Sleep Basics at NIH

"Many things--such as loving, going to sleep, or behaving unaffectedly--are done worst when we try hardest to do them."
- C.S. Lewis


http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/brain_basics/understanding_sleep.htm

ESSENTIAL READING FOR ANYONE WHO LONGS FOR A GOOD NIGHTS SLEEP http://www.fourhourworkweek.com/blog/2008/01/27/relax-like-a-pro-5-steps-to-hacking-yo

"From fat-loss (leptin release decreases with sleep debt) to memory consolidation,
sleep is the currency of high-performance living." - Tim Ferriss

Read the Article "Relax Like A Pro: 5 Steps to Hacking Your Sleep" by Tim Ferriss

http://www.fourhourworkweek.com/blog/2008/01/27/relax-like-a-pro-5-steps-to-hacking-your-sleep/

Tim Ferriss is the author of a fascinating book called The Four Hour Work Week. He also has a great blog. I follow the 80/20 principle with a lot of Tim Ferriss' ideas. He can be very inspiring but I choose to pass on a lot of the suggestions made on his website or in his book. However, some of them have had a profound effect on my quality of life. This link is for a fantastic article detailing five steps to improve your sleep.

In summary:

1. Consume 150-250 calories of low-glycemic index foods in small quantities (low glycemic load) prior to bed. A snack such as celery and nut butter or plain yogurt and fruit would work well. Some sleep problems (and discomfort upon arising) occur when your blood sugar is too low.
2. Use ice baths to provoke sleep. (I skip this one. BRRRRR!!!!)
   
3. Eating your meals at set times can be as important as sleeping on a schedule. (Spoiler alert! This will be the topic of next weeks tweak.)
   
4. Embrace 20-minute caffeine naps and ultradian multiples. This can be useful if you need a short nap. The caffeine kicks in when it's time to wake up. I have found that when I'm really tired a short nap helps me sleep better at night.
   
5. Turn off preoccupation with afternoon closure and present-state training. Make tomorrow's to-do list in the afternoon, so it won't be cluttering your mind when it's time to go to bed. Avoid mentally stimulating things prior to bedtime.
   

Don Quixote understands the value of sleep!

Now, blessings light on him that first invented sleep!
It covers a man all over, thoughts and all, like a cloak;
it is meat for the hungry, drink for the thirsty,
heat for the cold, and cold for the hot.
It is the current coin that purchases all the pleasures of the world cheap,
and the balance that sets the king and the shepherd,
the fool and the wise man, even.
-Miguel de Cervantes, Don Quixote, 1605

Tweak #1 - Go to bed at the same time every night.

THIS WEEKS TWEAK:

Tweak #1: Choose a bedtime that you can stick to (almost) every night. This includes weekends!

I stayed up VERY late last night. I guess it was a last hurrah before making a commitment. I'm a night owl and going to bed is hard for me, especially since my husband is currently working the night shift. I tried keeping the same schedule as him but someone needs to be awake for phone calls and the UPS guy. And as most humans, I feel better sleeping at night rather than all day.

I usually live a tweak for at least a week before posting it here, and I really felt the benefits of this tweak after just a few days. As you recall from last week, I believe in the 80/20 rule. Cut yourself some slack twenty percent of the time. I enjoy having a day of rest where I don't worry about anything and just do as I please.

WHAT WORKS FOR ME

My chosen bedtime is 1:00 a.m. Why? Because my husband calls me on his work break at around 12:30. It makes his work night better and it makes my sleep more peaceful. I tried going to bed earlier but we missed our nightly chat. 1:00 a.m. also works well for me because it gives us a few more hours to enjoy each others' company on his nights off. When we move to our dream home in the northwestern part of the country, I can go to bed at the time my body is used to but the clock will be two or three hours earlier. Hooray!

My bedtime also helps me fall asleep in time for adults' strongest sleep drive, as mentioned on this Sleep Foundation page:

The circadian rhythm dips and rises at different times of the day, so adults' strongest sleep drive generally occurs between 2:00-4:00 am and in the afternoon between 1:00-3:00 pm, although there is some variation depending on whether you are a “morning person” or “evening person.”
http://www.sleepfoundation.org/article/sleep-topics/sleep-drive-and-your-body-clock

Coincidentally, 1:00 pm is the best time for my husband's bedtime. I plan on taking a siesta nap with him when he goes to bed and he often takes a little nap with me at my bedtime on his day off.

While doing research for this tweak I came across an interesting post about sharing bedtime rituals with your partner when you don't sleep at the same time:

The sweetest thing is that Alex always "puts me to bed." He'll wait until I brush my teeth and put on my PJs, and then he'll come into the bedroom and tell me stories and rub my back, and we'll talk sleepily and say lots of "I love you"s. It's one of my favorite parts of the day.
http://www.glamour.com/sex-love-life/blogs/smitten/2009/03/do-you-and-your-man-go-to-bed.html

I found this interesting because my husband and I occasionally tuck each other in at bedtime. I love it! We all have to find personal ways to make our situation better.

Keep watching for sleep tips including information about bedtime snacks, dimming lights, bedtime rituals, etc.

Sweet dreams!