Improving my sleep

[Fox]

A got a gift of one of these smart health band things recently and I have been fascinated with the sleep tracker...



Since I got this thing I have been trying to get a 100 score (not sure if even possible on this app) and have noticed a lot of interesting things about sleep:

- My sleep score highly correlates with the quality of my day
While you can turn any day around when I wake up after a 98/99 sleep I am on fire. I am super sharp, focused, and fresh.

Once my score gets below 95 I can start to see some issues. I am more easily distracted, I take longer to do certain tasks, quality of some work drops etc.

- Drinking a lot of water or eating late in the evening was impacting deep sleep
Probably seems obvious but I had overlooked this. With the 75 hard challenge, I was drinking water well into the evening.

But even one glass near bedtime meant I either had to get up to use the bathroom or my brain wanted too = quality of sleep drops.

- Meditation before bed helps a lot to wind down
I have been using headspace and I get a much deeper, more relaxing sleep.

- No phones/devices for 2 hours before bed
I have tested this and make a massive difference too. We kinda all know this but when you see the data stack up it hits home.

- No heavy reading before bed
This one was something I had overlooked also. If I read some great business book before bed my brain was still in thinking mode and took a lot of time to wind down. Now I try to unplug from everything around 7-7:30 and give myself 2 hours to relax.

- You look better and are more social if you sleep well
This is massive - my eyes, voice, movements, "charisma" > all are better when I sleep well.
Actually at the summit this year I was sleeping terribly and felt a lot of anxiety/stress during the days - I think this was a massive part of it.
When I sleep well I am much more social and just feel and look better overall.

That is it for now but for just a few dollars you can pick one of these things up and start seeing what you can improve.

We all know to sleep better but having real stats helps you make progress.
What gets measured gets done.

Hope this helps. I highly recommend you start tracking this.

 

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[PureA]

Spent the last 12-18 months being pretty obsessed with my sleep; below is a list of what you can do to improve it.

Note: fitbit, apple watch, and even the Oura ring (what I use) are all significantly inaccurate, they are better than nothing, but take what you're tracker is telling you with a BIG pinch of salt.

Sleep notes:

• Last calorie at least 3 hours before bedtime (approx 7:30) - This has a huge effect on good sleep.
• Off screens 1-2 hours before bed
• Use warm light (nightshift on phone) and fl.ux on your laptop (doesn't compensate for NOT coming off screens before bed - it's just a lesser evil.
• Sleep and wake same time everyday (consistent bedtime routine & schedule)
• Try and set your consistent sleep and wake in 7.5/9 hour time slots since the body sleeps in roughly 90 minute cycles. (allocate 5-15mins to get to sleep). e.g. 10:30pm-6:15am
• Last caffeinated beverage at 1pm - Caffeine has a very long half life, whether you think it disrupts your sleep or not... it does, a lot.
• Sleep with complete black out (cover LEDS - black tape)
• An eyemask can help if you can't blackout - but light can still be 'received' by your body. e.g. If I put a light on your calf with your mask on, your body will register this. - Blackout preferred.
• Sleep with ear plugs (no noise)
• Alternatively sleep with a white noise machine which mimics silence for your brain. Any noises that do happen, the contrast from silence to noise is a lot less and thus does not disturb the brain.
• 60-65 degrees F (16-18 C) sleep temp. Air con/bedjet/chillipad.
• Use a weighted blankets
• Only use your bed (if you can help it, bedroom) for sleeping and sex.
• Get into sunlight for at least 5 mins when you wake. (This solidifies circadian rhythm)
• Magnesium before bed - (not oxide, and be careful with citrate - disaster pants if you take too much, glycinate or other higher forms are advised)
• If you want to 'catch up' on sleep. Always do so by going to bed earlier not waking up later. (go to bed 1 cycle earlier).
• If tired in the day, nap for (up to) 25 mins or 90 mins. Once you go over around 30 mins, your body expects 'proper' sleep and then when you wake, you will feel like SHIT. 90 mins on the other hand, is a full cycle.
• Napping in our natural circadian dip 2-3:30 is best.

Another thing to note is becoming victim to the nocebo effect of my Oura scores. "I had subpar sleep, today is a write off" and then you begin to feel crap just because your scores said you probably should...

Sleep is without a doubt the most underrated component of health and cognition. Get this down, it will change your life. It's the 80/20 of health, and often the 'gateway drug' for other great habits. When you suddenly feel way better and have a lot more energy and prefrontal cortex control, going for a quick run is A LOT easier. A metaphor I like is that you are currently running a race (life/business/health) with a 20kg vest on (if you don't look after your sleep) - take the vest off, silly.

 

[Andy Black]

Sucks when beds become our enemies. Glad I'm not the only one.

The sharp pain in my ribs is my wife’s elbow...

 

[TonyStark]

I think I’ll try this with my Apple Watch.
(As I read this on my phone at 2:23am)

 

[Fox]

I've been so tired by 8 or 9 lately since waking up purposely at 6am the last few weeks, but haven't gotten rid of the laptop and phone in my bed. It's SO stupid. Not sleeping till nearly midnight. Time to trash that shit.

I like the idea if tracking to really figure out some things. It's been working great for me with diet and keto, weighing food and recording macros etc.

What's the thing you have called?

Hey since it was a gift I don't have the name (it has nothing written on it) but it's a smart device for heart rate and fitness. I think a "fitbit" is the common brand name.

What do you do the last 2 hours of the day?

No looking at any devices unless super important. Talk with my GF, relax, layout on the sofa, some stretches or yoga or headspace etc. Just easy, relaxing, and if possible social, stuff.

I have a lot of biz stuff I could be doing but I am forcing myself to get more done earlier in the day and then enjoy downtime.

 

[100ToOne]

Great post.

Sleep is super important.

One thing I found out also is eating a high carb meal before or close to sleep will give you hell in the morning.

Since I started limiting my carbs at least 4 hours before sleep, I was able to wake up quicker and with so much less headache. You know that feeling like you've been hit with a truck twice? Yes thats it.

Anyway great post.

 

[Mutant]

I take my sleep seriously, & one of the best things about lockdown has been a clearing of various sleep disrupters (i.e. going out in the evening) off the schedule. There's never been a better time to solidify your sleep schedule!

As cycles are roughly 90mins, I tend to look at it as a sleep menu:

6 hours - I can function for a few days on this, but less optimal for me
7.5 hours - a good regular amount of sleep
9 hours - the luxury option, I'll be honest, I've been needing this one a lot recently

I try & wake up at the same time every day, & will just go to bed earlier if I need the extra sleep cycle.

I'm also super cautious about light in the evenings - not just from screens, but any light or lamp seems like quite a lot to me these days. I have a street lamp across the road from me that gives me a nice mild glow I can operate under, or if I have to turn the light on I have some warm fairy lights, & a red/orange lamp. I sleep well.

(Apologies to my American friends who watch it turn to black on our video calls - I honestly have enough light! It just doesn't translate the video properly. No I will not turn on a bright light. Sorry!)

Also, here's a bunch of tips from Sleep Smarter by Shawn Stevenson - good book - read it for more info on these.

1) Value sleep properly - put effort into getting the right amount! (so worth it)
2) Get more sunlight during the day, especially early in the morning, to help regulate your circadian rhythm
3) Avoid screens before bed
(& for me, I use both night mode & dark mode after sunset on my phone, & greyscale most of the time anyway, plus f.lux & sometimes greyscale on my computer)
4) Have a caffeine curfew
5) Be in a cool environment
6) Get to bed at the right time - between 10pm & 2am is when we get our most beneficial hormone secretions - if we're asleep (roughly though - that time is impacted by our geographical location)
7) Eat a healthy diet, & consider topical magnesium too
8) Create a sleep sanctuary & try & keep the bedroom just for that, &...
9) Having an orgasm can help you sleep very well afterwards
10) Black out all light sources
11) Get exercise - but not late in the evening
12) Keep electronics out of your bedroom
13) Lose weight (yes being overweight hinders quality sleep! And lack of quality sleep hinders weight loss! What a fun spiral!)
14) Go easy on alcohol, & if you are having some, try & finish at least 3 hours before bed
15) Find a good position to sleep in (he recommends tweaks for back, front, & side sleepers) & get a good mattress & the right sized pillows for your sleep position
16) Meditate
17) Try various sleep supplements if needed
18) Get up in the morning! At a consistent time
19) Try massage, including self-massage/foam rollers
20) Wear suitable clothes or none at all
21) Try grounding - believe @Rabby started a thread on this recently

 

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[BellaPippin]

Nice! I use AutoSleep which connects to my Apple Watch, and does everything automatically (although for more accuracy, you can let it know when you get in bed if you wish). That is how I first knew I was having trouble getting deep sleep, no matter the amount of hours slept. The sleep study confirmed it, I got 0% lol

Then it shows you the sleep quality score, the amount of time asleep, the deep sleep, and even has this "sleep bank" and tells you your "debt" when you haven't been sleeping well. It's pretty cool. If you don't wear your watch it just assumes you're sleeping while the phone charges at night.

 

[Benedict]

Looks like you use the Mi Tools App for the sleep tracking. I can recommend you the Android App "Sleep like Android". Been using it for years now. It has some great sleep tracking tools and a lot of ways to get insights in your sleep habbits/ quality.

 

[ZCP]

@Fox couple of things i do ......

no caffeine in the evenings
have a simple routine before bed that you do each and every time
take this stuff about 30 min before bed
.... Z-12™ Deep, Refreshing, Restful Sleep Formula - Biotest (you'll have some crazy a$$ dreams!)
no alarm clock the next morning ..... wake up when you wake up

and buy a great mattress! i'm huge on the purple bed

for tracking, i need to get a fitbit ..... girlfriend loves hers. tracks calories / workouts / challenges w/ people. also look at sleep. she's still in the slowlane, so her sleep is trash.

anyone using an Oura Ring: the most accurate sleep and activity tracker ?

 

[Profinity]

Intermittent fasting can help with your sleep

 

[Rabby]

The sharp pain in my ribs is my wife’s elbow...

Gotta admit I just lost it in a breakfast cafe because of this comment.

 

[ZCP]

Clear your head. Capture list, etc. [THIS IS THE KEY STEP]

Set a time and go to bed at that time each day. Create a routine.

Last meal 3 hours before bed.

 

[Fox]

Some say that meditation actually causes a person to become more alert / energetic, what's others observation on this?

Phone is definitely something that causes us to sleep late.

I haven't had any issues but I am careful to wind down mentally and (also work myself out during the day) so I feel quite tired by the time I go to bed.

Another thing is splitting rooms for tasks. No phones in the bedroom anymore etc.

 

[PureA]

I'm curious. Anyone ever pay attention to how they sleep? As in position? Does it matter?

Data says we sleep best on our side with our strong arm on top to protect attacks to our vital organs...
On your back is also encouraged.
Sleeping on your front discouraged.

 

[ZCP]

I’m saving up to get a Tempurpedic because anytime I sleep on my side I wake up with arm and shoulder pain; spring mattresses do that to me.

purple mattress .... no pressure points. sleep like a baby

 

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[WillHurtDontCare]

If anyone here recently got into keto, that messes with your sleep for the first few days / weeks.

 

[ZCP]

had oura ring for about 2 weeks now. awesome, awesome information.
i actually sleep better than i thought!

had already done the black out, blue filters 2 hours before bed, eat 3 hours before, etc.
taking Z12 before bed. try to limit lights and hot showers.
started limiting the water before bed.
need to find more 'leisure reading'. that is a good tip!

really working on trying to get 'deep sleep' time up and consistent. need more data to figure out what is going on.

here is some trend data:


seeing your sleep from each night is really cool. you start seeing things like i always get up at 2a to go to the bathroom type stuff.



sleep is the most important thing! it and bulletproof coffee have upped my efficiency and let me finish my business work earlier each day. allows me to spend more time w/ family and workouts and just relaxing. do less, complete more!

 

[TonyStark]

Guys, I solved my sleeping problems.

I decided to try and run 150 miles for the month of October.

I’ve been increasing my mileage more and more since I had COVID, and since I read David Goggins’ book.

Well, let me tell you, I’ve been sleeping like a brick LMAO.

Yesterday I had a 10-mile run. Well let me tell you, sleep comes easier than ever now

 

[simplymoto]

A got a gift of one of these smart health band things recently and I have been fascinated with the sleep tracker...

View attachment 30952

Since I got this thing I have been trying to get a 100 score (not sure if even possible on this app) and have noticed a lot of interesting things about sleep:

- My sleep score highly correlates with the quality of my day
While you can turn any day around when I wake up after a 98/99 sleep I am on fire. I am super sharp, focused, and fresh.

Once my score gets below 95 I can start to see some issues. I am more easily distracted, I take longer to do certain tasks, quality of some work drops etc.

- Drinking a lot of water or eating late in the evening was impacting deep sleep
Probably seems obvious but I had overlooked this. With the 75 hard challenge, I was drinking water well into the evening.

But even one glass near bedtime meant I either had to get up to use the bathroom or my brain wanted too = quality of sleep drops.

- Meditation before bed helps a lot to wind down
I have been using headspace and I get a much deeper, more relaxing sleep.

- No phones/devices for 2 hours before bed
I have tested this and make a massive difference too. We kinda all know this but when you see the data stack up it hits home.

- No heavy reading before bed
This one was something I had overlooked also. If I read some great business book before bed my brain was still in thinking mode and took a lot of time to wind down. Now I try to unplug from everything around 7-7:30 and give myself 2 hours to relax.

- You look better and are more social if you sleep well
This is massive - my eyes, voice, movements, "charisma" > all are better when I sleep well.
Actually at the summit this year I was sleeping terribly and felt a lot of anxiety/stress during the days - I think this was a massive part of it.
When I sleep well I am much more social and just feel and look better overall.

That is it for now but for just a few dollars you can pick one of these things up and start seeing what you can improve.

We all know to sleep better but having real stats helps you make progress.
What gets measured gets done.

Hope this helps. I highly recommend you start tracking this.

Some say that meditation actually causes a person to become more alert / energetic, what's others observation on this?

Phone is definitely something that causes us to sleep late.

 

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[MattR82]

I've been so tired by 8 or 9 lately since waking up purposely at 6am the last few weeks, but haven't gotten rid of the laptop and phone in my bed. It's SO stupid. Not sleeping till nearly midnight. Time to trash that shit.

I like the idea if tracking to really figure out some things. It's been working great for me with diet and keto, weighing food and recording macros etc.

What's the thing you have called?

 

[Benedict]

Thanks. I am on iphone though - any recommendations there?

Sorry, never used Apple. Asked a friend, he couldn't recommend either.

 

[MakeItHappen]

- No phones/devices for 2 hours before bed
I have tested this and make a massive difference too. We kinda all know this but when you see the data stack up it hits home.

- No heavy reading before bed
This one was something I had overlooked also. If I read some great business book before bed my brain was still in thinking mode and took a lot of time to wind down. Now I try to unplug from everything around 7-7:30 and give myself 2 hours to relax.

What do you do the last 2 hours of the day?

 

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[datagod]

Great topic! I try to stay away from all this tech gadgets. The best thing is to just avoid them. If we could sleep well before all this techonlogy gadgets etc. we can do also today, but that's just my opinion after all.

I need to fix my sleep too, as I really like to work late and if I work for to long, next day is really bad, moody (negative thinking, no energy, no focus etc.).

Plus I recommend program like f.lux: (Is your computer keeping you up late? f.lux is a free download that warms up your computer display at night, to match your indoor lighting.)

 

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[TonyStark]

I'm curious. Anyone ever pay attention to how they sleep? As in position? Does it matter?

I’m saving up to get a Tempurpedic because anytime I sleep on my side I wake up with arm and shoulder pain; spring mattresses do that to me.

 

[BizyDad]

Data says we sleep best on our side with our strong arm on top to protect attacks to our vital organs...

Literally what I do. Thanks.

I get a sharp pain in my ribs when I sleep on my back.

I’m saving up to get a Tempurpedic because anytime I sleep on my side I wake up with arm and shoulder pain; spring mattresses do that to me.

Sucks when beds become our enemies. Glad I'm not the only one.

purple mattress .... no pressure points. sleep like a baby

Haven't done purple, but have tried Tuft & Needle, currently Brooklyn Aurora.

Still having shoulder pain. Unlike IronMan, I think I need to switch back to a spring mattress.

 

[TonyStark]

I’m already starting to like this app more than the other ones
Hooray for better sleep tonight....

thanks for the thread @Fox, now I see sleep as a measurable goal that I need to achieved.



This app is called SleepWatch if anyone is wondering. It’s free and better than the Sleep Cycle one that comes with iOS.

 

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[Everyman]

Listen to this guy below. He has also written a great book about it - "The Power of When" - well-written, a lot of actionable advice... actually the book is one big actionable advice.

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=36oPKAB1bas

 

[Rabby]

21) Try grounding - believe @Rabby started a thread on this recently

I did! Here it is...

 

[Lyinx]

Listen to this guy below. He has also written a great book about it - "The Power of When" - well-written, a lot of actionable advice... actually the book is one big actionable advice.

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=36oPKAB1bas

Insane amount of info in that video...