Actively embrace sleep as it profoundly impacts daily functioning, relationships (empathy), creativity, memory, and long-term health, including immune response, blood pressure, glucose regulation, and risk of obesity, type 2 diabetes, infection, and cancer.
Get daily exposure to morning light, especially for 90% of people, as it advances the body clock, helping you get up and go to bed earlier and aligning your sleep-wake cycle to the appropriate time of day.
Actively seek bright natural light in the morning (hundreds to thousands of lux range) because average domestic light is 50-100 times dimmer and insufficient to effectively set the biological clock. If light intensity is lower, compensate by increasing the duration of exposure.
Avoid any form of emotional stimulation in the evening, particularly before bed, by setting clear boundaries with family and friends (e.g., no contact after a certain time unless emergency) and postponing emotionally charged discussions like family finances to an earlier time, to prevent increased alertness and delayed sleep.
Avoid interactive devices like smartphones before bed, as their multi-tasking nature (checking emails, social media, news, listening to music) significantly increases alertness and thereby delays sleep onset, more so than simple reading devices.
Concentrate your calorie intake during breakfast and lunchtime, and aim for a very light or earlier supper, as this dietary pattern is beneficial for metabolic health, reduces the chances of weight gain, obesity, and type 2 diabetes.
Adopt a gradual winding-down routine before bed, such as reading a novel under dim light or listening to relaxing music, to smoothly transition from a fully conscious wake state to a sleep state, making it easier to fall asleep.
Use low lux, amber-colored bulbs in your bedroom or bedside lamps to reduce alertness and facilitate easier sleep onset, while also helping to define the sleeping space as a dedicated area for rest.
Reinforce your bedroom or sleeping space as dedicated to sleep by ensuring a comfortable mattress and pillows, and using distinctive, sleep-associated smells like lavender or a familiar scent (e.g., partner’s perfume when traveling) to create a strong mental association with the sleep state.
Define your biological and social needs for sleep and tune your schedule accordingly, adjusting bedtimes and wake times to ensure personal well-being and optimal functioning, as exemplified by going to bed by 9 pm and waking by 5 am for personal time.
Consider incorporating AG1, a daily health drink, into your routine to support digestion and enrich your gut microbiome with its five strains of beneficial bacteria and plant-based compounds.
For a limited time, get a free AG1 flavor sampler, AGZ sampler, free vitamin D3 and K2, and an AG1 welcome kit with your first AG1 subscription order, totaling $87 in free gifts.