and dark as a time to “sleep.” You can prime your body for fantastic sleep by cooling your bedroom. The ideal temperature is between 65 and 68 degrees Fahrenheit (bring your blankets).
4) Blackout your bedroom. You want it to be so dark that you can’t even see your hand in front of your face. Turn off all electronics in the room and invest in some basic blackout curtains (pretty cheap at Walmart & Target).
5) Pre-Bed Journaling. If you are like me, then you probably have a ton of thoughts swirling around your head. Too much of that before bed, and you will become restless. Taking 5 minutes before bed to “empty your head” of all your thoughts onto a piece of paper will help bring that anxiety level down.
6) Box Breathing Exercises. This is something I picked up from former Navy SEAL Commander Mark Divine. It is a way of triggering your parasympathetic nervous system (rest and recover system) so that your body knows that it can relax and unwind. Here is how it works:
- 5 second inhale through the nose
- 5-second hold
- 5 second exhale through the mouth
- 5-second hold
- Repeat for 10 total cycles
Sleep is by far the most critical factor that you need to master to become the very best version of yourself.
Tomorrow, we are going to cover circadian rhythm and energy.
If you are ready to book your FREE 1-on-1 Intro, click on the link below to schedule your consultation. I would love to learn more about you and how we can help.
Cheers,
Tommy