MOFO Mission #1: Sleep (Breather Episode with Brad)

You know that feeling: you're reading a book, or watching a movie or tv show you're really into, and then your eyelids get heavy? You can actually feel the droopiness kicking in, but you fight it, because you were really into that film or that conversation you were in the middle of. But the feeling persists; it doesn't go away. Why? Because it's melatonin kicking in and coming to tell you it's time to wrap it up and get some sleep! At night, a variety of wonderful circadian biological processes help you feel sleepy and transition into a peaceful night of sleep. But what happens when melatonin is suppressed? If you keep watching TV or checking your email for instance, cortisol spikes, and keeps you awake when you really should be sleeping. This is why it is key you spend those few hours before bed doing restful activities to help you wind down your day, rather than stimulating things that keep you alert and up. For example, taking an evening walk is a great way to facilitate a good night's sleep. In this 10-part breather show series, I will focus on a different MOFO Mission, and the reason why we are starting with sleep is simple: you can't even think about all the other things you need to tackle until you've locked in good sleep. In this show, I'll discuss all the actions you can take to ensure you're having uninterrupted, peaceful sleep every night. Sure, everyone knows that sleep is super important, but it's probably the one thing most people compromise on and don't employ discipline with. Unfortunately we humans have a huge propensity for digital stimulation and instant gratification, and dopamine triggers seriously interfere with long-term, healthy lifestyle practices. There is a cost to mindless pursuit of pleasure and only seeking out things that deliver instant gratification, and it's usually at the expense of your health. I think one of the best things you can do for the quality of your sleep is simply being aware and planning ahead. Take note of when the sun goes down - think of it as your cue from nature that it's time to mellow out. Also, try to get all tasks that need to be done on a screen taken care of before the evening, as you don't want to interfere with Dim light melatonin onset (DLMO). DLMO is what helps your body stay on a regular sleep-and-wake schedule, because your body produces its own melatonin beginning 2 hours before bedtime, as long as the lighting is dim. But when your suppress melatonin, you can't go to sleep when you eventually decide to, and you get increased sugar cravings, usually resulting in munching on a snack (or two or three) and to top it all off, snacking so late means you're more likely to store those calories as extra fat. First of all, a good night's sleep actually starts first thing in the morning. When you wake up near sunrise, this allows you to expose your eyes to direct sunlight, and you'll feel a natural boost of energy. What else can you do? Let's get into it. How To Get Started With MOFO Mission : : Minimize artificial light and digital stimulation after dark. Getting some blue-light/UV-blocking glasses is a must. Check out Ra Optics, founded by previous podcast guest Matt Maruca for some great quality frames, and there's also some lower-priced pretty decent glasses on Amazon. Also, minimize the light sources in your home. Think of getting a Himalayan salt lamp, switch out white bulbs for orange bulbs ("bug" bulbs in any home supply store), and download f.lux to moderate the light emission from your screen after dark. : Engage in mellow activities, not stimulatory activities, in the hours before bed. This could be foam-rolling, taking an evening walk, reading a book, or a calming, evening ritual. Ariana Huffington has a wonderful book called The Sleep Revolution where she talks about how helpful it is to create an association in your brain by doing the same calming, pre-bedtime activity every night before bed to ensure restful sleep, like taking a bath. : Create a sleep sanctuary. The bedrooms should be for sleep only - no office desk, no paperwork, no computer or TV screens, no clutter, no junk - it should be a place your brain associates with calmness, a place you can go to escape and relax. Listen to my show on the importance of creating a pitch-black sleep experience here , maybe invest in some blackout curtains, and definitely keep all chargers out of the bedroom - charge your phone and computer in a hallway if you can, because having your devices in your room just creates more temptation to reach for it in the middle of the night, or first thing in the morning. Unless you're a doctor and need to deliver a baby or do emergency surgery in the middle of the night, I can't see a reason why anyone would need to charge or keep their phone in their bedroom overnight, of course, unless there's a family situation going on. The second thing to work on is having a quiet sleeping space . You can't control outside noise, that's for sure, but you can do things to make your sleeping experience as quiet as possible, like getting a noise cancelling machine, or using an app to play soothing nighttime sounds, like rainfall or ocean waves. I also would recommend a Hepa Air Filter/De-Ionizer to clean and remove negative ions from the air. : Keep it cool. Keep the thermostat between 60-68 degrees year round, and don't overdo it on blankets and covers. You shouldn't wake up freezing and shivering in the middle of the night, but you could also consider seeing if your body actually feels better sleeping in a cooler temperature. : Having a good morning routine. Like I said earlier, a good night's sleep starts right after you wake up. Establish an activity that forces you out of bed and ensures your eyes will be exposed to natural light. I've been sticking to and expanding on a morning routine consisting of stretches I do before even getting out of bed (click here to see how to do them) and the 'Unfrozen Caveman Runner.' and lastly… : Nap when you need to. Especially if you've had a sleep deficit overnight, take a nap if you need to! If you feel a decline in productivity or feel distracted, let yourself take 20 minutes to restore your alertness, mood, and energy levels. Napping works because it refreshes the depleted sodium potassium pumps in your brain neurons. That's where the commonly-used expression of 'I feel fried' comes from - the electrical circuitry of how your brain fires gets depleted, because you haven't given your brain proper restoration over the course of a day. Humans are simply not designed to spend hours a day on a screen in peak productivity mode with no breaks. Think of a nap as something that boosts and supports productivity, rather than taking away from it. Even if you can't really fall into a deep sleep, you can still close your eyes in a dark space and disengage with your brain as best you can. Perhaps the most important thing you can do to help your sleep is to modify your belief system: actually take the steps necessary to prioritize sleep; and make it your top priority. Create your sleep sanctuary, refine your night-time routine, and commit to doing everything you can to make sure you are having peaceful, restful sleep, every night of the week! TIMESTAMPS: Sleep is the number one assignment on your MOFO mission. [04:36] Is it because you need instant gratification that you sacrifice sleep? [05:47] The introduction of artificial light throws off our delicate circadian rhythm. [07:42] Do whatever you can to minimize artificial light and digital stimulation after dark. [11:44] In the final hours before bed do mellowing activities rather than stimulating activities. [14:43] Your bedroom should be for sleep only. It should be pitch dark, quiet, and cool. [16:41] First thing in the morning, expose your eyes to sunlight and move. [22:28] Take a nap. Napping is a miracle cure. [23:34] LINKS: Brad's Shopping Page The Hacking of the American Mind Breather Show re Dr. Lustig Ra Optics f.lux The Sleep Revolution ChiliPad Brad Kearns' Morning Routine Dr. Jack Kruse Follow me on social media for more great content! Instagram: @bradkearns1 Facebook: @bradkearnsjumphigh Twitter: @bradleykearns

You can listen to MOFO Mission #1: Sleep (Breather Episode with Brad) online on Radio and Podcast. Open the player on this page to stream the available audio.

MOFO Mission #1: Sleep (Breather Episode with Brad) is an episode from Get Over Yourself Podcast by Brad Kearns.

This episode is 28:57 long.

This episode was published on Aug 14, 2020.

Yes. Use the heart button on the episode page to add it to your favorite episodes list.

Yes. This page shows related episodes from Get Over Yourself Podcast when more episodes are available from the podcast feed.