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The Power of Sleep
By following these steps exactly, you will be able to actually sleep better, experience deep sleep, and feel more rested, alert and energised.
Reduced Sleep Required
More Energy During the Day
Better Concentration and Focus
Improved Muscle Retention and Growth
Increased Sleep Quality
Reduced Stress Levels
Less Cravings and Hunger
More Motivation and Willpower
The importance of sleep is so significant that you could easily argue it’s the most critical factor in achieving the body you want. Quality sleep will:
Help control your nutrition by reducing hunger, increasing satisfaction, improving nutrient absorption, and fat mobilization.
Burn more body fat by improving the usage of insulin, reducing fat storage, and giving you more energy to burn calories.
Increasing willpower by improving leptin production that signals less hunger and more energy to exercise and burn calories.
Boosts workout performance by improving the environment for faster protein synthesis and recovery from lifting.
Why You Don’t Need 8 Hours of Sleep
Contrary to popular belief, you don’t need 8 hours of sleep to function each day. All the media hype declare the world is sleep deprived, and that we all must get 8 hours of sleep. But sleep experts now agree this is completely false.
Many people in the world today can perform extraordinary physically and mentally demanding tasks and sleep for only 4 to 6 hours per night. They’re always up beat, energetic, and full of life. So were these people just born like this, or is it something they’re doing to make it work?
A 6-year study using 1.1 million participants at the University of California, completed in 2002, revealed that people who slept less than 8 hours lived longer! Before this experiment, many argued that sleeping more was more beneficial. Both sides of the argument had experimental data to prove their theories. However, none of the previous experiments were carried out with such a large group of people over this long period. Many people die due to other circumstances, which have nothing to do with how long they sleep.
A 6-year study using 1.1 million participants at the University of California, completed in 2002, revealed that people who slept less than 8 hours lived longer! Before this experiment, many argued that sleeping more was more beneficial. Both sides of the argument had experimental data to prove their theories. However, none of the previous experiments were carried out with such a large group of people over this long period. Many people die due to other circumstances, which have nothing to do with how long they sleep.
Quality vs Quantity
If you are sleeping a good 7 – 8 hours, but still feel tired, drowsy, low on energy, and complain about “poor sleep”, more sleep is not the answer.
The real answer, isn’t more sleep quantity, but improved QUALITY. This is the most important aspect about sleep to understand.
Note: this graph is just an example; on average, we experience about 6-7 of these cycles every night.
Five stages of sleep occur in “sleep cycles.” On average, each cycle takes about 60 – 100 minutes, varying from person to person.
Notice in the graph how the first period of deep sleep is the longest, and how the stages of deep sleep get shorter to become nonexistent towards the end of the night. Also, notice that the first duration of REM sleep is shortlived; and that these periods get longer towards the end. Here we see rest gradually getting lighter as the night progresses.
The Five Stages of Sleep
Stage 1 - Nodding Off
- “Entrance” to sleep
- Nodding off / zoning out / boring lecture
- Slower Alpha brain waves
- Slower breathing and heart rate
- Mind in state of relaxation and creativity
Stage 2 - Light Sleep
- Easy to wake up
- People say “I was still awake”
- Brain wave sleep spindles, K-Complexes
- Burst of brain activity
- Brain attempting to “turn off”
Stage 3 & 4 - Deep Sleep
Stage 5 - REM Sleep ``Dreaming``
How Important is Deep Sleep?
It’s been proven that when we’re deprived of a deep sleep, we experience our greatest day-time impairments, such as drowsiness, nausea, headaches, muscle aches, and trouble concentrating. Our body will sacrifice all other stages of sleep to regain “deep sleep.” It’s believed this is why our body tries to gain as much deep sleep as possible in the first 3-4 hours of our sleep.
Because deep sleep is the first stage of sleep, the body tries to get the most of, it’s the stage least likely to be missed. Our immune system also turns on during deep sleep to fight diseases. This is why we sleep more when we’re ill.
How Important is REM Sleep?
Studies show that when we’re deprived of REM sleep, we exhibit certain day-time difficulties as well, mainly trouble with concentrating, and sometimes drowsiness. However, because the body tries to recover deep sleep first as a result of sleep deprivation, we can assume that REM sleep isn’t as important to restoring our physical functions. It’s not known what purpose REM sleep serves; however, scientists do have a theory that we absorb most of our daytime learnings during REM sleep. This would explain why babies spend so much time sleeping, 50% of that time in REM sleep.
Sleeping Tips
Circadian Rhythm – Your Internal Body Clock
There’s an underlying mechanism in our bodies called our “body clock.” Your body clock is a system inside you which controls how deep you sleep when you sleep, and how awake you feel during the day.
The problem is most people’s body clocks are totally out of whack. People can’t sleep deeply, suffer from insomnia, have reduced energy levels, and find themselves waking up several times in the middle of the night. Usually, when you wake up in the middle of the night, this happens because of a weakened sleep system. If your body temperature rhythm is too flat (it doesn’t rise or drop low enough), chances are you will experience sleep difficulties.
To fix this, we must first understand the two factors that affect the strength of your circadian rhythm.
Optimised Body Clock = Deeper High Quality Sleep
Now you understand this system you’ll be able to take control over your sleep and your energy! By optimising your circadian rhythm, you will feel sleepy at the same time every night, and will naturally wake up fresher at the same time each morning.
In order to achieve prolonged high quality deep sleep, we must get your body temperature to rise strongly in the morning and get it as high as possible. This will cause your temperature to drop sharply and deeply in the night hours to maximise sleep quality.
How to Optimise your Body Clock
Wake up and Go to Sleep at the Same Time Every Day
George’s Preference – “I sleep 9:30 p.m till 4:45 a.m, nearly every day.”
Your sleeping start and finish times should always be at the same; this will condition your melatonin and body temperature levels to strengthen your circadian rhythm. Remember, your body temperature begins to rise the moment you get out of bed, start moving, and allow sunlight to enter your eyes. If you get up at different times every single day, this is the equivalent of putting your body through jet lag every morning. If your body temperature rises 2 hours later one day, then it will drop 2 hours later as well, making it harder for you to fall asleep and sleep deeper the next day if you decide to get up at a different time.
I’m sure you’ve probably thought, “I have to wake up early tomorrow, so I’m getting to bed early.” A lot of people try to compensate for waking up early by going to bed early the night before, sometimes lying in bed for an hour or two before actually going to bed, this is also detrimental to the sleep system, as it reduces your prior wakefulness, which lowers the pressure of sleep, and makes it harder to sleep deeply.
Also, “catching up on sleep” is a myth. It’s only during the first 3-4 hours we experience most of our deep sleep; the rest is comprised mostly of Stage 2 and REM sleep. If you sleep for 10 hours, this will primarily increase your REM sleep, which will not be of great benefit to your body.
Keep your sleeping schedule the same for every day of the week, to strengthen your body rhythm. You won’t have to “sleep in” or “catch up” on sleep, as your body will learn to adapt to one sleeping schedule. If you continuously mix up your sleeping pattern (like sleeping in on weekends), your body temperature rhythm will be out of whack, and it will be difficult for you to sleep deeply.
Wake up at the Right Moment, Get up Quickly
The true secret to “waking up energised, is to wake up at the end of a sleep cycle.
If we use an alarm clock, it could wake us up in the deep sleep stage of a sleep cycle, making it very hard to wake up and get out of bed. However, if that alarm clock went off 30 minutes later, in lighter stage of REM sleep, getting up would be much easier.
I recommend you use the “Sleep Cycle” app below to identify your lightest stage of sleep. Alternatively, you can do some trial and error testing with the time we go to sleep at. If you currently wake up feeling horrible, try going to sleep 20 to 40 minutes earlier, or later than you usually do. By doing this, you’ll eventually find a “hot spot” for waking up at the end of your cycle. Remember though, your sleep cycle never depends on when your alarm clock wakes you up, only on your body temperature levels. You may want to try experimenting with this technique when you get a solid sleep cycle pattern happening.
When you do wake up, get up quickly; don’t keep your butt in that bed! The sooner you open your eyes, the faster natural sunlight will enter them and the sooner your melatonin hormones will drop.
Recommended App
Sleep Cycle
Sleep Cycle alarm clock tracks your sleep patterns and wakes you up during light sleep. Waking up during light sleep feels like waking up naturally rested without an alarm clock.
Get Plenty of Sunshine!
George’s Preference – “I use smart lights to wake me with light instead of noise.”
As soon as you wake up, look out the window, get as much sunlight into your eyes as you can, and you’ll feel your energy level goes up dramatically. Even if it isn’t a sunny morning, that ‘brightness’ definitely counts.
High-intensity light increases body temperature and decreases melatonin levels. Exposure to natural sunlight also delays the temperature drop, allowing you to stay awake and alert for more extended periods.
Lack of sunlight will create a flat-line effect on your body temperature because it will not get a chance to rise high enough; your body temperature won’t fall low enough during the night. If your body temperature is flat-lined, you will feel very sleepy and tired throughout the day and can cause significant sleeping problems. It will be tough for you to sleep deeply for long periods. A lot of people who complain about “poor sleep” usually don’t get enough sunlight.
How Much Sunshine?
Light is measured in units called “lux”. One lux is around the same as single candle. I recommend you get AT LEAST two hours of natural sunlight a day. I don’t mean the light coming in from your office window! Get physically outside, perhaps take a walk when you wake up, even if its only for 10-15 minutes, every minute of sunlight you get counts.
- Get more sunlight!
- Go outside whenever possible.
- Move your workspace towards a window.
- Plan more outdoor activities.
- Open the curtains / shades as soon as you wake up.
- Avoid sunglasses in the morning and evening.
Office Light Bulbs (Lux)
Sunrise (Lux)
Sunny Day - Noon (Lux)
Get Some Morning Exercise!
My Preference – “5:30 a.m each morning, I’m arriving at the gym.”
If you want to instantly increase the quality of your sleep, then get some form of exercise each and every day you can. Ideally, you should exercise outdoor first thing in the morning to get the double benefits from the sunlight and rapid increase of your body temperature.
Exercise helps you sleep better in a number of ways; I’m not even going to mention all the other health benefits:
More Energy all Day Long!
You would think that if you’re tired in the day, the exercise will make it worse, but if I’ve had a slow day and need some energy, I get some cardio in, and suddenly my energy levels are skyrocketing! Exercise raises your body temperature and peaks your body temperature to a higher level. You’ll feel more awake, alive, energetic, and motivated. Physical activity also delays the body temperature “drop” in the evening, allowing you to stay awake and alert longer without feeling tired and drowsy.
Deeper Sleep at Night
As your body temperature levels max out at a higher level, your body temperature also drops faster and deeper. This allows you to sleep deeply, without interruptions. Regular exercise prevents your body temperature from “flat-lining”, which allows you to sleep deeply even if you’ve had a stressful day, or couldn’t exercise on a particular day.
Less Stress
Exercise is a great relief of tension and stress, which is a major cause of sleeping disorders.
What if I can’t exercise in the morning?
Yes, the best time to exercise is in the morning, as this will promote a quick temperature rise, but if you can’t do the morning, then any time is better than nothing. Exercise later in the day is better than no exercise at all! Just try to avoid exercising 3 hours before going to sleep, as your body temperature will probably still be on the rise, and you may find falling asleep and sleeping deeply more difficult.
A recent study shows that just moderate exercise during the day has many health benefits. If you can’t motivate yourself to start exercising regularly, you could find a less intensive physical activity that you still enjoy, like walking briskly, biking, rollerblading, these will always have a substantial effect at raising your body temperature.
“What’s the Point of Trying to Rejuvenate your Body, and Increasing the Quality of Your Sleep, if You’re Not Going to USE YOUR BODY?”
Be Smart with Coffee and other Caffeine Drinks
Try and resist the urge to reach for a coffee fix for a few hours after you first wake up. This way your body’s natural systems (including cortisol levels) will be better suited to wake you up much more effectively than with coffee. Reliance on caffeine can weaken this response and lead to excess cortisol.
Getting just 10 minutes of high intensity light would be 10x more energizing for the rest of your day, more beneficial to your sleep system, and your health.
Drink Enough Water for Clear Urine all Day
The main effect of dehydration is seen in your blood, which clumps together and can’t carry oxygen to all parts of your body. As an effect, you’ll feel tired, low on energy, and your immune system will be lowered.
Studies show that most people are so dehydrated; they mistake the body’s natural call for water for hunger! Once you start drinking more water and give your body the message that “Hey, we have water! We can have all we want!” it will get the point, and you will get thirsty more often!
Recently, one of my clients decided to quit drinking all the crap he was taking in every day (Pop, Coffee, Juice), and drink nothing but water; he saw the effects immediately. He had dandruff and all kinds of skin problems for years, which disappeared in less than three days after he started drinking water! He had more energy and decreased his sleeping time by 2 hours.
“From my own experience after about 6 months of drinking nothing but water, I accidentally picked up a cup with Pepsi in it and took a sip. IT FELT LIKE I WAS SWOLLOWING 20 scoops of sugar! It was absolutely disgusting and I almost gagged!”
- Most people wake up extremely thirsty.
- Sleeping dehydrated is like running an 8 hour marathon without a water break!
- If you are hydrated at night, your body will spend less energy digesting food during sleep, and focuses more on better sleep.
- The more hydrated you are, the easier it is for your body to control your body temperature.
- Carry a 2 litre water bottle with you and drink it all day.
- Keep liquid intake to a minimum before bed so you’re sleep isn’t disturbed by trips to the bathroom.
Use Afternoon Power Naps
If done correctly, regular day-time naps will give you a massive boost of energy throughout the day.
As you may recall, there is a natural “slump” in body temperature during the mid-afternoon. This slump is what makes a lot of people sleepy during the day, and why so many people feel the need to take an afternoon nap! In many siesta countries, taking a regular nap is a normal part of the culture, i.e., Spain, Mexico.
The correct way to take naps is to limit your rest to 45 minutes, so you sleep mainly in Stage 2 sleep, which ensures you restore physical energy. When you wake up, you will wake up feeling re-charged and ready to go.
Recommended App
Power Nap
Sleep Cycle alarm clock tracks your sleep patterns and wakes you up during light sleep. Waking up during light sleep feels like waking up naturally rested without an alarm clock.
Use a Bright Light in Winter Months
If you work in an office where light is limited, getting light during the day may be challenging for you. If you feel drowsy during the first hours of work, chances are your body temperature isn’t rising fast enough, most likely because you haven’t been exposed to enough light, or haven’t had enough activity!
If you work in an office or at home, the right idea is to get a “bright lightbox.” These machines artificially produce light at high intensities, from 5,000 to 10,000 lux. They’re a bit pricy, but an excellent investment if you or your employer values your energy level while at work.
Bright light therapy also has a connection with our emotions and daytime mood; it’s been known to cure depression and other mental disorders. Lack of light in the winter is one of the leading causes of winter depression, and why people generally sleep longer in the winter.
Recommended Bright Light
Philips Hue Go
Light up any moment with Philips Hue Go — the most versatile light in your home, with up to 300 lumen light output. When plugged into the mains, Philips Hue Go can color your walls with up to 16 million colors. Or you can choose from any tone of white — from warm to cold, from full brightness to deeply dimmed — to set the perfect ambiance for your home. Detach it from the mains, and the Hue Go becomes a battery-powered, portable centerpiece you can carry to set the mood. Click here for more.
Quit Smoking or using Nicotine
Nicotine harms sleep in many ways, like caffeine, nicotine produces faster brain waves, heart rate, and breathing rate, and an increased amount of stress hormones in your blood.
Generally, if you smoke, you can’t expect to get quality sleep; the stimulant effects of nicotine will prevent you from sleeping deeply, as nicotine is a poison to your whole body. Nicotine puts your entire system, including your body temperature rhythm, totally out of balance.
If you want to improve your sleep, quit smoking.
Stop Hurting Yourself with Alcohol
Some people think that a “nightcap” of alcohol will help you sleep; this couldn’t be further from the truth. While alcohol may temporarily relax some muscles in your body, it’s incredibly detrimental to your sleeping system.
Alcohol will suppress the 3rd, 4th, and 5th stage of sleep, which will result in a very light, un-restful sleep. Reduced REM sleep usually leads to a REM sleep rebound, in the form of intense dreaming or nightmares, which weaken your recovery for days afterward.
Considering that most people combine alcohol with coffee to fight hang-over, this is a deadly combination for your sleep system! Alcohol also dehydrates your body, so even small doses of it will produce un-restful sleep. As you remember, your blood vessels dilate during deep sleep to allow more blood flow to the muscles. If your body is dehydrated, this process is much more difficult because dehydrated blood doesn’t flow as well through your blood vessels as fully hydrated blood.
Warning: Never Combine Alcohol With Sleeping Pills! If You Do, You’re Risking Your life!
“Stop Living your Fears. Start Living your Dreams.”
Shift Work & Jet Lag
“Get Better Sleep and Faster Recovery Even During Night Shifts and Travelling Overseas.”
If you currently work at a job that requires you to often drastically change your sleeping schedule, or if you travel a lot, this strategy will help you obtain higher quality sleep during these times, which puts a lot of stress on the integrity of your sleeping system.
Night Shift Work
A significant number of people work the night shift or work at jobs that require them to work odd hours, sometimes extending into the early or late evening. This provides a considerable challenge for our sleeping system because of the improper light exposure/activity levels. As you remember, our exposure to light sets our body temperature rhythm and controls our melatonin levels. If you work a night shift, you’re remaining active while your body thinks it’s time to sleep. Not only does this provide a strain on your sleeping system, but it’s also demanding on your emotional life as you’re forced to work when everyone else is sleeping, this type of schedule limits your social activities with friends and family.
Jet Lag
Jet lag is the effect of crossing one or several times zones quickly, usually by plane, although it can happen by slower travel like car, bus, or boat as well. If you currently travel a lot for business or are planning several vacations soon, this information will be invaluable to you as if you’ll be able to get the most out of your travel, have a better sleep when you travel and an increased level of energy!
Get More Energy and Better Sleep Working the Night Shift
Because of the lack of light during work, many night shift workers report feeling drowsy at work; it’s also not uncommon for night shift workers to doze off when driving home in their cars.
While little can be done to work around the demands on your time, you can incorporate a personal strategy to increase the quality of your sleep and make sure you’re more energetic and awake during the night:
Coping with Jet Lag while Travelling
The main challenge with jet lag happens because our body temperature rhythm doesn’t adjust to a new time zone as quickly as we’d like. Whenever you travel East, you are forced to sleep when you’re not sleepy. Whenever you go West, you experience feelings of drowsiness and tiredness earlier than everyone else.
While crossing just three times zones may not pose much of a problem, crossing four or more time zones when you are on transpacific/Atlantic flights can cause a huge problem. The time it takes to adjust to a new time zone varies from person to person. Usually, it takes 24 hours per each time zone you crossed to adjust to that local time. However, most people experience jet lag for an average of 1-2 weeks when they’re crossing seven or more time zones.
What’s the best way to combat this challenge?