We all know that sleep is an essential part of a healthy life, but how many of us prioritize this? Do you push your bedtime back to binge watch that extra tv show? Do you drink alcohol up until bedtime? Do you check your phone in the middle of the night if you wake up?
There are many habits that we have that sacrifice our sleep, which in turn affects our moods, pain levels, cognitive function, weight control, fatigue, depression levels, memory, and more.
We all know about looking at screens before bed and not to eat a big meal... Do you know why? There is so much more to setting yourself up for a good rest, and these steps don't have to be big.
Did you know that getting out in the early day sun is a great way to set up early morning wakefulness? Now, this is easier to do when you have a dog that could use a 15 min walk first thing in the am, not so easy to do if you have toddlers at home that you'd need to get fed, dressed, and out the door!
So let's learn what we can, and apply what makes sense for our lives and goals.
With me?
There is a great podcast out there, Huberman Lab. Andrew Huberman is a professor of neurobiology and ophthalmology at Stanford University. Last year he started a podcast that gives a little bit of teaching tied in with usable lifestyle tips regarding many things such as sleep, losing weight, building muscle, better eye sight, finding motivation, and so much more. He did a full month last year on sleep. Here are two great podcasts that you can check out:
Master Your Sleep - Get the basics here on sleeping and being more wakeful when you are awake, great references as well!
Jet Lag, Shift Work, and Sleeplessness - Learn why and how your body temperature affects your sleep and how to adjust when you are not following the normal day/night sleep patterns.
Interested in more? Let's chat and see how I can help you build some of the usable tips into your life and get better sleep!
