Fit-folk with heightened levels of motivation and giant dreams are going to be slamming on the gas pedal to get there. And that comes with drawbacks, enough to make the whole thing a bad idea.
My five principles all cover this, but here we’ll just deal with sleep. Training like an Olympian and dieting like Jesus amounts to very little if you’re not getting your rest quota in. Chronically deprived sleep deals a lot of hurt to the body’s regular functions. The brakes get slammed on, and progress grinds into a crawl.
The extra effort you’re putting in the gym and kitchen to get things moving, that’s only going to deepen the mess.
Let’s put it this way: If there’s a chance to sleep eight hours, or lift weight, you’d be best of picking the former. Even if the muscle’s start to break up and disappear. It’s that important.
Choosing to simply up the intensity to keep things moving, and you might often find yourself tucked up in bed with the mind still darting around at a hundred miles an hour.
This could be happening on the rare day where you’re a little too highly strung, or it may be a familiar fixture that reliably ruins the nights and drops you into the next day with little to no energy.
The best way to beat this trend is by keeping regular habits in the evening that gets the brain to settle down and prepare for sleep.
1. Get Some Sunlight
A dose of sunshine is going to get the body to produce more serotonin, which converts to melatonin, the sleep hormone. It’s healthy for a whole bunch of other reasons, but this part is key for making sure you’re feeling sleepy at the right time.
2. Don’t Hit The Bed Until You’re Ready To Sleep
You can go one step further and save the bedroom for matters of rest only. Do this often enough, and the brain will start to connect the bed with sleep. Sitting up late, under the covers, and staring at your phone will only confuse the situation.
3. Blue Light Glasses And App Filters
Blue light suppresses melatonin, and that’s a kicker, because it’s the hormone that’s needed for quality sleep. Wearing a pair of glasses that filter out the light.
3. Eat Some Fruit
While I’d normally advise against eating late, this makes sense as an exception. Sugar leads to serotonin, you’ll get the mechanism by now.
4. Have A Fan Besides You
Rather than risk getting woken up at 2 AM by a dog barking on the other side of the street, and then having to start your day early. And gradually you’ll begin to connect the whirring sound with naptime.
5. Meditate Before Sleep
Learn to chill out. A spot of meditation before bed will bring down the white noise and stop the brain from operating like a malfunctioning pinball machine.
How To Start Your Meditation Habit
6. Don’t Train In The Evening
Exercise is a stress, and for many, that’s going to have the consequence of waking them the hell up. So your nervous system is wide awake as you’re trying to nod off. This isn’t an option for everyone, but a workout in the morning can be a good alternative. I love launching my brain with a reasonably early workout.
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There we have six fixes for the sleep demons, and there’s plenty more I can dish out. It’s a fascinating topic that everyone needs to research and master. Win the night, and the next day will suddenly look a whole lot less daunting.
Related Guide – The Caveman Guide To Fixing Your Sleep
