Apr 27, 2022 3 min read Posts

Are you all set when it comes to sleep?

Today's topics

Temperature
Lighting
Eating/Exercise
Sleep schedule
Clothes
Sleeping space

Both your body and the room temperature influence your sleep. So if you have four seasons, I fully understand that this is problematic. I feel that heat is the biggest problem so here are some things you may try.

Cool drinks
Lower the temperature in the room
Calm down/Move less
Have lighter and more breathable clothing. (cotton and linen)

Hot showers and baths will bring your heat to the surface of your body. Later when leaving the shower room, it will have the chance to be released from your body, mostly from your hands and feet.

That's why it's also a good idea to have these parts outside your bed cover, to help you regulate your body temperature during sleep.

When I wake up, I am reborn.

~ Mahatma Gandhi

Lighting is something many of us are struggling with these days. We work indoors on screens and have lamps everywhere. That our body has a hard time knowing if it's time to sleep is not that hard to understand. So what can we do to help?

Things to try are: Get some sunlight, turn off screens, and lower your lighting in time before bed. Think "caveman style" a low fire (candle) no problem, but the sun from above (lightbulb) has a bigger impact.

I think most people know that eating and exercising right before sleep is not that optimal. I fully understand that everybody has different schedules and if this is your only time. Be smart about it, don't blast yourself with the highest music. Don't eat until your pop and cut out high sugar foods before sleep. You probably know what I think about caffeine, if not here you are (https://www.jackbergdahl.com/addicted-to-coffee/).

This is gonna be a party bummer. Going to sleep and waking up at the same time every day. The best way to think about this is a small change, a small impact. Out partying all night big impact on your sleep. For me, being inside the "one-hour change window" works fine. So if I go to sleep at 10 pm, then everything between 9-11 pm is fine the next day. The same goes for wake-up time.

I already talked about how breathable clothes can help your temperature during sleep, but clothes can also help the mind and body. When you jump into your sleeping wear, the body starts to relax and starts to prepare for sleep. So if you walking around all day in your pajamas or working from it. Then you just lost that magic trick.

If you live in a small space and now working from there too. It can be hard to find a calm, dark, and relaxing sleeping space. Similar rule as for the clothes, you want your body to associate your bed with sleep. So if you watch TV, work, or do other activities in your bed space. That could be one of the reasons for your reduced sleep.

Conclusion

Sleep is essential for our well-being, so get your hours. Get them in as regularly as possible. In a calm and relaxing transaction from the hecticness of the day. But don't forget that you are human, it's okay to go out and enjoy yourself now and then. I am a big believer in seasons, sometimes you can push through with less sleep. At other times you need more, so learn to listen to your body.

If listening to your body is hard, there are now new technologies that can track your sleep, dimmer your light, and help you on the way, to the sleep you deserve.

Best of luck and thank you.