Sleep is more important than diet and exercise combined, according to author and health expert, Sean Stevenson. Even the richest man in the world says he focuses on getting great sleep because it helps him to do one thing that helps make him wealthy. I will share that one thing with you later in this video, but first, understand that better sleep will help you to look more attractive, improve your mood, burn more fat, build more muscle, and improve your ability to focus.
This is a book summary of Sleep Smarter by Shawn Stevenson. The first way to optimize your sleep is to know the value of sleep. In addition to the insane benefits of sleep I just mentioned, it strengthens your immune system, balances hormones, increases metabolism, boosts physical energy, and improves brain function.
Number two, get more sunlight during the day. Morning light signals your hypothalamus to wake up. It also regulates your natural body clock and promotes a healthy secretion of melatonin, which helps you fall asleep at the right time. Sunlight is best absorbed between 6am and 8.30am. 90 minutes of direct sunlight is optimal.
At the very least, install F.Lux on your mobile device or wear blue light blocking glasses. Number four, you coffee lovers are going to hate me, but have a caffeine curfew. Adenosine is a chemical that builds up in your body throughout the day.
When enough is built up, it causes you to be tired, signaling you to go to sleep. But caffeine blocks adenosine buildup, and so you are tricked into staying awake longer. when your body is actually begging you to sleep. Caffeine is also a nervous system stimulant, so avoid having it after 2 p.m. Number five, be cool.
When it's time for your body to rest, your core body temperature drops to help initiate sleep. If your bedroom is too hot or cold, it can cause sleeping difficulties. Studies have found that between 60 and 68 degrees Fahrenheit is ideal. Number six, get to bed at the right time.
For most people, you get the highest quality sleep between 10pm and 2am. This is because it aligns with the natural rhythms of your body and nature. Around 10pm, internal metabolic energy is increased to repair, strengthen and rejuvenate your body when you're asleep. But if you're awake when this is happening, you may experience a second wind of energy and find it difficult to sleep. Number 7. Rub magnesium into your skin each day.
80% of the population in the US is deficient in magnesium, an anti-stress mineral that serves countless important functions. Research shows that a large amount of magnesium in supplements is lost in the digestive process, so use an oil to rub it into your skin for maximum absorption. There is however some controversy on this, so I recommend doing your own research.
Number 8. Create a sleep sanctuary. Your bedroom should only be for sleep and sex. Do not work in your bed. Otherwise, your brain associates your sleeping space with work and your mind will have difficulty relaxing.
Open a window or use an air purifier to ensure the air you're breathing is negatively charged. Invest in one houseplant to improve air quality in your home. Even the sheer sight and smell of plants promotes calmness and encourages healthy sleeping patterns.
Number nine, orgasm. You release serotonin and oxytocin during orgasm which helps reduce stress and therefore helps you sleep better. Prolactin is also released and animals injected with it become tired immediately.
Men produce four times more prolactin with having an orgasm through intercourse instead of masturbation. Number 10. Blackout your bedroom. Your skin has light receptors. Picking up light through your skin can interfere with your sleep. Cover up lights from electronics and alarm clocks.
Use blackout curtains to block artificial light beaming through your windows like the lasers that come out of Sam Evans eyes. 11. Exercise in the morning. Cortisol spikes in the morning for the purpose of encouraging you to exercise.
Your body isn't designed to exercise too close to bedtime. A study showed that people who exercised at 7am instead of 1pm or 7pm slept longer and had up to 75% more deep sleep. Stevenson also suggests lifting weights instead of running because lifting triggers your body to release anabolic hormones that help you sleep better. 12. Keep electronics out of your bedroom.
A study found that using cell phones before bed caused people to take longer to reach deep stages of sleep, and they spent less time in deep sleep. Phones emit EMS, which can disrupt your sleep. The WHO has classified cell phone radiation as a Class B carcinogen.
If you can't remove the phone altogether, at least put your phone into airplane mode, at the very least, to prevent the electromagnetic demons of the underworld from eating you alive. Number 13. Lose body fat. Being overweight puts stress on your organs, nervous system, and disrupts your body's hormonal system.
You produce more of the stress hormone cortisol that wreaks havoc on your sleep. And the worse your sleep gets, the more weight you gain. It's a vicious cycle.
Stevenson suggests you eat more protein and fats than carbs so you can tap into a fat-burning state. Number 14, go easy on the alcohol, boys and girls. Alcohol disrupts a super restorative REM sleep.
That's why you feel like crap in the morning. It may also cause you to wake up in the night and urinate which messes your sleep cycle up. If you want restorative sleep, stop drinking a few hours before bed. Number 15. Sleep in the ideal position for you.
Your sleep position affects numerous things. Most people prefer to sleep on their side. Tonight try moving your shoulder slightly forward so it's not directly under you and don't have your head propped too high on your pillow. Sleeping on your stomach or back may help if you have sleep apnea, but be sure to do your own research so I don't get sued.
Number 16, meditate. Meditation in the morning has been proven to help test subjects sleep better at night. Number 17, use smart supplementation. But know that before you even think about supplements, you want to focus on making the lifestyle changes first.
The natural herbs Stevenson recommends are chamomile, kava kava, and valerian. Others he suggests are 5-HTPE, GABA, and L-Tryptophan. But you have to do your own testing to see what works for you.
Now, as promised at the beginning of this video, the number one thing that Jeff Bezos says he gets from a great sleep is his improved decision-making ability. He says that his job is to make just three high-quality decisions per day, and he's not going to be able to do that with poor sleep. Okay, back to the video.
Number 18, be early to rise. Research published in the Journal of Applied Social Psychology showed that early birds are more proactive than evening people, and they tend to do great in business. It also showed that early birds anticipate problems better and minimize them more effectively, which Stevenson argues is a huge leverage point in business today. Keep in mind that you may have a chronotype, which causes you to rise later than most people, and that's absolutely fine. Number 19. Wear light and comfortable clothing to bed.
Don't wear more than you need to and don't go crazy with covers and electric blankets. Wearing comfortable PJs not only acts as a psychological trigger to tell you it's time to sleep, but it also has to do with regulating your body temperature. Number 20, get grounded. Research is growing that shows the benefits of Earth's electromagnetic energy. Making direct contact with the Earth's surface grounds your body and allows negatively charged antioxidant electrons to enter your body.
and neutralize positively charged free radicals at sites of inflammation. Walk on grass during the day or sleep on a grounding mat to reap the benefits. And lastly, follow an evening routine.
Let's recap. Today you learned 21 ways to optimize your sleep, including knowing the value of sleep, get more sunlight during the day, avoid screens before bedtime, have a caffeine curfew, be cool, get to bed at the right time, Rub magnesium into your skin each day, create a sleep sanctuary, orgasm, black out your bedroom, exercise in the morning, keep electronics out of your bedroom, lose body fat, go easy on the alcohol, sleep in the ideal position for you, meditate, use smart supplementation, be early to rise, wear light and comfortable clothing to bed, get grounded, and follow an evening routine.