Important Sleeping Techniques for a Healthier Body, Better Health, and More Achievement
Author, speaker, and health and wellness specialist Shawn Stevenson. The Model Health Show, the most popular health podcast in the United States with millions of downloads each year, was also created by him. Stevenson received his degree at the University of Missouri, St. Louis, where he also majored in biology, nutritional science, and business. He was a founding partner of Advanced Integrative Health Alliance, a flourishing business that offers wellness services to people and businesses all over the world. Stevenson has been highlighted in numerous influential media outlets, including Forbes, Fast Company, The New York Times, Muscle & Fitness, ABC News, ESPN, and many more.
Sleep Is Important for Optimum Performance and More
Have you ever questioned the value of sleep? In their lifetime, the average person sleeps for approximately 230,000 hours, or one-third of their time. Due to this, earning your eight hours can seem like a huge waste of time.
Many of us are unaware of the importance of enough sleep for making the most of our awake time. Being productive during the daytime hours requires getting adequate sleep and getting quality sleep.
For best performance, our brains require a substance called glucose. A lack of sleep is also linked to lower levels of glucose in the brain tissue, according to studies. The prefrontal cortex, which supports our ability to solve issues and carry out more difficult cognitive tasks, is where this phenomena is most prevalent.
Everything is taken care of by sleep, from controlling our hunger and reorganizing memory to boosting immune system performance and healing damaged cells.
For all of these benefits, as well as many others, sleep is vital to good health.
Exposure to the sun and screens might disrupt your circadian rhythm.
People require light. Since the beginning of recorded history, humans have needed sunlight to make vitamin D. We cannot naturally produce this vitamin in our bodies. We also require light because it controls our circadian rhythm, often known as our sleep-wake cycle.
Because of the hormone melatonin, light exposure and sleep patterns are related. Our brains receive instructions from melatonin about when to go to sleep and when to wake up. Daytime sunshine exposure is necessary for melatonin production.
If you are supposed to be sleeping and you are exposed to too much light, your melatonin levels may be affected. Because of this impact, sleep specialists advise against using blue-light-emitting devices before bed.
The primary factor influencing how well you can sleep is temperature.
Your body has a temperature regulator as well as an internal alarm clock. Both mechanisms are regulated by the circadian rhythm.
Your body maintains a warmer temperature during the day. But as you get closer to bedtime, your body temperature drops. Then, as you sleep, your body temperature will gradually drop until it reaches its lowest point of the day at daybreak.
According to studies, the right temperature is essential for falling asleep quickly and feeling like you’ve gotten a good night’s sleep (i.e., higher sleep quality). According to a recent study, sleeping in a warm environment had a negative impact on how well people performed at work the next day.
Here, it is advised to sleep in a room with the temperature set to 65 degrees Fahrenheit (18.3 degrees Celsius). For the most comfortable sleep, the temperature should be set between 60 and 67 degrees Fahrenheit (15.6 to 19.4 degrees Celsius). This may vary slightly from person to person.
Avoid lowering the temperature too much. You’ll require more blankets if not. Your body temperature may rise and your sleep may be disturbed if you have more covers.
Sleep quality is improved by going to bed at the same time each night and rising early.
Timing is another element that significantly affects the quality of sleep. Timing specifically refers to your bedtime and wake-up times.
You ought to try to go to bed at the same hour every night. Therefore, you should aim to go to bed by 9 p.m. at the latest because the best sleeping times are between 10 p.m. and 2 a.m.
Another tip for getting the most out of sleep is to rise early in the morning. Because of evolution, people get up with the sun. This means that in preparation for an early morning start, your body adjusts your circadian rhythm.
It’s also crucial to discuss how long you ought to sleep here. Aim for at least 7 hours and up to 9 hours of sleep per night for adult men between the ages of 18 and 64. Over 65-year-olds shouldn’t require more than 8 hours of sleep per night.
Improved sleep is correlated with a more varied gut microbiome.
The gut-brain axis hypothesis is among the most fascinating theories to emerge from research during the past ten years. The brain and the gut are connected in both directions, according to this theory’s proponents. And the microbiome is present in the stomach.
In your gut, there are billions of different bacterial species that make up your microbiome. Microbiome diversity is the term used by scientists to describe the variety of bacterial species found in your gut.
Recent research has demonstrated that the longer and more restful your sleep is, the more diverse your gut flora are. Sadly, the opposite is also true. Your gut microbiome is less diversified the worse your sleep is.
Moreover, the lack of diversity in the stomach affects more than simply sleep. Other health issues including type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease may result from it.
What can you do, then, to make sure your gut microbiota isn’t keeping you up at night? Here are a few advices:
- Consume a variety of foods, such as whole grains, plant proteins, and lots of fiber-rich, colourful fruits and vegetables.
- Eat some fermented foods (yogurt, sauerkraut, kombucha, kimchi, etc.)
- ingest a probiotic or prebiotic.
Sex before bed will hasten your sleep.
Serotonin and other feel-good neurotransmitters are released under the control of orgasms. Moreover, orgasms contribute to the natural stress reliever oxytocin’s production.
Endorphins are hormones that can be released in response to serotonin. Endorphins, which are released during exercise, stimulate the opioid receptors in your body. Opioid receptors help you feel sleepy and reduce pain when they are active.
By altering your lifestyle, you can sleep better.
Stevenson spends the majority of Sleep Smarter on lifestyle elements that affect sleep. These lifestyle elements consist of:
Weight Loss Exercise Alcohol and Caffeine Intake
Vitamins for mental health
Activity and sleep
Increasing your physical activity can enhance your sleep. Exercise in particular can hasten your ability to sleep.
Including some moderate to intensive training during your day can therefore be helpful if you frequently find yourself lying awake at night counting sheep.
Sleep and Loss of Weight
For a variety of reasons, being overweight might reduce the quality of your sleep. Obese individuals are more likely to develop sleep apnea and other sleeping disorders.
It’s interesting to note the reciprocal relationship between weight and sleep. According to studies, if you don’t get enough sleep, you could seek more items that are high in calories. The cycle might continue with additional weight gain and disturbed sleep as a result.
Alcohol, caffeine, and sleep
You’ve probably heard that drinking coffee right before bed is a bad idea. After all, this substance actively prevents drowsiness by regulating the neurotransmitter adenosine.
You might not be aware of how long caffeine can linger in your body. Because of this, specialists advise against consuming caffeine after 4 p.m.
Alcohol is another beverage that is detrimental to sleep. While alcohol makes you sleepy, it lowers the quality of your sleep. Alcohol specifically interferes with REM (resting eye movement) sleep.
Consolidation of memory and learning takes place during REM sleep. So, drinking hot toddies frequently before bed could impair your IQ and memory. If you don’t drink any alcohol for a few hours before bed, you can prevent these side effects.
Sleep and Mental Well-Being
Do you frequently struggle to get to sleep at night because your brain won’t shut off? Certainly not by yourself. Insomnia is a common mental health condition marked by difficulty falling or staying asleep.
Yet, there is good news. By meditating, you can prevent sleeplessness while also enhancing your general wellbeing. Simply stop thinking for 10 minutes before bedtime each night and engage in deep breathing exercises.
Make Yourself Successful by Creating a Calm Environment
It matters where you sleep and what you wear when sleeping. For this reason, Shawn Stevenson’s book Sleep Smarter suggests establishing a nightly ritual. He also talks about creating a “sleep refuge”.
Be sure to dress appropriately before going to bed. To stay cool all night, choose breathable textiles like cotton and linen. Also, you ought to choose loose apparel that won’t itch your skin.
A proper sleep sanctuary must possess a few key characteristics. One benefit of sleeping in the dark. This is related to your circadian rhythm once more. Keep your bedroom dark. During the typical sleeping hours, exposure to room light reduced melatonin production by more than 50%.
Second, a room with clean air promotes greater sleep. Using indoor plants is the most natural way to filter your air. As a consequence of absorbing carbon dioxide and other atmospheric pollutants, plants release pure oxygen.
Pothos, snake plants, and mother-in-tongue law’s are some excellent indoor plants to take into consideration. These plants require little maintenance. They also complement many styles of house design well.
Lastly, stay away from doing work in the bedroom. Your body and brain may produce more stress hormones if you work right before bed. Also, these stress hormones might reduce the amount of sleep you get and make it difficult for you to fall asleep.
Sleep Smarter Book Review
Shawn Stevenson’s book “Sleep Smarter” is a thorough manual for enhancing your sleeping patterns and optimizing the advantages of sound sleep. Both science specialists and general readers will find the book to be well-written and interesting.
Stevenson, a specialist in health and wellness, offers helpful advice and ideas for improving your sleep by drawing on his own experience and studies. He discusses a variety of topics related to sleep, such as the science behind it, the advantages of getting enough sleep, and typical sleep problems.
The author’s focus on the value of a regular sleep schedule is among the book’s most persuasive features.
Stevenson offers helpful suggestions on how to develop sound sleeping habits, such as establishing a bedtime and wake-up time, coming up with a relaxing evening routine, and avoiding devices and other sources of distraction before bed.
The book also discusses how good eating and exercise can encourage restful sleep. In addition to suggesting specific foods and substances to enhance sleep, Stevenson describes how certain diets can alter sleep quality. In order to go asleep more quickly and stay asleep longer, he also provides exercise advice.
Stevenson stresses the value of having good sleep throughout the book and offers doable suggestions for enhancing sleeping patterns. Along with dispelling prevalent myths and misconceptions about sleep, he offers advice for improving your sleep that are supported by research.
Overall, “Sleep Smarter” is a valuable resource for anyone looking to improve their sleep habits and achieve better overall health and well-being. The book is well-researched, easy to read, and full of practical tips and strategies that readers can apply in their daily lives. If you’re struggling with sleep issues or simply want to improve your sleep quality, “Sleep Smarter” is definitely worth a read.
If you really like this “Sleep Smarter Book Summary” by Growthex then you can also check out some more amazing posts | summaries which are freely available on this platform :