SLEEP BetterThe Facts, Tips and Tricks of Sleep

Sleep is an incredibly important “process” and essential to our brain and our body.Improved Sleep Leads to:• Better memory• Increased creativity• Decreased impulsiveness• Better judgment• Increased immunity• Weight loss

Checklist to Sleep Better

Keep a regular

sleep schedule

• Getting back in sync with your body’s natural sleep—wake cycle is one of the most important strategies for achieving good sleep.• Set a regular bedtime and wake up at the same time every day.• When possible exercise and do intense training sessions in the morning rather than in the evening to reduce sleep onset latency.• Use natural light to wake up in the morning.

Create arelaxingbedtimeroutine

• Turn off your television, no tablet or cell phones either.• Take a hot shower or leisurely warm bath before bedtime.• Reserve your bed for sleeping.• Go to sleep by 11 p.m., restorative sleep occurs between 10 p.m. and 2 a.m.

Eat andDrink

Correctly

• Stay away from big meals at night.• Cut down on caffeine.• Avoid drinking too many liquids in the evening.• Avoid drinking alcohol.

Make Yourbedroom

sleep friendly

• Keep noise down.• Keep your room dark and cool.• Make sure your bed is comfortable

Get anxietyand stress

in check

• Meditate in the mornings.• Adopt a deep breathing method.• Tense all the muscles as tightly as you can, then relax.• Close your eyes and try taking deep, slow breaths.Sleep resources

Apps

Headspace Sleep Cycle Calm

PODcasts

The Model Health Show:Help Me Sleep! - Episodes 4, 5 & 6

How long to nap10-20 minThis power nap is ideal for a boost in alertness and energy, experts say. This length usually limits you to the lighter stages of non-rapid eye movement (NREM) sleep, making it easier to hit the ground running after waking up.

30 minSome studies show sleeping this long may cause sleep inertia, a hangover-like groggy feeling that lasts for up to 30 minutesafter waking up, before the nap’s restorative benefitsbecome apparent.

60 minThis nap is best for improvement in remembering facts, facesand names. It includes slow-wave sleep, the deepest type.The downside: some grogginess upon waking up.

90 minThis is a full cycle of sleep, meaning the lighter and deeper stages,including REM sleep, typically likened to the dreaming stage.This leads to improved emotional and procedural memory(i.e. riding a bike, playing the piano) and creativity. A nap of thislength typically avoids sleep inertia, making it easier to wake up.

Sleep & exercisebetter sleep = better exercisebetter exercise = better sleepAccording to a Stanford basketball sleep study, an increase in sleep for the players led to faster sprints and an increase inshots made, and a decrease in fouls committed and turnovers.

How much sleep the pros get (Average sleeper: 6 H 44 M)

Roger Federer - 12 H

Usain Bolt - 8-10 H

Lebron James - 12 H

Venus Williams - 8-9 H

Tiger Woods - 4-5 HMindfulness MeditationThe most common non-medical causes of insomnia are stress and anxiety.

Have a nightly routine

Walk through your bedroom door and

leave the day behind you

Breathe 4-7-8 Live in the momentPast = guilt & frustrationFuture = anxiety & fear

Meditation AppsMeditation Apps

InsightTimer

Calm Aura Omvana Stop, Breath& Think

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