{"id":6874,"date":"2022-10-11T06:00:57","date_gmt":"2022-10-11T06:00:57","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/bestratefinders.com\/blog\/?p=6874"},"modified":"2022-10-11T20:07:06","modified_gmt":"2022-10-11T20:07:06","slug":"how-do-i-sleep-better-the-ultimate-guide-for-improving-sleep","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/bestratefinders.com\/blog\/everything-else\/how-do-i-sleep-better-the-ultimate-guide-for-improving-sleep\/","title":{"rendered":"How Do I Sleep Better? The Ultimate Guide for Improving Sleep"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><strong><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"wp-image-3733635 aligncenter\" src=\"http:\/\/bestratefinders.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/sleeping-lego.jpg\" alt=\"After today, you&#039;ll be just like our LEGO friend here.\" width=\"805\" height=\"301\" srcset=\"http:\/\/bestratefinders.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/sleeping-lego.jpg 1024w, http:\/\/bestratefinders.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/sleeping-lego-300x112-1.jpg 300w, http:\/\/bestratefinders.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/sleeping-lego-768x287-1.jpg 768w, http:\/\/bestratefinders.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/sleeping-lego-713x267-1.jpg 713w, http:\/\/bestratefinders.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/sleeping-lego-600x224-1.jpg 600w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 805px) 100vw, 805px\" \/><\/strong><\/p>\n<p><b>You\u2019re here because you want to get better sleep.<\/b><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Well my friend, you\u2019ve come to the right place!\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">We believe proper sleep is so critical for health, we discuss it with each one of our <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nerdfitness.com\/coaching-overview-page\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">coaching clients<\/a>. Today, we\u2019ll share our tips for sleeping like a log with you too.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\t<a target=\"_blank\" href=\"\/coaching-overview-page\" rel=\"noopener\"><br \/>\n\t\t<button class=\"cta-button red\"><br \/>\n\t\t\tWant help engineering the perfect night\u2019s rest? Have a Nerd Fitness Coach create a plan!\t\t<\/button><br \/>\n\t<\/a><br \/>\n<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Here\u2019s what we\u2019ll cover in our <\/b><b><i>Ultimate Guide to Getting Better Sleep<\/i><\/b><b>:<\/b><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><a href=\"#why\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Why do I need to sleep? (Why sleep is awesome)<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><a href=\"#howmuch\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">How much sleep do I need?\u00a0<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><a href=\"#whatdoes\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">What does good sleep look like? (The perfect night)<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><a href=\"#whatare\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">What are the stages of sleep? (REM isn\u2019t just a band)<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><a href=\"#advice\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">10 Tips on how to get BETTER sleep (Plus the single best advice on better shuteye)<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><a href=\"#moresleep\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">How to get MORE sleep<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><a href=\"#wakeup\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">How to wake up (The NF Sleep Calculator)<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><a href=\"#nightowl\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Am I a Night Owl or a Lark? (Why am I NOT a morning person?)<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><a href=\"#naps\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Should I take naps? (How to nap during the day)<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><a href=\"#apnea\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">What is sleep apnea? (What\u2019s the best treatment for sleep apnea?)<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><a href=\"#second\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">What is second sleep? (Waking up in the middle of the night)<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><a href=\"#hack\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">4 Tips and tricks to hack sleep\u00a0<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><a href=\"#start\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Start sleeping better tonight (Next steps)<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Let\u2019s get right to it so you can go hit the hay.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span id=\"more-13558\"><\/span><\/p>\n<h2><a name=\"why\"><\/a><b>Why Do I Need to Sleep? (Why Sleep is Awesome)<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"aligncenter size-large wp-image-20768\" src=\"http:\/\/bestratefinders.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/sleeping-pupp-713x474-1.jpg\" alt=\"sleeping pupp\" width=\"713\" height=\"474\" srcset=\"http:\/\/bestratefinders.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/sleeping-pupp-713x474-1.jpg 713w, http:\/\/bestratefinders.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/sleeping-pupp-300x199-1.jpg 300w, http:\/\/bestratefinders.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/sleeping-pupp.jpg 1000w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 713px) 100vw, 713px\" \/><\/p>\n<p><strong>Sleep is freaking important, and you should get more of it!<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><em>Article over, I&#8217;m going on break!<\/em><\/p>\n<p>Kidding.<\/p>\n<p>Before we cover why sleep is important, let&#8217;s talk about what happens when you don&#8217;t get enough.<\/p>\n<p><strong>For example: If you manage to\u00a0only get four hours of sleep,<\/strong> a sleep-deprived body can actually act similarly to an intoxicated body. <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><a class=\"fn-ref-mark\" href=\"#footnote-1\" id=\"refmark-1\"><sup>[1]<\/sup><\/a><\/span><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-3733644 aligncenter\" src=\"http:\/\/bestratefinders.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/gremlin.gif\" alt=\"Yep, sleep deprivation can make you a little intoxicated.\" width=\"399\" height=\"222\" \/><\/p>\n<p><strong>Getting less sleep than average regularly?<\/strong> This is correlated with increased body fat percentage, more issues with insulin sensitivity, and even a disproportionate decrease in lean muscle mass when eating a caloric deficit.<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><a class=\"fn-ref-mark\" href=\"#footnote-2\" id=\"refmark-2\"><sup>[2]<\/sup><\/a><\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>We all know missing sleep can make us grouchy, miserable, unfocused, and unproductive. \u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n<p>I know I&#8217;m going to have a crappy day in the gym when I don&#8217;t get enough sleep the night before. I know not sleeping enough AFTER a workout day can further hinder the <a title=\"big\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nerdfitness.com\/blog\/2013\/07\/17\/a-skinny-guys-guide-to-building-muscle-and-bulking-up\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">muscle-building process<\/a>. So, what else happens when you don&#8217;t get enough sleep?<\/p>\n<p><b>Here are some potential consequences of forgoing sleep:<\/b><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><b>Brain shrinkage. <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Studies have found a correlation between sleep deprivation and brain <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">atrophy<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<a class=\"fn-ref-mark\" href=\"#footnote-3\" id=\"refmark-3\"><sup>[3]<\/sup><\/a> While <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nerdfitness.com\/blog\/how-to-analyze-the-news\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">correlation doesn\u2019t prove <\/a><\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">causation<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, it\u2019s believed that disrupting sleep impacts our ability to restore and heal our organs, including our <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">brains<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/b><\/li>\n<li><strong>Raised blood pressure.<\/strong> <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Insufficient sleep might increase your blood pressure.<a class=\"fn-ref-mark\" href=\"#footnote-4\" id=\"refmark-4\"><sup>[4]<\/sup><\/a> A lack of sleep can impact your central nervous system and your <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">body&#8217;s<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> ability to regulate blood pressure.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><b>Increased risk of obesity and <\/b><b>diabetes. <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Certain metabolic diseases, like diabetes, are associated with sleep deprivation. This study found that disrupted sleep might influence our hormones, perhaps increasing our chance of insulin resistance.<a class=\"fn-ref-mark\" href=\"#footnote-5\" id=\"refmark-5\"><sup>[5]<\/sup><\/a>\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><b>Shortened lifespan. <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">When you add up the increased risk of disease from too little sleep, it\u2019s no wonder that a meta-analysis found a lack of sleep is associated with an increase in all-cause mortality.<a class=\"fn-ref-mark\" href=\"#footnote-6\" id=\"refmark-6\"><sup>[6]<\/sup><\/a><\/span><\/b><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Not good.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-3733647\" src=\"http:\/\/bestratefinders.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/buddy-no.gif\" alt=\"I know Buddy, I like staying up late too.\" width=\"250\" height=\"253\" \/><\/p>\n<p><strong>Conversely, let&#8217;s talk about the awesomeness that is sleep. Here are the benefits associated with getting enough shut-eye:<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Sleep will enhance your memory performance and creative problem-solving skills. You know, those things that make you smart.<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><a class=\"fn-ref-mark\" href=\"#footnote-7\" id=\"refmark-7\"><sup>[7]<\/sup><\/a><\/span><\/li>\n<li>Sleep can\u00a0boost your athletic performance. And we all know appearance is a consequence of fitness.<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><a class=\"fn-ref-mark\" href=\"#footnote-8\" id=\"refmark-8\"><sup>[8]<\/sup><\/a><\/span><\/li>\n<li>Sleep\u00a0triggers the release of human growth hormone\u00a0(HGH), which plays a huge role in muscle and cellular regeneration.<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><a class=\"fn-ref-mark\" href=\"#footnote-9\" id=\"refmark-9\"><sup>[9]<\/sup><\/a><\/span><\/li>\n<li>Sleep cuts your risk for the common cold and other basic illnesses. \u00a0Less sick days at work = more productivity, more awesome, more leveling up.<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><a class=\"fn-ref-mark\" href=\"#footnote-10\" id=\"refmark-10\"><sup>[10]<\/sup><\/a><\/span><\/li>\n<li>Sleep makes you more resilient to daily stress..aka more willpower!<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Moral of the story: Sleep is awesome. \u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This is going to lead <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">to a natural<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> question\u2026<\/span><br \/>\n<a name=\"howmuch\"><\/a><\/p>\n<h2><strong>How Much Sleep Do I Need?<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"wp-image-3733679 aligncenter\" src=\"http:\/\/bestratefinders.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/tired-lego-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"What a strange time for a photo shoot.\" width=\"816\" height=\"445\" srcset=\"http:\/\/bestratefinders.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/tired-lego-scaled.jpg 3058w, http:\/\/bestratefinders.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/tired-lego-300x164-1.jpg 300w, http:\/\/bestratefinders.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/tired-lego-768x419-1.jpg 768w, http:\/\/bestratefinders.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/tired-lego-713x389-1.jpg 713w, http:\/\/bestratefinders.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/tired-lego-600x327-1.jpg 600w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 816px) 100vw, 816px\" \/><\/p>\n<p><b>There\u2019s some debate on <\/b><b><i>exactly <\/i><\/b><b>how much sleep a person needs.<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><a class=\"fn-ref-mark\" href=\"#footnote-11\" id=\"refmark-11\"><sup>[11]<\/sup><\/a><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">But there are some best practices.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">7 to 9 hours is <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">widely<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> accepted as the ideal target for a good night\u2019s rest. The National Sleep Foundation promotes this range, and researchers in the UK did a study that <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">corroborated<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> the recommendation.<a class=\"fn-ref-mark\" href=\"#footnote-12\" id=\"refmark-12\"><sup>[12]<\/sup><\/a><\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>We\u2019ll roll with 7 to 9 hours as an ideal target for a good night\u2019s sleep.<\/b><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">I should note, that there is a <\/span><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">small percentage<\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> of people who have a \u201crare\u201d gene that allows <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">them to get<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> by on 6 hours of sleep or less.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cSteve, I\u2019m sure I\u2019m one of those mutants who only needs 6 hours of sleep. Sounds like I\u2019m good to go, right?\u201d<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">As much as we all want to be part of the X-Men\u2026<\/span><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-3733681 aligncenter\" src=\"http:\/\/bestratefinders.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/storm.gif\" alt=\"Lighting would be a great superpower, no doubt.\" width=\"393\" height=\"224\" \/><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">I used the word <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">rare <\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">there intentionally because only about 4 in 100,000 people have this specific mutation.<a class=\"fn-ref-mark\" href=\"#footnote-13\" id=\"refmark-13\"><sup>[13]<\/sup><\/a>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Realistically, you probably don\u2019t have the special gene that makes you need less sleep. Sorry.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> is why the <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">American Academy of Sleep Medicine<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and the <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Sleep Research Society<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> both recommend \u201chealthy adults\u201d get at least <\/span><b>7 hours of sleep<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<a class=\"fn-ref-mark\" href=\"#footnote-14\" id=\"refmark-14\"><sup>[14]<\/sup><\/a><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Knowing you need to get 7 hours of sleep is one thing. But knowing is only half the battle&#8230;<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-3733682\" src=\"http:\/\/bestratefinders.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/knowing.gif\" alt=\"Some things are easier said than done.\" width=\"392\" height=\"299\" \/><\/p>\n<p><strong>So let&#8217;s get to the root of the problem for most:\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><em>\u201cI know I need to sleep more, but my day is too busy and I just can&#8217;t get to bed sooner or wake up earlier.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n<p>First and foremost, you&#8217;re not alone. According to a recent report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention,\u00a0nearly a third of all working Americans get six hours or fewer of sleep a night.<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><a class=\"fn-ref-mark\" href=\"#footnote-15\" id=\"refmark-15\"><sup>[15]<\/sup><\/a><\/span><\/p>\n<p><strong>Does any of this sound like you?<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>I am always freaking tired, and I need <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nerdfitness.com\/blog\/caffeine\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">five cups of coffee<\/a> to get through the day.<\/li>\n<li>Even on days when I get enough sleep, I wake up groggy.<\/li>\n<li>I get to &#8216;bed&#8217; but I toss and turn and it takes me forever to fall asleep.<\/li>\n<li>I hit snooze half a dozen times before miserably crawling out of bed.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><em>Let&#8217;s see if we can fix these issues.<\/em><br \/>\n<a name=\"whatdoes\"><\/a><\/p>\n<h2><b>What Does Good Sleep Look Like? (The Perfect Night)<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"aligncenter size-large wp-image-20781\" src=\"http:\/\/bestratefinders.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/sleeping-baby-713x473-1.jpg\" alt=\"Dominic, my nephew\" width=\"713\" height=\"473\" srcset=\"http:\/\/bestratefinders.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/sleeping-baby-713x473-1.jpg 713w, http:\/\/bestratefinders.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/sleeping-baby-300x199-1.jpg 300w, http:\/\/bestratefinders.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/sleeping-baby.jpg 1024w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 713px) 100vw, 713px\" \/><\/p>\n<p><strong>Let\u2019s imagine a perfect night: \u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\">You go to bed at a time that you\u2019re happy with. You\u2019re not stressed out because you didn\u2019t just watch <em>The Walking Dead<\/em>, you\u2019re reading a <a title=\"warded man\" href=\"http:\/\/www.amazon.com\/gp\/product\/B001NLL6QW\/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&amp;camp=1789&amp;creative=390957&amp;creativeASIN=B001NLL6QW&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;tag=nerdfitn-20\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">good fiction book<\/a> in bed that\u2019s putting you closer to sleep rather than checking your smartphone or screwing around on the internet (damn you <a title=\"twitch.tv\" href=\"http:\/\/twitch.tv\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Twitch.tv<\/a>).<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\">You sleep uninterrupted through the night. You have kickass dreams.<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px; text-align: center;\"><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-3733684\" src=\"http:\/\/bestratefinders.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/yogi-bear-1.gif\" alt=\"Good dreams might not depend on the quality of sleep you get, but they&#039;re better than nightmares.\" width=\"410\" height=\"310\" \/><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\">When you wake up, whether naturally or with an alarm&#8230;you immediately get out of bed, without a single snooze, and you feel damn good. \u00a0You then crush your morning routine and <a title=\"Dominate your day\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nerdfitness.com\/blog\/2012\/08\/06\/always-dominate-monday\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">dominate<\/a> your day.<\/p>\n<p><strong>If you\u2019re looking at your screen and laughing right now, you\u2019re not alone.<\/strong>\u00a0I\u2019d guess this is a pipe dream for a huge majority of our society because they&#8217;re not sure how sleep actually works, and thus have NOT made sleep a priority.<\/p>\n<p><strong>It&#8217;s time to start looking at sleep as one of your most important tasks. <\/strong><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Like I said,<\/span> <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">we value it so much here, that we bring up sleep duration and quality with every single member of our <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nerdfitness.com\/coaching-overview-page\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">1-on-1 Online Coaching Program<\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\t<a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nerdfitness.com\/coaching-overview-page\/\" rel=\"noopener\"><br \/>\n\t\t<button class=\"cta-button yellow\"><br \/>\n\t\t\tHow do you fit more sleep into your busy life? Have a Nerd Fitness Coach create a plan!\t\t<\/button><br \/>\n\t<\/a><br \/>\n<\/span><\/p>\n<p><a name=\"whatare\"><\/a><\/p>\n<h2><b>What Are the Stages of Sleep?<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"wp-image-20782 aligncenter\" src=\"http:\/\/bestratefinders.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/sleeping-cat.jpg\" alt=\"So cute.\" width=\"832\" height=\"556\" srcset=\"http:\/\/bestratefinders.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/sleeping-cat.jpg 1024w, http:\/\/bestratefinders.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/sleeping-cat-300x200-1.jpg 300w, http:\/\/bestratefinders.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/sleeping-cat-713x476-1.jpg 713w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 832px) 100vw, 832px\" \/><\/p>\n<p><strong>Like the <a title=\"Indiana Jones\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nerdfitness.com\/blog\/2011\/10\/27\/indiana-jones\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Indiana Jones<\/a> movies, sleep can vary in quality.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Some types of sleep can be great, while some sleep can be crappy (and <a title=\"aliens\" href=\"http:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=IFKu_bwMoYE\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">potentially involve aliens<\/a>).<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-3733685 aligncenter\" src=\"http:\/\/bestratefinders.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/south-park-jones.gif\" alt=\"Agreed! Why aliens...\" width=\"480\" height=\"270\" \/><\/p>\n<p>Let&#8217;s take a quick look at the different stages of sleep first.<\/p>\n<p><strong>We have Rapid Eye Movement (REM) Sleep, and Non-Rapid Eye Movement Sleep:<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><a class=\"fn-ref-mark\" href=\"#footnote-16\" id=\"refmark-16\"><sup>[16]<\/sup><\/a><\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Non-REM Sleep Stage 1:<\/strong> Where you&#8217;re kind of asleep&#8230;but not really&#8230;but working on it. This lasts about 5-10 minutes.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Non-REM Sleep Stage 2:\u00a0<\/strong>Your heart rate slows, your body temperature decreases, and you start to drop further into slumber&#8230;this can last about 20 minutes or so.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Non-REM Sleep Stage 3 and 4:\u00a0<\/strong>also called &#8220;slow-wave sleep,&#8221; and each can last up to 30 minutes. <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">These stages are where you get \u201cdeep sleep.\u201d<\/span><\/li>\n<li><strong>REM Sleep:<\/strong> <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This is the point of the night where your eyeballs flail around your eye socket. It\u2019s also when dreaming occurs, and one of the most important stages for mental functioning the next day.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Your body goes through these <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">stages in<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> order, but as you repeat sleep cycles (which are 90 minutes), the duration can shift dramatically.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/sleepjunkies.com\/how-alcohol-affects-sleep\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Sleep Junkies<\/a> provides a pretty good graph of different sleep cycles (in their article on sleep and alcohol), which we\u2019ll borrow below:<\/span><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-3733686 aligncenter\" src=\"http:\/\/bestratefinders.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/sleep-stages.png\" alt=\"As you can see, the duration of our sleep stages shift throughout the night.\" width=\"703\" height=\"222\" srcset=\"http:\/\/bestratefinders.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/sleep-stages.png 640w, http:\/\/bestratefinders.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/sleep-stages-300x95-1.png 300w, http:\/\/bestratefinders.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/sleep-stages-600x189-1.png 600w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 703px) 100vw, 703px\" \/><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In this <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">example<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> of \u201cCycle 5\u201d the sleeper barely spends any time in \u201cdeep sleep,\u201d but much more time in REM sleep.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Our bodies are cray like that.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b><i>What\u2019s with the different stages of sleep?<\/i><\/b><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">During the deep stages of NREM sleep (3 and 4), our bodies build bone and muscle (like <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nerdfitness.com\/blog\/strength-training-101\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">after you strength train<\/a>), repairs tissue, and boosts our <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">immune<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> system.<a class=\"fn-ref-mark\" href=\"#footnote-17\" id=\"refmark-17\"><sup>[17]<\/sup><\/a><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\">When your body kicks into REM sleep, this is when your brain has increased activity and leads to dreaming, while your body is the most &#8216;paralyzed&#8217; and knocked out. \u00a0Some studies say that REM is most important for restoring brain functions. <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><a class=\"fn-ref-mark\" href=\"#footnote-18\" id=\"refmark-18\"><sup>[18]<\/sup><\/a><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>What&#8217;s crazy is that your entire morning can be dictated by what stage of sleep you were in before waking up. \u00a0If you&#8217;ve ever only slept a few hours and woke up feeling great, or conversely slept plenty of hours but woke up groggy, this could explain it!<\/p>\n<p><em>Don&#8217;t worry, I&#8217;ll explain exactly how to stop this from happening <i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">with the <\/span><\/i><a href=\"#wakeup\"><b><i>Nerd Fitness Sleep Calculator<\/i><\/b><\/a><\/em>.<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">But first&#8230;<\/span><br \/>\n<a name=\"advice\"><\/a><\/p>\n<h2><b>How to Get Better Sleep (The Single Best Advice on Better Shuteye)<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-3733687 aligncenter\" src=\"http:\/\/bestratefinders.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/sleeping-lego-blanket.jpg\" alt=\"I wonder what this LEGO&#039;s sleep strategy is?\" width=\"713\" height=\"432\" srcset=\"http:\/\/bestratefinders.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/sleeping-lego-blanket.jpg 713w, http:\/\/bestratefinders.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/sleeping-lego-blanket-300x182-1.jpg 300w, http:\/\/bestratefinders.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/sleeping-lego-blanket-600x364-1.jpg 600w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 713px) 100vw, 713px\" \/><\/p>\n<p><strong>We have a circadian rhythm\u00a0(a daily biological clock) that ebbs and flows throughout the day. <\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Our body uses outside stimuli and our own activity to produce certain hormones at certain times to make our body more prepared for the required functions at that time (alertness vs restfulness).<\/p>\n<p><strong>Look at it from an evolutionary perspective &#8211; way back in the day (which was a Wednesday): \u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>When the sun rose,<\/strong> our bodies are signaled &#8220;the day has begun! get cracking!&#8221; We reduce the hormones that make us sleepy, and produce more hormones that allow us to do the things that need to get done.<\/li>\n<li><strong>As the sun went down,<\/strong> our body starts to produce more melatonin, which produces that sleepy feeling and encourages us to rest\/recover. Our only option for light back then was a candle or campfire. If that went out, we&#8217;d have moonlight and nothing else.<\/li>\n<li><strong>While sleeping,<\/strong> our bodies knew to cut back on urine production, decrease body temperature, decrease heart rate, and muscle activity. Our brains are still highly active during our sleeping.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Unfortunately, these days, our bodies aren&#8217;t tied to the rise and fall of that giant ball of gas above us.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Instead, we can use electricity, alarm clocks, computer screens, smartphone screens, and all other sorts of outside stimuli to adjust our natural sleeping schedule.<\/p>\n<p><em>This means that our bodies often have no effin&#8217; clue what time it is!<\/em><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-3733689 aligncenter\" src=\"http:\/\/bestratefinders.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/what-time-is-it.gif\" alt=\"Our homes can often be like dungeons when it comes to daylight.\" width=\"500\" height=\"225\" \/><\/p>\n<p><b>Outside of our <\/b><b>circadian rhythm<\/b><b>, we have another biological system that tells us when to go to bed: the chemical <\/b><b>adenosine<\/b><b>.<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><a class=\"fn-ref-mark\" href=\"#footnote-19\" id=\"refmark-19\"><sup>[19]<\/sup><\/a><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Think of it as \u201csleep pressure.\u201d As soon as you wake up, your body starts to produce adenosine. When it hits a certain threshold, you get tired and start thinking about your pillow.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">You really want your circadian rhythm and adenosine buildup in sync. When they\u2019re not, it\u2019s terrible.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>You may have experienced it:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> jetlag comes about when you\u2019re in a different part of the world than your home, so the change in daylight throws off your circadian rhythm.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-3733705 aligncenter\" src=\"http:\/\/bestratefinders.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/armageddon.gif\" alt=\"Our circadian rhythm really is controlled by the sun.\" width=\"400\" height=\"200\" \/><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">For example, let\u2019s say it was daylight when I left London and it\u2019s daylight when I arrive in New York 10 hours later.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">But your sleep pressure system doesn\u2019t know this, so it\u2019s trying to send you to bed, despite it being high noon.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Here\u2019s when things can really go haywire: you finally get to bed in New York, but your circadian rhythm is still linked to London (which is now morning), so it starts making you more alert despite being nighttime in Manhattan.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">And insomnia ensures\u2026<\/span><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"size-full wp-image-3733709 aligncenter\" src=\"http:\/\/bestratefinders.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/bugs-insomnia.gif\" alt=\"We&#039;ve all been there buddy\" width=\"354\" height=\"230\" \/><\/p>\n<p><b>This brings us to the single best advice on getting better sleep<\/b><b>: do what you can to go to bed and wake up at the same time every day.<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><a class=\"fn-ref-mark\" href=\"#footnote-20\" id=\"refmark-20\"><sup>[20]<\/sup><\/a>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Even on weekends whenever possible.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This helps your circadian rhythm and adenosine buildup stay in line with each other. Things get awful when these two systems are out of whack.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This isn\u2019t our only piece of advice on getting better sleep!<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Here are 10 more tips on engineering a perfect night\u2019s rest:<\/b><\/p>\n<p><b>#1) <\/b><b>Avoid screens as you get closer to bedtime. <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Why avoid screen time? A couple of things to consider:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">There is some evidence that the light emitted from electronic devices interferes with our circadian rhythm.<a class=\"fn-ref-mark\" href=\"#footnote-21\" id=\"refmark-21\"><sup>[21]<\/sup><\/a> Artificial light, specifically blue light, is thought to confuse our body\u2019s internal block. To capitalize on this concern, companies are now selling blue light-blocking glasses, which are advertised as sleep aids. Studies done on the effectiveness of these blue light blockers are mixed.<a class=\"fn-ref-mark\" href=\"#footnote-22\" id=\"refmark-22\"><sup>[22]<\/sup><\/a>\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">What else can be going on? Our devices are designed to monopolize our attention, which means we spend more time on our phones instead of sleeping. We\u2019ve all been there. This is why there\u2019s an association between social media use and sleep deprivation.<a class=\"fn-ref-mark\" href=\"#footnote-23\" id=\"refmark-23\"><sup>[23]<\/sup><\/a><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><b>#2) <\/b><b>Consider purchasing red lightbulbs to use in your bedroom lamps<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, so your bedroom is a place of soft light rather than bright\/harsh light.<a class=\"fn-ref-mark\" href=\"#footnote-24\" id=\"refmark-24\"><sup>[24]<\/sup><\/a><\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>#3) Keep your bedroom cool (but not too cold).<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Outside of light, our bodies use temperature as a signal to go to bed.<a class=\"fn-ref-mark\" href=\"#footnote-25\" id=\"refmark-25\"><sup>[25]<\/sup><\/a> It gets colder at night, so this shift in temperature tells our body <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">it&#8217;s<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> time to go to sleep. Personally, I\u2019ve <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">found that keeping<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> my bedroom cool helps me fall asleep. It\u2019s been a real game-changer. What\u2019s the <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">sweet spot<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">? Experiment a little here, but shoot for somewhere between 60-67 degrees Fahrenheit (15-19 Celsius). Just don\u2019t go too cold, which can also disrupt your rest.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-3733719 aligncenter\" src=\"http:\/\/bestratefinders.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/bill-cold.gif\" alt=\"Is it just a couple of flakes?\" width=\"480\" height=\"258\" \/><strong>#4) Consider getting black-out curtains for your bedroom windows, especially if you live in a city.<\/strong> \u00a0Living in a city, there&#8217;s always something bright and shiny happening outside my window &#8211; it wasn&#8217;t until I purchased super dark curtains to cover up my windows that I noticed an improvement in my &#8216;fall-asleep time.&#8217;<\/p>\n<p><b>#5) Earplugs or a white noise machine might be a good idea. <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Sounds and other forms of ear pollution can be a distraction when you\u2019re trying to sleep. White noise machines might drown some of this out, and studies show they do help, but some good ole fashioned earplugs could do the trick too.<a class=\"fn-ref-mark\" href=\"#footnote-26\" id=\"refmark-26\"><sup>[26]<\/sup><\/a>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><strong>#6) No TV in bed.<\/strong> \u00a0This might be incredibly difficult for you if you\u2019ve been falling asleep to TV for years. \u00a0Instead of falling asleep with the blue glow of a TV at the foot of your bed, read a book &#8211; trust me, it will put you right to sleep.<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><a class=\"fn-ref-mark\" href=\"#footnote-27\" id=\"refmark-27\"><sup>[27]<\/sup><\/a><\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>#7) Get in the habit of reading fiction.<\/b> Reading puts me to sleep within a few minutes most night, though only if I&#8217;m reading fiction. When reading non-fiction, my mind starts to race with all of the new ideas and things I could be working on. Either read real books or read on a <a title=\"Kindle\" href=\"http:\/\/www.amazon.com\/gp\/product\/B00AWH595M\/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&amp;camp=1789&amp;creative=390957&amp;creativeASIN=B00AWH595M&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;tag=nerdfitn-20\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Kindle<\/a>, no iPads!\u00a0<b>\u00a0\u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n<p><b><\/b><strong>#8) Buy the <a title=\"Right type of mattress\" href=\"http:\/\/www.webmd.com\/sleep-disorders\/features\/how-to-pick-your-perfect-mattress\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">right TYPE of Mattress<\/a> for you: <\/strong>I slept on a soft mattress with two mattress pads for a few months years ago and wondered why I woke up with lower back pain every day. Turns out, <a title=\"Iron Man\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nerdfitness.com\/blog\/2012\/12\/08\/iron-man\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">my back was jacked up<\/a>, and the soft mattress made things even worse. Since switching to a firm mattress, I wake up without back pain. Lesson learned here: I&#8217;m not smart.<\/p>\n<p><strong>#9) A lot of this can depend on HOW you sleep! <\/strong>Are you a side sleeper? Back sleeper? Stomach sleeper? Turns out there are <a href=\"http:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pmc\/articles\/PMC1119282\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">some evolutionary reasons<\/a>\u00a0why some styles work better than others! Personally, I use the &#8220;<a title=\"Half Military Crawl position\" href=\"http:\/\/www.huffingtonpost.com\/tim-ferriss\/11-tricks-for-perfect-sle_b_2527454.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">half-military crawl position<\/a>&#8221; outlined by Tim Ferriss (scroll down to tip 11 for the position).<\/p>\n<p><strong>#10) Have allergies? Try a hypoallergenic pillowcase!<\/strong>\u00a0Your allergies could be affecting you while you sleep, and having the proper pillowcase can make a world of a difference.<br \/>\n<a name=\"moresleep\"><\/a><\/p>\n<h2><b>How to Get More Sleep<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"wp-image-20785 aligncenter\" src=\"http:\/\/bestratefinders.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/sleeping-koala.jpg\" alt=\"I have heard koala&#039;s sleep quite a bit.\" width=\"791\" height=\"593\" srcset=\"http:\/\/bestratefinders.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/sleeping-koala.jpg 1024w, http:\/\/bestratefinders.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/sleeping-koala-300x225-1.jpg 300w, http:\/\/bestratefinders.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/sleeping-koala-713x534-1.jpg 713w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 791px) 100vw, 791px\" \/><\/p>\n<p><strong>So we&#8217;ve covered how to get BETTER sleep, what if you also need to get more of it?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>In order to start getting more sleep, sleep must become <a title=\"priority\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nerdfitness.com\/blog\/2012\/07\/26\/priorities\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">more of a priority<\/a>.<\/strong> If you constantly stay up too late because things need to get done, evaluate how your time is spent after work. Seriously, think about it!<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Are you doing the important tasks first?<\/strong>\u00a0Or are you messing around on the internet and not starting your tasks until late in the evening.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Are you watching late-night shows long after they&#8217;ve become enjoyable,<\/strong>\u00a0simply because your DVR records them?<\/li>\n<li><strong>Are you checking your smartphone while in bed,<\/strong> watching Twitch, or using your laptop to watch more shows you don&#8217;t really care about on Netflix?<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Yes, I understand we have parents who read <strong>Nerd Fitness<\/strong> and have to stay awake and function on minimal sleep (I commend you, and wish you luck!).<\/p>\n<p>However, for many of us, less sleep is often a result of disorganized priorities and poor use of our time.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Here are the best practical tips for giving you the greatest chance at getting into bed earlier:<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Don&#8217;t drink caffeine after lunch if possible.<\/strong> Caffeine can have an effect up to 6 hours after consumption. <a title=\"caffeine\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nerdfitness.com\/blog\/2012\/11\/20\/caffeine\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">We love caffeine for many reasons<\/a> (in moderation); however,\u00a0you want to make sure it&#8217;s not consumed too late or your body will revolt.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Turn off the electronics sooner.<\/strong> \u00a0I have to enforce a &#8220;laptops closed by 8PM&#8221; or a &#8220;TV off after 10PM&#8221; rule on many nights or I never get to bed. I get lost in Internetland far too easily. \u00a0Putting in actual barriers really helps. \u00a0If you find yourself checking Facebook and Twitter and other sites incessantly, BLOCK YOURSELF from those sites after a certain time.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Stop watching crap TV shows!<\/strong> <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Just because it exists doesn\u2019t mean you need to watch it. Pick a FEW shows you watch on Netflix, but be wary of the \u201cauto-play\u201d next episode! Netflix is counting on you to be lazy to watch another episode <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">accidentally<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> instead of getting sleep.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><strong>Shift things by 15 minutes every week.\u00a0<\/strong>If you want to get to bed sooner, don&#8217;t just try to get to bed an hour earlier than normal. You&#8217;ll probably lie in bed for that whole hour wondering why you can&#8217;t fall asleep, stressing yourself out and making things worse<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0(remember our lesson on <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">circadian<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> rhythm)<\/span>. I shifted my pattern by waking up 15 minutes earlier and getting to bed 15 minutes sooner. Then I repeated that process over a series of weeks. Eventually, you can shift your bedtime by an hour or two, but do it gradually!<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><a name=\"wakeup\"><\/a><\/p>\n<h2><b>How to Wake Up (The NF Sleep Calculator)<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"wp-image-20786 aligncenter\" src=\"http:\/\/bestratefinders.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/alarm-clock.jpg\" alt=\"More or less the right time always for certain people.\" width=\"800\" height=\"531\" srcset=\"http:\/\/bestratefinders.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/alarm-clock.jpg 1024w, http:\/\/bestratefinders.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/alarm-clock-300x199-1.jpg 300w, http:\/\/bestratefinders.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/alarm-clock-713x473-1.jpg 713w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><\/p>\n<p><strong>Is there any more annoying sound in the world than the &#8220;beep beep beep&#8221; of an alarm clock? \u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Well, maybe this.<\/p>\n<p>\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"The Most Annoying Sound In The World\" width=\"950\" height=\"534\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/0cVlTeIATBs?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/p>\n<p><em>But you get the point.<\/em><\/p>\n<p>So here you are, dreaming about riding a dragon, doing improv with Liam Neeson, and playing poker with Iron Man and Spock&#8230;and that damn alarm clock wakes you up. You are now incredibly groggy and miserable.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-3733747 aligncenter\" src=\"http:\/\/bestratefinders.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/bugs-morning.gif\" alt=\"Did Bugs Bunny wake up in the middle of his sleep cycle?\" width=\"392\" height=\"296\" \/><\/p>\n<p><strong>Here&#8217;s what&#8217;s happening:<\/strong> Remember earlier how we talked about different sleep cycles? Depending on which cycle you were woken up during, your body can struggle to move from &#8220;asleep&#8221; to &#8220;wide awake.&#8221;<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Wake up in the <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">right phase<\/span> and you can feel energized and ready to go.<\/li>\n<li>Wake up in the <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">wrong phase<\/span> and you will feel lethargic and sleepy.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Because we&#8217;re often waking up at times when we&#8217;re not ready to wake up, <b>timing can be everything when it comes to getting out of bed.<\/b><\/strong><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Have no fear! Let\u2019s give you a timetable to base your sleep schedule on, so your alarm clock isn\u2019t so jarring.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Here are some assumptions we\u2019ll use:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">You need about 15 minutes to fall <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">asleep<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A sleep cycle is 90 minutes.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">You want 5 or 6 sleep cycles (our 7-9 hours range).<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><b>THE NERD FITNESS SLEEP CALCULATOR<\/b><\/p>\n<p><b>Wake up: 5am<\/b><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Bedtime for<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> 5 Sleep <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Cycles (7.5 hr):<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> 9:15pm<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Bedtime for 6 Sleep Cycles (9 hr): 7:45pm<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><b>Wake up: 6:30am<\/b><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Bedtime for 5 Sleep Cycles (7.5 hr): 10:45pm<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Bedtime for 6 Sleep Cycles (9 hr): 9:15pm<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><b>Wake up: 8am<\/b><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Bedtime for 5 Sleep Cycles (7.5 hr): 12:15am<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Bedtime for 6 Sleep Cycles (9 hr): 10:45pm<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">You get the gist. Try to time your alarm clock to a natural break between sleep cycles.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Technology might help here too!<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><b>Set a \u201cgo to bed\u201d alarm, rather than a wake-up alarm! <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Remind yourself WHEN you should go to sleep. Bonus points if you can rig it to also shut off your wifi so that you actually have nothing exciting left to do in your house except read a book and go to sleep! <\/span><\/li>\n<li><strong>Try a <a title=\"Dawn Simulator Alarm Clock\" href=\"http:\/\/www.amazon.com\/gp\/product\/B003XN4RIC\/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&amp;camp=1789&amp;creative=390957&amp;creativeASIN=B003XN4RIC&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;tag=nerdfitn-20\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">dawn-simulator alarm clock<\/a>.<\/strong> Rather than waking yourself up in pitch black with a disgusting beeping noise, why not gradually rise as if there was a natural sunrise in your room?<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><em>Feel free to sing the first line of &#8220;Circle of Life&#8221; at this point. I just did.<\/em><\/p>\n<p>\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"The Lion King - Circle of Life\" width=\"950\" height=\"534\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/HwSKkKrUzUk?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/p>\n<p><b>Also, DON\u2019T SNOOZE!<\/b><\/p>\n<p>\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Should You Use The SNOOZE Button?\" width=\"950\" height=\"534\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/P6zcSFA7ymo?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Instead of snoozing, set your alarm for 30 minutes later and SKIP snoozing entirely. If this is an issue for you, put your alarm across the room so you need to physically get out of bed to turn it off!<\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n<p><b>Here are a couple more tips to help your alertness in the morning:<\/b><\/p>\n<ol>\n<li><strong>Still feeling groggy? Go for a walk first thing.<\/strong> \u00a0<a title=\"Morning Mile\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nerdfitness.com\/blog\/2012\/11\/01\/morning-mile\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">A mile every morning<\/a>, if you can. Heck, do it while <a title=\"walking to mordor\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nerdfitness.com\/blog\/2012\/07\/23\/walking\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">walking to Mordor<\/a>! Walking outside and seeing that blue sky can trigger your body to release the hormones that encourage you to feel more awake and alive.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Consider <a title=\"Blue light therapy\" href=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.com\/dp\/B00M3SGCUE\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">blue light therapy<\/a><b>\u00a0during the day<\/b><b>. <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Productivity guru<\/span> <\/strong>Tim Ferriss swears by it, and the reviews are overwhelmingly positive, so I&#8217;ll be testing one out during the winter months to see if my mornings are marked by increased energy. If you&#8217;ve used one and had positive\/negative experiences, I&#8217;d love to hear about it in the comments.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p><a name=\"nightowl\"><\/a><\/p>\n<h2><b>Am I a Night Owl or a Lark? (Why Am I Not a Morning Person?)<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"wp-image-20787 size-full aligncenter\" src=\"http:\/\/bestratefinders.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/Owl.jpg\" alt=\"Legit question, how much do owls sleep?\" width=\"803\" height=\"480\" srcset=\"http:\/\/bestratefinders.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/Owl.jpg 803w, http:\/\/bestratefinders.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/Owl-300x179-1.jpg 300w, http:\/\/bestratefinders.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/Owl-713x426-1.jpg 713w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 803px) 100vw, 803px\" \/><\/p>\n<p><strong>According to studies, about 1 in 10 people are true morning people (&#8220;larks&#8221;), while 2 in 10 are considered &#8220;night owls.&#8221; The rest fit somewhere in the middle as &#8220;hummingbirds.&#8221;<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>What this means:<\/strong> Some of us are more alert at certain times of the day and naturally want to rise earlier or stay up later. <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><a class=\"fn-ref-mark\" href=\"#footnote-28\" id=\"refmark-28\"><sup>[28]<\/sup><\/a><\/span><\/p>\n<p>Now, the difference between the two extremes isn&#8217;t as DRASTIC as we&#8217;ve made it out to be. \u00a0Humans can never be truly naturally nocturnal &#8211; we don&#8217;t have night vision (yet&#8230;).<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-3733754 aligncenter\" src=\"http:\/\/bestratefinders.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/night-vision.gif\" alt=\"Someday, maybe...\" width=\"480\" height=\"270\" \/><\/p>\n<p>We&#8217;re not programmed to operate during the middle of the night. \u00a0But, we CAN use our natural tendencies to help us be more efficient and productive during certain parts of the day.<\/p>\n<p><strong>We can change and adapt.<\/strong> Just like those who successfully work a night shift job (<a title=\"stay in shape despite weird hours\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nerdfitness.com\/blog\/2013\/06\/13\/how-to-stay-in-shape-despite-working-weird-hours\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">tips on that here<\/a>), many who consider themselves a night owl may find they can become a morning person if they set themselves up for success.<\/p>\n<p><em>I used the excuse for years of being a &#8220;night owl&#8221; to screw around all day and work from midnight to 4 AM each night, when it really just required a <a title=\"productivity hacks\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nerdfitness.com\/blog\/2012\/08\/13\/productivity\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">shifting of my priorities and productivity hacks<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n<p><strong>What this all means:<\/strong> Identify your biological clock and try to adjust around it if possible. However, if your job requires you to get up early or stay up later, most of us can make an adjustment. Don&#8217;t let your poor habits blame &#8220;being a night owl&#8221; like I used to.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nerdfitness.com\/coaching-overview-page\/\"><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-2945408 size-large\" src=\"http:\/\/bestratefinders.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/coach-ad-4-713x296-1.png\" data-fslightbox=\"gallery1\"><\/a><br \/>\n<a name=\"naps\"><\/a><\/p>\n<h2><b>Should I Take Naps? (How to Nap During the Day)<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"wp-image-20788 aligncenter\" src=\"http:\/\/bestratefinders.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/sleeping-cat-2.jpg\" alt=\"Ugh, too much cute\" width=\"810\" height=\"540\" srcset=\"http:\/\/bestratefinders.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/sleeping-cat-2.jpg 1024w, http:\/\/bestratefinders.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/sleeping-cat-2-300x200-1.jpg 300w, http:\/\/bestratefinders.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/sleeping-cat-2-713x475-1.jpg 713w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 810px) 100vw, 810px\" \/><\/p>\n<p><strong>Although generally not part of a day here in the States, we&#8217;re actually programmed to desire a quick nap in the early afternoon.<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><a class=\"fn-ref-mark\" href=\"#footnote-29\" id=\"refmark-29\"><sup>[29]<\/sup><\/a><\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<p>In other countries, naps are more socially acceptable (Siesta? Si, por favor!). If you feel bad that you get tired in the early afternoon, it&#8217;s not because you&#8217;re lazy. It&#8217;s because you&#8217;re naturally wired for naptime. \u00a0Now, you might still be lazy, but it&#8217;s not related to your nap schedule.<\/p>\n<p><strong>So, behold the power of the power nap<\/strong>:<\/p>\n<p>\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Should You Nap At Work?\" width=\"950\" height=\"534\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/NJ_f9onTTQE?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/p>\n<p><strong>Didn&#8217;t get enough sleep last night? Only have 20-30 minutes for a quick break?<\/strong> Try the <a title=\"Caffeine fueled power nap\" href=\"http:\/\/lifehacker.com\/306029\/reboot-your-brain-with-a-caffeine-nap\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">caffeine-fueled power nap<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Fun fact:<\/strong> If you&#8217;ve slept less than normal, taking a 90-minute nap the following day could lead to an increased amount of REM sleep in that nap.<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><a class=\"fn-ref-mark\" href=\"#footnote-30\" id=\"refmark-30\"><sup>[30]<\/sup><\/a><\/span><\/p>\n<p><a name=\"apnea\"><\/a><\/p>\n<h2><b>What Is Sleep Apnea? (What\u2019s the Best Treatment for Sleep Apnea?)<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-3617641\" src=\"http:\/\/bestratefinders.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/lego-buddha-1.jpg\" alt=\"Does Buddha snore when he sleeps?\" width=\"843\" height=\"353\" srcset=\"http:\/\/bestratefinders.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/lego-buddha-1.jpg 2048w, http:\/\/bestratefinders.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/lego-buddha-1-300x126-1.jpg 300w, http:\/\/bestratefinders.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/lego-buddha-1-768x322-1.jpg 768w, http:\/\/bestratefinders.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/lego-buddha-1-713x299-1.jpg 713w, http:\/\/bestratefinders.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/lego-buddha-1-600x252-1.jpg 600w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 843px) 100vw, 843px\" \/><\/p>\n<p><b>Sleep apnea is a condition where someone periodically stops breathing while sleeping.<\/b><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">While there are a few different versions of sleep apnea, the most common is \u201cObstructive Sleep Apnea,\u201d which occurs when throat muscles become overly relaxed.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A telltale sign of obstructive sleep apnea is loud snoring, although not everyone who snores has sleep apnea. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-3733768 aligncenter\" src=\"http:\/\/bestratefinders.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/patrick-sleeping.gif\" alt=\"Can you snore underwater?\" width=\"340\" height=\"255\" \/><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Sleep apnea can potentially be pretty serious, what with the whole not breathing thing going on. It depends on the severity of the condition.<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If it\u2019s mild<\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, it could be mostly harmless.<a class=\"fn-ref-mark\" href=\"#footnote-31\" id=\"refmark-31\"><sup>[31]<\/sup><\/a><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If it\u2019s serve<\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, not breathing correctly could majorly disrupt sleep, to the point of increasing the risk of certain diseases.<a class=\"fn-ref-mark\" href=\"#footnote-32\" id=\"refmark-32\"><sup>[32]<\/sup><\/a>\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><b>How do you know if your sleep apnea is <\/b><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><b>mild <\/b><\/span><b>or <\/b><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><b>severe<\/b><\/span><b>?\u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Unfortunately, the only way to really be sure is to head to the doctor. If you go to your primary care physician, they will likely refer you to a sleep specialist to find out.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you feel tired in the morning despite getting plenty of sleep, and a partner or loved one complains that you snore, it might be worth looking into a sleep apnea diagnosis.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\" wp-image-3733769 aligncenter\" src=\"http:\/\/bestratefinders.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/marge-snoring.gif\" alt=\"I think we&#039;ve all at one point related to Marge here.\" width=\"362\" height=\"271\" \/><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">I will mention that being overweight can contribute to obstructive sleep apnea, so weight loss could be a possible treatment.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If weight loss is your goal, then you\u2019ve come to the right place<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. We specialize in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nerdfitness.com\/blog\/how-a-single-busy-mom-lost-100-pounds-with-nerd-fitness\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">helping people achieve sustainable weight loss<\/a>.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>I\u2019ve got a couple of resources to help you start your journey:<\/b><\/p>\n<ol>\n<li><b><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nerdfitness.com\/blog\/how-to-lose-weight-without-dieting-5-rules-of-weight-loss\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">How to Lose Weight (Without Dieting)<\/a>: <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">check out our guide on the 5 rules for sustainable weight loss. If you\u2019re not sure where to start, start there.<\/span><\/b><\/li>\n<li><b>Our <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nerdfitness.com\/coaching-overview-page\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">1-on-1 Online Coaching Program<\/a>: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">if you want a trained professional to tell you exactly what to do, check out our coaching program. Many clients jumpstart their weight loss journey with the help of a NF Coach, and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nerdfitness.com\/blog\/how-emily-started-picking-up-barbells-learned-to-meal-plan-and-lost-65-pounds\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">the results they\u2019ve achieved<\/a> can be incredible.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In the meantime, try a different sleeping position (like the aforementioned <\/span><a href=\"http:\/\/www.huffingtonpost.com\/tim-ferriss\/11-tricks-for-perfect-sle_b_2527454.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">half-military crawl position<\/span><\/i><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> to keep your passages open).<\/span><br \/>\n<a name=\"second\"><\/a><\/p>\n<h2><b>What Is Second Sleep? (Waking up in the Middle of the Night)<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-3733771 aligncenter\" src=\"http:\/\/bestratefinders.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/bunnies-sleeping.jpg\" alt=\"Adorbs.\" width=\"713\" height=\"485\" srcset=\"http:\/\/bestratefinders.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/bunnies-sleeping.jpg 713w, http:\/\/bestratefinders.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/bunnies-sleeping-300x204-1.jpg 300w, http:\/\/bestratefinders.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/bunnies-sleeping-600x408-1.jpg 600w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 713px) 100vw, 713px\" \/><\/p>\n<p><strong>Biphasic Sleep is sleeping in two distinct periods.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><em>We&#8217;re gonna go back in the day again: during winter months, nighttime could last 12-14 hours.<\/em><\/p>\n<p>With our bodies&#8217; production of melatonin (the &#8220;sleepy time&#8221; hormone) kicking into high gear when that sun drops, people had nothing else to do (no TV, PS4, or iPads) and would fall asleep early. Then they would wake up for an hour or two in the middle of the night to read, pray, or think, and then fall back asleep for another 4-5 hours before waking up for the day.<\/p>\n<p><em>If you&#8217;ve ever gone to bed at a normal hour, and then woke up in the middle of the night without being able to fall back asleep for an hour or so, you know what I&#8217;m talking about.<\/em><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-3705739 aligncenter\" src=\"http:\/\/bestratefinders.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/eric-south-park.gif\" alt=\"Maybe Cartmen here is jetlagged.\" width=\"480\" height=\"270\" \/><\/p>\n<p><strong>Here&#8217;s the thing:\u00a0this is actually quite natural!<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><a class=\"fn-ref-mark\" href=\"#footnote-33\" id=\"refmark-33\"><sup>[33]<\/sup><\/a><\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Rather than freaking the heck out and lying in bed wondering why you can&#8217;t fall asleep&#8230;consider it something that is\u00a0more common than our current sleep schedule.<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><a class=\"fn-ref-mark\" href=\"#footnote-34\" id=\"refmark-34\"><sup>[34]<\/sup><\/a><\/span>\u00a0Don&#8217;t be afraid to turn on the light <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">(red light!) <\/span>and read a book or use the time for meditation until you can fall back asleep.<\/p>\n<p>This one &#8216;mental shift&#8217; alone can keep your stress levels down and let you get back to sleep faster and provide you with BETTER sleep.<br \/>\n<a name=\"hack\"><\/a><\/p>\n<h2><b>4 Tips and Tricks to Hack Sleep<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"wp-image-20792 aligncenter\" src=\"http:\/\/bestratefinders.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/sleep_tiger.jpg\" alt=\"Even this tiger looks cute when he sleeps!\" width=\"799\" height=\"599\" srcset=\"http:\/\/bestratefinders.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/sleep_tiger.jpg 1024w, http:\/\/bestratefinders.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/sleep_tiger-300x225-1.jpg 300w, http:\/\/bestratefinders.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/sleep_tiger-713x534-1.jpg 713w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 799px) 100vw, 799px\" \/><\/p>\n<p><strong>#1) Macrodozing:<\/strong><\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\">\n<p dir=\"ltr\" lang=\"en\">I stumbled across the BEST biohack for optimal human performance.<\/p>\n<p>It\u2019s tricky, but here\u2019s what to do:<\/p>\n<p>Lie in bed with your eyes closed, for like, 7-9 hours.<\/p>\n<p>If you can actually pull this off, productivity for the next 16 hours will be INSANE.<\/p>\n<p>I call it \u201cMacrodozing.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u2014 Steve Kamb (@SteveKamb) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/SteveKamb\/status\/1223253478866288641?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">January 31, 2020<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<p>\ud83d\ude09<\/p>\n<p><strong>#2) Clear your mind, Neo.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>I often spend my nights in bed thinking and worrying about all of the things I need to do the next day. Instead of stressing out about it, take a minute and write down the things you need to do the next day. Then set it aside.<\/p>\n<p>A notebook, a post-it note, an Evernote file, whatever.<\/p>\n<p>Do a brain-dump and clear your head so you can focus on reading <em>A Game of Thrones\u00a0<\/em>without thinking about the next day&#8217;s tasks.<\/p>\n<p><strong>#3) Want to control your dreams? It&#8217;s called &#8220;<a title=\"Lucid Dreaming\" href=\"http:\/\/www.fourhourworkweek.com\/blog\/2009\/09\/21\/how-to-lucid-dream\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Lucid Dreaming<\/a>,&#8221; it&#8217;s possible, but requires work.<\/strong> I&#8217;ve only been able to do it once, but haven&#8217;t given up hope that it can become a more common occurrence! Ultimately, this allows you to live out a real-life version of <em>Inception.<\/em><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-3733785 aligncenter\" src=\"http:\/\/bestratefinders.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/inception.gif\" alt=\"We really had to include this.\" width=\"458\" height=\"201\" \/><\/p>\n<p><b>#4) Have way too much time on your hands and not constricted by societal norms?<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0 Try <\/span><a href=\"http:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Polyphasic_sleep\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Polyphasic sleep<\/span><\/a> <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0and then tell me how it goes \ud83d\ude42\u00a0 <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It didn\u2019t work for Kramer<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, but it might work for you!<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">(But it probably won\u2019t).<\/span><br \/>\n<a name=\"start\"><\/a><\/p>\n<h2><b>Start Sleeping Better Tonight (Next Steps)<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"wp-image-3733789 aligncenter\" src=\"http:\/\/bestratefinders.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/notepad.jpg\" alt=\"Tracking your sleep will help you improve it!\" width=\"800\" height=\"535\" srcset=\"http:\/\/bestratefinders.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/notepad.jpg 1024w, http:\/\/bestratefinders.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/notepad-300x201-1.jpg 300w, http:\/\/bestratefinders.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/notepad-768x514-1.jpg 768w, http:\/\/bestratefinders.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/notepad-713x477-1.jpg 713w, http:\/\/bestratefinders.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/notepad-600x401-1.jpg 600w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><\/p>\n<p><strong>Like, anything, that which gets measured gets improved.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Now, if you&#8217;re somebody that isn&#8217;t really detail-oriented, just start by picking ONE or two changes above, and focus on building that <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nerdfitness.com\/blog\/2013\/09\/03\/the-30-day-hard-hat-challenge\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Hard Hat Habit.<\/a> However, if you like to nerd out about certain details, why not nerd out about your sleep?<\/p>\n<p><strong>Starting tomorrow morning, when you wake up, recap the previous day with a journal entry:<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>What time did you wake up, and what time did you actually get out of bed?<\/li>\n<li>How many times did you hit snooze?<\/li>\n<li>After work, how much television did you watch? \u00a0After you finished watching, did you go right to bed? \u00a0Did you fall asleep with the TV on?<\/li>\n<li>How long did you lie in bed before actually falling asleep (obviously this will be tough to tell, but you can estimate).<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>A quick recap on what to do:<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Change one or two things about your current strategy.<\/li>\n<li>Turn off the computer 15 minutes earlier.<\/li>\n<li>Stop watching TV in bed.<\/li>\n<li>Read fiction.<\/li>\n<li>Limit the amount of blue light <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">and screen activities that amp you up <\/span>at night.<\/li>\n<li>No more snoozing.<\/li>\n<li>Set the alarm clock across the room.<\/li>\n<li>Go for a walk in the morning outside.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>If you want to use technology:<\/strong> <a title=\"Flux\" href=\"http:\/\/justgetflux.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">F.Lux<\/a> for your computer, red bulbs in the bedroom,\u00a0<a title=\"Sunrise Alarm Clock\" href=\"http:\/\/www.amazon.com\/gp\/product\/B003XN4RIC\/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&amp;camp=1789&amp;creative=390957&amp;creativeASIN=B003XN4RIC&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;tag=nerdfitn-20\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Sunrise alarm clock<\/a>\u00a0for waking up without disturbing deep sleep.<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">That should just about do it for today\u2019s article.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you\u2019re looking for where to go from here, I\u2019ve got some options for you. But I\u2019m only gonna tell you, because you\u2019ve been a good sport this whole article.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>NEXT STEPS IF YOU WANT TO GO FARTHER!\u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n<p><b>#1) Our <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nerdfitness.com\/coaching-overview-page\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">1-on-1 Online Coaching Program<\/a>: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">a coaching program for busy people to help them lose weight, get strong, and level up their lives!<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">We take sleep so seriously, we discuss it with each and every client.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nerdfitness.com\/coaching-overview-page\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-3602791\" src=\"http:\/\/bestratefinders.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/NERD-CoachingBanner2019-00-Main-2d2.jpg\" data-fslightbox=\"gallery1\"><\/a><\/p>\n<p><b>#2) If you want an exact blueprint for getting in shape, check out Nerd Fitness Journey! <\/b>Our fun habit-building app helps you exercise more frequently, eat healthier, and level up your life (literally).<\/p>\n<p>If you follow our Sleep missions, you&#8217;ll learn to improve your night rituals while earning XP! Sah-weeeet.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Try your free trial right here:<\/strong><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\">\n<div class=\"nf-in-post-signup-leadin\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"nf-in-post-signup\" style=\"background: none; border: none;\">\n\t\t\t\t<a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/click.nerdfitness.com\/8BxQ\/534d8131\" rel=\"noopener\"><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t<img class=\"desktop-show mobile-hide\" style=\"margin-left:auto; margin-right: auto;\" src=\"http:\/\/bestratefinders.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/NF_Journey_GenericAd_Desktop_v3_A.jpg\" \/><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t<img class=\"desktop-hide mobile-show\" src=\"http:\/\/bestratefinders.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/NF_Journey_GeneralAd_Mobile_v3_A.jpg\" \/><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n<p><b>#3) Join our amazing free community, the Nerd Fitness Rebellion! <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Not only is it free to join, but we\u2019ll provide you with loads of free goodies when you sign-up:<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"nf-in-post-signup-leadin\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"nf-in-post-signup one-column split yellow-cta shortcode-form-12 \">\n<div class=\"nf-signup-intro\">\n<div><span style=\"font-weight:700\">Get your Nerd Fitness Starter Kit<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"nf-signup-benefit\">\n<ul>\n<li>The 15 mistakes you don\u2019t want to make.<\/li>\n<li>Full guide to the most effective diet and why it works.<\/li>\n<li>Complete and track your first workout today, no gym required.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"nf-signup-form\"><img class=\"asset-image\" src=\"&gt;\" \/><\/p>\n<form accept-charset=\"UTF-8\" action=\"https:\/\/app.convertkit.com\/forms\/3351751\/subscriptions\" data-sv-form=\"3351751\" data-uid=\"7a45ac8ba2\" data-version=\"5\" class=\"infusion-form\" data-options=\"{&quot;settings&quot;:{&quot;after_subscribe&quot;:{&quot;action&quot;:&quot;redirect&quot;,&quot;success_message&quot;:&quot;Success! Now check your email to confirm your subscription.&quot;,&quot;redirect_url&quot;:&quot;https:\/\/www.nerdfitness.com\/one-last-step\/&quot;},&quot;analytics&quot;:{&quot;google&quot;:null,&quot;fathom&quot;:null,&quot;facebook&quot;:null,&quot;segment&quot;:null,&quot;pinterest&quot;:null,&quot;sparkloop&quot;:null,&quot;googletagmanager&quot;:null},&quot;modal&quot;:{&quot;trigger&quot;:&quot;timer&quot;,&quot;scroll_percentage&quot;:null,&quot;timer&quot;:5,&quot;devices&quot;:&quot;all&quot;,&quot;show_once_every&quot;:15},&quot;powered_by&quot;:{&quot;show&quot;:false,&quot;url&quot;:&quot;https:\/\/convertkit.com\/features\/forms?utm_campaign=poweredby&amp;utm_content=form&amp;utm_medium=referral&amp;utm_source=dynamic&quot;},&quot;recaptcha&quot;:{&quot;enabled&quot;:false},&quot;return_visitor&quot;:{&quot;action&quot;:&quot;show&quot;,&quot;custom_content&quot;:&quot;&quot;},&quot;slide_in&quot;:{&quot;display_in&quot;:&quot;bottom_right&quot;,&quot;trigger&quot;:&quot;timer&quot;,&quot;scroll_percentage&quot;:null,&quot;timer&quot;:5,&quot;devices&quot;:&quot;all&quot;,&quot;show_once_every&quot;:15},&quot;sticky_bar&quot;:{&quot;display_in&quot;:&quot;top&quot;,&quot;trigger&quot;:&quot;timer&quot;,&quot;scroll_percentage&quot;:null,&quot;timer&quot;:5,&quot;devices&quot;:&quot;all&quot;,&quot;show_once_every&quot;:15}},&quot;version&quot;:&quot;5&quot;}\" method=\"POST\" id=\"inf_form_12c97c001a652ac813119a536e4fb4a4\"><input name=\"inf_form_xid\" type=\"hidden\" value=\"12c97c001a652ac813119a536e4fb4a4\" \/><input name=\"inf_form_name\" type=\"hidden\" value=\"Plugin Signup\" \/><input name=\"infusionsoft_version\" type=\"hidden\" value=\"1.68.0.144\" \/><input class=\"infusion-field-input-container\" id=\"inf_field_Email\" name=\"email_address\" type=\"email\" required placeholder=\"Your Email\" \/><input name=\"null\" type=\"hidden\" value=\"null\" \/><input style=\"display:none;\" class=\"infusion-field-input-container\" id=\"inf_custom_SiteSignupURL\" name=\"inf_custom_SiteSignupURL\" type=\"text\" value=\"http:\/\/www.nerdfitness.com\/blog\/feed\/\" \/><input style=\"display:none;\" class=\"infusion-field-input-container\" id=\"inf_custom_SignupPostID\" name=\"inf_custom_SignupPostID\" type=\"text\" value=\"13558\" \/>\t<input name=\"inf_custom_CoachingOriginURL\" type=\"hidden\" value=\"\" \/><br \/>\n\t<input name=\"inf_custom_CoachingOriginLandingPage\" type=\"hidden\" value=\"\" \/><br \/>\n\t<input name=\"inf_custom_IPAddress\" type=\"hidden\" value=\"152.26.11.128\" \/><br \/>\n\t<input name=\"inf_custom_CookieLastMedium\" type=\"hidden\" value=\"\" \/><br \/>\n\t<input name=\"inf_custom_CookieLastCampaign\" type=\"hidden\" value=\"\" \/><br \/>\n\t<input name=\"inf_custom_CookieLastSource\" type=\"hidden\" value=\"\" \/><br \/>\n\t<input name=\"inf_custom_CookieLastTerm\" type=\"hidden\" value=\"\" \/><br \/>\n\t<input name=\"inf_custom_CookieLastContent\" type=\"hidden\" value=\"\" \/><br \/>\n\t<input name=\"inf_custom_CoachingOptinFormFilledDate\" type=\"hidden\" value=\"2022-10-11 19:59:33\" \/><br \/>\n\t<input name=\"inf_custom_infcustomcoachvariation\" type=\"hidden\" value=\"\" \/><br \/>\n\t<input name=\"inf_custom_FacebookBrowserId\" type=\"hidden\" value=\"\" \/><br \/>\n\t<input name=\"inf_custom_FacebookClickId\" type=\"hidden\" value=\"\" \/><\/p>\n<div class=\"infusion-submit\">\t<input class=\"opt-in-submit button infusion-recaptcha\" id=\"recaptcha_12c97c001a652ac813119a536e4fb4a4\" type=\"submit\" value=\" Level Up!\" \/><\/div>\n<\/form>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"clearme\"><\/div>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n<p><strong>Now, I&#8217;d love to hear from you:<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>What questions do you have about sleeping?<\/li>\n<li>How have you learned to be better at it?<\/li>\n<li>What are you still struggling with?<\/li>\n<li>Have you tried sunrise alarm clocks or blue-light devices?<\/li>\n<li>What are your favorite sleep aids or sleep hacks?<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Let&#8217;s hear it!<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>-Steve<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>###<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">gif sources: <a href=\"https:\/\/giphy.com\/gifs\/jJqWEAYkWrxWE\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Gremlins<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/giphy.com\/gifs\/marvel-x-men-halle-berry-hC6rYe77FzD0c\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Storm<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/giphy.com\/gifs\/mood-lRRjGTRlFwmQYFmmpU\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">GI Joe<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/giphy.com\/gifs\/warnerarchive-hanna-barbera-yogis-first-christmas-3o8doTrOWoQMV8h74k\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Yogi<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/giphy.com\/gifs\/southparkgifs-l0HlCfyXxAhDI3P8Y\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">South Park<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/giphy.com\/gifs\/southparkgifs-d31wedBbTbvueXWU\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">South Park II<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/giphy.com\/gifs\/shut-up-be-quiet-your-mouth-xqe9iyQFAgjW8\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">What time is it<\/a>, <\/span><\/i><a href=\"https:\/\/giphy.com\/gifs\/reactiongifs-mrw-night-WG8xjOKVIYVbO\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Armageddon<\/span><\/i><\/a><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, <a href=\"https:\/\/giphy.com\/gifs\/tired-morning-looney-tunes-JoHCsfie23fag\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Morning Bugs<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/giphy.com\/gifs\/yevbel-1AIhcW1oFvt3TsG2kp\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Night Vision<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/giphy.com\/gifs\/RbLhosb3cxhvy\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Bugs Insomnia<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/giphy.com\/gifs\/christmas-santa-elf-MhVdjqeKACHmM\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Buddy<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/giphy.com\/gifs\/groundhog-day-xUOwGoV4fmBd0fiyGI\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Bill Murray<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/giphy.com\/gifs\/season-13-the-simpsons-13x10-xT5LMqTjxTo48hAlvW\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Snoring Homer<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/giphy.com\/gifs\/synagogue-deerfield-hatikvah-Jap1tdjahS0rm\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Patrick Sleeping<\/a>.<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n<p><em>photo sources: <i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/sleepjunkies.com\/how-alcohol-affects-sleep\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Sleep Cycle<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.flickr.com\/photos\/clement127\/13387067875\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Tired Lego<\/a>, <\/span><\/i><a title=\"Sleeping Lego\" href=\"http:\/\/www.flickr.com\/photos\/chiky\/7949113590\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Sleeping Lego<\/a>, <a title=\"Sleeping Puppy\" href=\"http:\/\/www.flickr.com\/photos\/maureen_sill\/2150242514\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Sleeping Puppy<\/a>, <a title=\"Sleeping baby\" href=\"http:\/\/www.flickr.com\/photos\/sergiu_bacioiu\/4364781339\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Sleeping Baby<\/a>, <a title=\"Sleeping Cat\" href=\"http:\/\/www.flickr.com\/photos\/chrisk4u\/4150599385\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Sleeping Cat<\/a>, <a title=\"Sleeping Koala\" href=\"http:\/\/www.flickr.com\/photos\/uncleboatshoes\/3341125484\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Sleeping Koala<\/a>, <a title=\"Sleeping Bunnies\" href=\"http:\/\/www.flickr.com\/photos\/mikeyphillips\/10226350436\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Sleeping Bunnies<\/a>, <a title=\"Side sleeping lego\" href=\"http:\/\/www.flickr.com\/photos\/ntr23\/4282813892\/sizes\/l\/in\/photostream\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Side Sleeping Lego<\/a>, <a title=\"sleeping kitty\" href=\"http:\/\/www.flickr.com\/photos\/studiogabe\/6173654827\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Sleeping Kitty<\/a>, <a title=\"owl\" href=\"http:\/\/www.flickr.com\/photos\/wolfraven\/3123842799\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Owl<\/a>, <a title=\"late alarm clock\" href=\"http:\/\/www.flickr.com\/photos\/thevlue\/5283662933\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">late alarm clock<\/a>, <a href=\"http:\/\/www.flickr.com\/photos\/catikaoe\/145208079\/sizes\/l\/in\/photostream\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Sleeping Tiger<\/a>, <a href=\"http:\/\/www.flickr.com\/photos\/hippie\/2475849569\/sizes\/l\/in\/photostream\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Notepad<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.flickr.com\/photos\/128161151@N08\/48348179836\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Laughing Buddha<\/a>,\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n<div id=\"footnote-list\" style=\"display:none;\"><span id=\"fn-heading\">Footnotes<\/span> &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;( returns to text)<\/p>\n<ol>\n<li id=\"footnote-1\" class=\"fn-text\">Read, \u201cModerate sleep deprivation produces impairments in cognitive and motor performance equivalent to legally prescribed levels of alcohol intoxication.\u201d Source, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pmc\/articles\/PMC1739867\/pdf\/v057p00649.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">NCBI<\/a>.<a href=\"#refmark-1\"><\/a><\/li>\n<li id=\"footnote-2\" class=\"fn-text\">Examine does a <a href=\"https:\/\/examine.com\/nutrition\/how-important-is-sleep\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">great job of highlighting<\/a> the importance of sleep.<a href=\"#refmark-2\"><\/a><\/li>\n<li id=\"footnote-3\" class=\"fn-text\">Read, \u201cPoor sleep quality is associated with increased cortical atrophy in community-dwelling adults.\u201d Source, <a href=\"https:\/\/n.neurology.org\/content\/83\/11\/967\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Neurology<\/a>.<a href=\"#refmark-3\"><\/a><\/li>\n<li id=\"footnote-4\" class=\"fn-text\">Read, \u201cSleep and Hypertension.\u201d Source, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pmc\/articles\/PMC2913764\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">PubMed<\/a>.<a href=\"#refmark-4\"><\/a><\/li>\n<li id=\"footnote-5\" class=\"fn-text\">Read, \u201cSleep restriction increases free fatty acids in healthy men.\u201d Source, <a href=\"https:\/\/link.springer.com\/article\/10.1007%2Fs00125-015-3500-4\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Diabetologia<\/a>.<a href=\"#refmark-5\"><\/a><\/li>\n<li id=\"footnote-6\" class=\"fn-text\">Read, \u201cSleep Duration and All-Cause Mortality: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Prospective Studies.\u201d Source, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pmc\/articles\/PMC2864873\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">PubMed<\/a>.<a href=\"#refmark-6\"><\/a><\/li>\n<li id=\"footnote-7\" class=\"fn-text\">Here\u2019s a study on <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pubmed\/19379769\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">sleep and memory<\/a> and another on <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pubmed\/12421655\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">problem-solving skills<\/a>.<a href=\"#refmark-7\"><\/a><\/li>\n<li id=\"footnote-8\" class=\"fn-text\">Read, \u201cThe effects of sleep extension on the athletic performance of collegiate basketball players.\u201d Source, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pubmed\/21731144\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">PubMed<\/a>.<a href=\"#refmark-8\"><\/a><\/li>\n<li id=\"footnote-9\" class=\"fn-text\">Read, \u201cGrowth hormone secretion during sleep.\u201d Source, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pmc\/articles\/PMC297368\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">PubMed<\/a>.<a href=\"#refmark-9\"><\/a><\/li>\n<li id=\"footnote-10\" class=\"fn-text\">Read, \u201cSleep habits and susceptibility to the common cold.\u201d Source, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pubmed\/19139325\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">PubMed<\/a>.<a href=\"#refmark-10\"><\/a><\/li>\n<li id=\"footnote-11\" class=\"fn-text\">What kind of debate? Matthew Walker wrote a very popular book called \u201cWhy We Sleep,\u201d where Walker recommends at least 7 hours of sleep, with 8 being ideal. In turn, here\u2019s an <a href=\"https:\/\/guzey.com\/books\/why-we-sleep\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">interesting article<\/a> ripping the studies of Walker\u2019s popular book to shreds.<a href=\"#refmark-11\"><\/a><\/li>\n<li id=\"footnote-12\" class=\"fn-text\">You can check out the National Sleep Foundation\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sleepfoundation.org\/articles\/how-much-sleep-do-we-really-need\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">recommendation here<\/a>, and the other study <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pmc\/articles\/PMC2864873\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">right here<\/a>.<a href=\"#refmark-12\"><\/a><\/li>\n<li id=\"footnote-13\" class=\"fn-text\">As highlighted by <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sciencemag.org\/news\/2019\/08\/genetic-mutation-makes-people-feel-rested-just-6-hours-sleep\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Scientific American<\/a>.<a href=\"#refmark-13\"><\/a><\/li>\n<li id=\"footnote-14\" class=\"fn-text\">You can read their recommendation <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pubmed\/26039963\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">right here<\/a>.<a href=\"#refmark-14\"><\/a><\/li>\n<li id=\"footnote-15\" class=\"fn-text\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.cdc.gov\/sleep\/index.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Here\u2019s their report<\/a>.<a href=\"#refmark-15\"><\/a><\/li>\n<li id=\"footnote-16\" class=\"fn-text\">The NINDS has <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ninds.nih.gov\/Disorders\/Patient-Caregiver-Education\/Understanding-Sleep\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">a great article<\/a> on the different stages of sleep.<a href=\"#refmark-16\"><\/a><\/li>\n<li id=\"footnote-17\" class=\"fn-text\">Read, \u201cFunctional Anatomy of Non-REM Sleep.\u201d Source, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pmc\/articles\/PMC3215999\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">PubMed<\/a>.<a href=\"#refmark-17\"><\/a><\/li>\n<li id=\"footnote-18\" class=\"fn-text\">Read, \u201cThe Neuroprotective Aspects of Sleep.\u201d Source, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pmc\/articles\/PMC4651462\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">PubMed<\/a>.<a href=\"#refmark-18\"><\/a><\/li>\n<li id=\"footnote-19\" class=\"fn-text\">Read, \u201cAdenosine and Sleep.\u201d Source, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pmc\/articles\/PMC2769007\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">PubMed<\/a>.<a href=\"#refmark-19\"><\/a><\/li>\n<li id=\"footnote-20\" class=\"fn-text\">Read, \u201cThe role of sleep hygiene in promoting public health.\u201d Source, <a href=\"https:\/\/sci-hub.tw\/10.1016\/j.smrv.2014.10.001\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Elsvier<\/a>.<a href=\"#refmark-20\"><\/a><\/li>\n<li id=\"footnote-21\" class=\"fn-text\">Read, \u201cEvening use of light-emitting eReaders negatively affects sleep, circadian timing, and next-morning alertness.\u201d Source, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pnas.org\/content\/112\/4\/1232\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">PNAS<\/a>.<a href=\"#refmark-21\"><\/a><\/li>\n<li id=\"footnote-22\" class=\"fn-text\">Read <a href=\"https:\/\/sci-hub.tw\/https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1016\/j.jpsychires.2017.10.015\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">this study<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pubmed\/29044670\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">this study<\/a> for more.<a href=\"#refmark-22\"><\/a><\/li>\n<li id=\"footnote-23\" class=\"fn-text\">Read, \u201cThe Association between Social Media Use and Sleep Disturbance among Young Adults.\u201d Source, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pmc\/articles\/PMC4857587\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">PubMed<\/a>. Although the study doesn\u2019t address whether it\u2019s the artificial light or engagement of social that keeps folks up at night.<a href=\"#refmark-23\"><\/a><\/li>\n<li id=\"footnote-24\" class=\"fn-text\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pmc\/articles\/PMC3499892\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">This study<\/a> found red light helped a basketball team fall asleep faster.<a href=\"#refmark-24\"><\/a><\/li>\n<li id=\"footnote-25\" class=\"fn-text\">Read, \u201cEffects of thermal environment on sleep and circadian rhythm.\u201d Source, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pmc\/articles\/PMC3427038\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">PubMed<\/a>.<a href=\"#refmark-25\"><\/a><\/li>\n<li id=\"footnote-26\" class=\"fn-text\">Read that study on white noise <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pmc\/articles\/PMC4923834\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">right here<\/a>.<a href=\"#refmark-26\"><\/a><\/li>\n<li id=\"footnote-27\" class=\"fn-text\">Here\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pmc\/articles\/PMC4006444\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">a study<\/a> that found a relationship with a TV in the bedroom and sleep deprivation in <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">children<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. And while it\u2019s not a <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">rigorous study<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, Sleep Junkies <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sleepjunkie.org\/books-and-bedtime\/#Bedtime_Reading\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">took a survey<\/a> and found reading fiction before bed acted as a sleep aid <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">amongst those questioned.<a href=\"#refmark-27\"><\/a><\/span><\/li>\n<li id=\"footnote-28\" class=\"fn-text\"><a title=\"Lark Owl\" href=\"http:\/\/www.nasw.org\/users\/llamberg\/larkowl.htm\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Here&#8217;s a great article<\/a> breaking down the differences between the two, <a title=\"QUiz\" href=\"http:\/\/www.nasw.org\/users\/llamberg\/quiz.htm\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">along with a quiz you can take <\/a>if you&#8217;re interested in getting &#8220;proof&#8221; about your biological clock.<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><a href=\"#refmark-28\"><\/a><\/span><\/li>\n<li id=\"footnote-29\" class=\"fn-text\">Psychology Today has a pretty good look as to why.<a href=\"#refmark-29\"><\/a><\/li>\n<li id=\"footnote-30\" class=\"fn-text\">The American Academy of Sleep Medicine explains why <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sciencedaily.com\/releases\/2008\/06\/080610071936.htm\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">here<\/a>.<a href=\"#refmark-30\"><\/a><\/li>\n<li id=\"footnote-31\" class=\"fn-text\">Read, \u201cMild Obstructive Sleep Apnea Syndrome Should Not Be Treated.\u201d Source, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pmc\/articles\/PMC2564770\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">PubMed<\/a>.<a href=\"#refmark-31\"><\/a><\/li>\n<li id=\"footnote-32\" class=\"fn-text\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.hopkinsmedicine.org\/health\/wellness-and-prevention\/the-dangers-of-uncontrolled-sleep-apnea\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">John Hopkins Medicine<\/a> has a really interesting discussion with Jonathan Jun, M.D. as to why.<a href=\"#refmark-32\"><\/a><\/li>\n<li id=\"footnote-33\" class=\"fn-text\">Here\u2019s a <a href=\"http:\/\/slumberwise.com\/science\/your-ancestors-didnt-sleep-like-you\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">great article<\/a> for more.<a href=\"#refmark-33\"><\/a><\/li>\n<li id=\"footnote-34\" class=\"fn-text\">Read the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/2012\/09\/23\/opinion\/sunday\/rethinking-sleep.html?_r=0\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">New York Times piece<\/a> on rethinking sleep for more.<a href=\"#refmark-34\"><\/a><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/div>\n<p>The post <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nerdfitness.com\/blog\/are-you-making-these-mistakes-with-your-sleep\/\">How Do I Sleep Better? The Ultimate Guide for Improving Sleep<\/a> first appeared on <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nerdfitness.com\">Nerd Fitness<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>You\u2019re here because you want to get better sleep. Well my friend, you\u2019ve come to the right place!\u00a0 We believe proper sleep is so critical for health, we discuss it with each one of our coaching clients. Today, we\u2019ll share our tips for sleeping like a log with you too. Here\u2019s what we\u2019ll cover in [\u2026]<br \/>\nThe post How Do I Sleep Better? The Ultimate Guide for Improving Sleep first appeared on Nerd Fitness.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":6876,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"wprm-recipe-roundup-name":"","wprm-recipe-roundup-description":""},"categories":[20,1,21,22,19],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/bestratefinders.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6874"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/bestratefinders.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/bestratefinders.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bestratefinders.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bestratefinders.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=6874"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/bestratefinders.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6874\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":6950,"href":"https:\/\/bestratefinders.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6874\/revisions\/6950"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bestratefinders.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/6876"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/bestratefinders.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=6874"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bestratefinders.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=6874"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bestratefinders.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=6874"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}