Create a System That Supports You
What if we ran our physical and psychological functioning as a business rather than an afterthought? You would have a business plan and systems to ensure everything stays operating smoothly. There would be a plan for the mind to have a good balance of education and entertainment, human connection and intrapersonal endeavors. The body would get a regimented schedule for feeding, movement, and sleep.
Though sleep is a key component of good mental health, it’s often overlooked. It’s as essential as eating, drinking and breathing, a time for our body and brain to healthfully repair and restore. Without sleep we can’t function effectively. Keep scrolling for an article from local entrepreneur, Adam Leeb, and his life hack for quality sleep.
Excerpt from article by Adam Leeb, CEO and Co-Founder of Astrohaus
Over the years I’ve developed a sleep routine that works 100% of the time. Yes, seriously. Regardless of the craziness that happened during the day and the level of insanity I’m feeling, by following this simple routine, I fall asleep quickly and sleep through the entire night.
Do you have trouble falling asleep? Once you fall asleep, do you find yourself waking up in the middle of the night? When it’s time to get up in the morning, do you feel groggy?
If the answer is yes to any of the above questions, there is something wrong. It’s not in your genes, you just have bad sleep habits.
Now is the time to be honest with yourself because recognizing that there is something to work on is the first step in getting better. EVERYBODY can have the type of sleep experience I am talking about where you fall asleep within minutes of putting your head on the pillow and wake up feeling fully rested.
Here are the ingredients to falling asleep fast and sleeping through the night:
No screens in the bedroom
Light alarm clock
Kindle w/frontlight
That’s it!*
So it does involve buying a couple of things. But again, I ask you how much a good night’s sleep is worth to you? To me, investing a few hundred dollars on my sleep pays for itself in less than a week. And these things last a long time e.g. I’ve been using the same light alarm clock since high school!
Don’t believe me and don’t want to spend the money on items 2 and 3? For 99% of people with terrible sleep habits, just doing number 1 is a game changer. And it’s free!
If you’re skeptical, let me explain why each piece of this trifecta is necessary. READ FULL ARTICLE
*There are some other very important things that aren’t part of my ‘system’ because they are common pieces of advice but I suppose they are worth repeating.
Caffeine – Caffeine is a stimulant and will mess with your sleep. Even if you are super tolerant and can fall asleep with caffeine in your system, you won’t sleep as deeply. I know this is a tough one because without caffeine most of us would be useless. If the system above is not working as well as you think it should, I can almost guarantee that caffeine or other stimulants are to blame.
Sleep environment – Dark, cool, and quiet is generally preferred for most people.
Time – I sleep around 8 hours and it works for me. If you only leave yourself 5 hours a night to sleep, it’s probably not going to work.
A good bed, pillow, and sheets – Yup, these are things.
Alcohol – Don’t drink it, or limit yourself to one or two drinks, if you want to get a good nights sleep.
