Unlock the Secret to Restful Nights: Discover My Top 10 Tips for the Best Sleep of Your Life!
Im no expert in sleep, but I can share my experience with my sleep issues. Here's my story and what you can do to have a better nights sleep...
I am now a firm believer that sleep is a key part of weight loss. The weeks I have slept well, I have lost more weight. When I haven’t had a good sleep, I find myself eating the wrong foods, or just find myself in the pantry just looking at food?! Huh how did I end up in here?
I’m no scientist but when I’m sleeping well, I’m recovering well, and my weight seems to go down faster. It’s a vicious cycle, but trying to get 8hrs sleep per night defiantly ramps up the weight loss. Well this has been my experience. It’s not the most scientific study out there, it’s just my opinion, though i’m doing my bit to ensure I get a decent nights sleep. Sometimes this means going to bed early, which is a bit weird, but it does mean waking up earlier and getting into the day earlier than most. Take this post for an example, i’m writing it at 0504 on a Saturday morning. I do find that when I wake up earlier, I feel more motivated to write, more motivated to get shit done, and im usually more productive in the morning. I haven’t always been this way, for years I thought I was a night owl, often up until 0200 or 0300, surfing the net, watching TV, or occasionally reading a book. Only to find I was dead tired the next day after 4-6hrs of sleep.
Theres some really good books and YouTube videos on sleep and its benefits, check out some of the below that I highly recommend. Admittedly some of the information in here seems far fetched, though there is now a lot of evidence/research pointing towards sleep being one of the key 4 x pillars to a healthy life.
Why Sleep Is MORE IMPORTANT Than Diet!
The Common SLEEP MISTAKES You Make That DESTROY Your Health!
The other key pillars being, diet, exercise, and mental health.
For me sleep has become more important, especially in the last few years, where I was diagnosed with sleep apnea. I was always tired, falling asleep on the couch, often finding myself trying to wake up, but only to a point where I was conscious that I wasn’t breathing, gasping for air, but not awake enough to open my eyes. I was too tired to be fully awake. It felt like I was running a marathon with my eyes closed! Gasping for air, heart racing, and struggling to breath. I knew this wasnt good, and I was putting on weight and not feeling rested, in a state of constant fatigue. So a quick trip to my doctor, telling my thoughts, yes I did google some of my symptoms, in a few days, I was sleeping with a sensor taped to my finger. This measures the oxygen in your blood, and heart rate whilst you sleep. After submitting the results, and waiting two weeks for the results, I was told I was bordering on extreme sleep apnea and needed treatment. My results showed that I was stopping breathing once a minute for 30 seconds! Thats 30 mins an hour that I stopped breathing?! No wonder I never felt rested, I was literally stressing my body to a point of exhaustion.
Well cutting a long story short, I was put on a CPAP machine, which essentially pumps positive air pressure thru my nose at night to keep my airways open. It took a few months of tweaking settings and a year of being monitored by heath professionals, but surface to say, I now don’t go anywhere without my CPAP. Its a bit restrictive, but it helps me sleep, and reduces my chances of having a heart attack or stroke.
So for me sleep is important, and it should be for all of us.
What tips do I have for a better sleep experience:
Listen to your body, and go to bed when you're tired. It’s a lot easier to get to sleep when your body needs it. Don’t fight the urge to stay awake,
It’s important to be consistent with you bed time. Getting into a routine is a good start, so have a consistent bed time.
Time for bed. Work back from when you want to be awake. For example I need to be up at 0500 each day for work. So I will try to be in bed by 2000 giving me 8-9hrs of sleep. That way I tend to wake up naturally without an alarm. Don’t get me wrong I have an alarm set just incase I don’t get my full 8hrs. Though I usually wake up way before my alarm.
Sleep in a darkened room. This is easier said than done, so black out curtains, or a sleep mask would be my recommendations.
Sleep in a cool room. I like to have the air con set to 18degrees, or lower if possible. I always tell people, “don’t you find in winter you always sleep way better?”. I know I do, and I put it down to the fact that the room is always colder, and my core body temperature knows it’s time to rest. A hot tip is to have a hot shower or bath before bed. Your body will then try to cool itself down, helping you get to sleep better.
White noise. Now I know this may not be for everyone but I works for me. I usually put on a short meditation, using Apple Fitness, or listen to a podcast. There is just something about it that usually within 5mins I wont remember a thing, and its lights out.
4-7-8 Breathing technique. This was something I started trying recently, and learnt that it is something the US Navy Seals use to get to sleep within a short time frame, helpful when time is of the essence. Inhale thru the nose for 4 seconds, hold for 7 and exhale slowly thru the mouth for 8 making a whoosh sound. Repeat for 4 cycles. Ok the whoosh sound is not ideal when your sleeping next to someone, so I don’t always do this, but I have found that it quickly reduces stress, anxiety, and helps me relax and get to sleep faster. Possibly it’s the concentrating on the breathing and counting, that my brain quietens and I can get to sleep a lot faster. PS I do his before I put my CPAP mask on, as its nearly impossible to do this with one on.
Get a comfy pillow and bed. I highly recommend a latex mattress and pillows. They are quite hard to get used to at first, as they are quite firm but man do they make a difference to sleep on. Probably one of the most comfortable sleeps i’ve had in years!
Don’t eat before going to bed. I try not to eat after7pm, and usually eat quiet early, around 4pm, though I’m not perfect but it defiantly makes a difference not having food digesting in your stomach whilst you sleep.
Lastly Screen time. I know the science and I struggle with it too, but turning off all devices 1hr before going to bed, is a good practice. I’ll admit I usually go to bed with a cellphone in my hand/next to my bed. It’s difficult as my job requires me to be on call 24-7, and it’s my alarm clock. So I try to mitigate my exposure with blue light reduced after 5pm, my cellphone automatically reverts to a warmer colour at night, and I try to only listen to podcasts or meditation.
Sleep is fundamental to a healthy life and longevity. After all it’s where our body heals, and regenerates, and gets ready for the next days activities. The human body is a remarkable machine when you stop and think about it. Sleep, on the face of it appears so simple, and we often don’t think about it as we get into bed, and fall asleep. Its super important and is one of life’s little pleasures that we literally turn off, not remembering the last 8 hrs and wake up feeling refreshed, the battery is recharged seemingly out of no where ready for another day.
Securing a better night's sleep isn't just about feeling refreshed; it's a cornerstone for health and well-being. Quality sleep enhances memory, boosts mood, strengthens your immune system, and can even help manage weight by regulating hunger hormones. By prioritising your sleep, you're not just resting your body, you're investing in a healthier, happier, and more productive you.
Remember, every night is a new opportunity to recharge and thrive.
The Wrap
And that’s it for this week!
If you found this blog interesting and valuable, or have any hot tips to help improve sleep or are happy to share any of your routines, leave a comment below or consider doing any of the following:
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Until next time…
