A Powerful Strategy for Sleeping Soundly

Quality sleep supports the immune system, aids in muscle recovery, and reduces the risk of chronic conditions such as heart disease and diabetes. It also boosts concentration, memory, and problem-solving abilities.

But have you ever had an tough day at work, come home still firing on all cylinders, and then, in the hour before going to bed, found yourself fuming over the day’s events while also planning strategies for the next day?

How did you end up sleeping that night? Did you fall asleep quickly? No?

I’m okay with your having the passion and drive at work, but we also need to decompress and allow ourselves to recover and regenerate.

This means calming down in the hours leading up to when you want to fall asleep.

One effective tactic to achieve sound sleep is "defending your last hour." This involves creating a calming pre-sleep routine, such as avoiding screens, engaging in relaxing activities, and establishing a consistent sleep schedule.

First, do not check your electronic devices within 2 hours of when you plan to go to sleep unless you absolutely have to.  You don’t need to be activating your brain at night; you need it to wind down and relax.

In the last hour before you want to fall asleep I suggest having a few activities that help you decompress and de-activate.

Take a hot bath.

Read a great fiction book.

Meditate.

Journal.

Talk to your loved ones. 

Imagine your life in a year from now if you deliberately and intentionally practice a wind-down ritual that helps you to sleep better.

Mentally compare that to a year of doomscrolling social media, email and the news.

Let’s defend our last hour and get some sleep!

Zzzzzzzz.

That’s it for this week! Let me know your thoughts in the comments.

Yours for health, wellbeing & peak performance - Dr. Greg