Sleep is such an important element when discussing daily recovery and performing at your highest potential. There are many tangible and strategic ways to easily set yourself up for a good night’s sleep. And actually, it usually starts when you wake up. Take a look at our list below for some easy, simple tips ways to enhance the quality of your sleep. Take a look at the strategies below and commit to a few that seem doable to you. Run an experiment for a handful of days to explore their impact on your level of daily energy. Then, gradually add a strategies to help optimize your sleep.
During The Day
- Get some sunlight (be smart about skin exposure through sunlight. Make sure you keep your sunglasses off while getting sun exposure. And, if you can’t get sunlight, explore with white light products)
- Exercise/Move your body
- Cut back on sugary and processed foods, especially later in the day
- Stop caffeine intake by 12pm (by 2pm at the latest)
- Hydrate properly throughout the day (aim for 40 fluid ounces before 4pm to get ahead of the game)
During The Evening/Before Laying Down:
- Mimic sundown by turning off screens before bed (TV, phone, tablets, etc)
- Consider using an old-school alarm clock that doesn’t emanate light.
- Take notes to clear your head of any “to dos”
- Gradually dim lights a few hours before bedtime to prime your brain for “sundown”, (turn lights out/use low light)
- Create a cave-like environment
- Try setting your thermostat to ~68 degrees (most people’s body temperature heats up throughout the night
- Get your environment as quiet as possible
- Charge your electronics outside of your bedroom
- Practice mindful breathing and progressive muscle relaxation prior to bed
For more strategies on improving sleep and living with purpose and passion, look into our mindset training course: Finding Your Best.