I sleep when I am done ! – Thumbs Down !

Did you ever listen to motivational speakers ?

• I dont’s sleep when I am tired, I sleep when I am done !
• Sleep is for those who are broke !
• There are 24 hours in a day, if you slept 8hours, one third is gone !
• I worked so hard, that I forgot to sleep !
• I look at the time you wake up and I can tell how productive you are !

I understand these statements and also understand where they are coming from. However, sleep is the most important aspect of quality life. The more you sleep, the better the experience it gets ! Every single day I , and you should too, wake up with excitement.

I have some personal experiences with lack of sleep. However it was very much preplanned. Not just zombi walking around to stay awake ! I understood myself and my goals.
I had a day job, what I really liked, however, my performance was never rewarded, nor I wanted to improve my company position, because of the clearly visible pressure on leaders for low salaries. That meant that I did basically what I wanted at work, it did not affect anything.
I decided to wake up every day for 2 years in-between 3 and 4am. 5am if wanted to train. I still ran every day and time to time did some multiday hikes, but most of my physical training was very basic. Maybe all together 10hours average a week.
That 5 to 6hours of time before the 9:30 shift was the only thing what mattered. I made it count. I did tons of research and learning at the beginning because I did not know what to do with my time. I started taking notes. Those notes became posts and articles. I pulled up a successful blog and youtube channel. It started making money. I got new clients for personal training for some early mornings…
However there are some things that got a hit in my life. Real sport performance and relationship. Of course I am very disciplined, so when I say got a hit, it is nothing really serious. I got some little stupid arguments with my wife and training was a bit up and down. Not like I got divorced, gained 20pounds and my 10k time went up from 34 to 44 ! No !
The first is because of the lack of sleep, the second is because of the drive ! The only thing that mattered is that 5-6 hours in the dark all alone with my thoughts !
It allowed me to just get laser focus on what I was doing and want to be doing. I learnt a lot and for sure I would do differently now !

Sleep

If you don’t sleep you don’t recover. That is just plain truth. In case of early morning mental performance is not that problematic. However the moment you include regular physical activities and still want to perform mentally afterwards, you’d be better f….g sleeping a lot ! In case of endurance some little compromise can be done here and there. In case of fast sports and activities though, when senses are important like table tennis, martial art 3D shooting, bow hunting, sprinting, rock climbing and alpinism, nervous system recovery is obligatory ! Sleep !

Instead of cutting back on sleep, I most likely recommend cutting back on screen time for instance and improving nutrition and nutrition periodisation. Getting hydration under control. That is so brutally true ! 90% of athletes are chronically dehydrated and the rest are generally dehydrated ! Fact ! Ironman athletes train 20 to 60hours a week. Ask them how much they drink ! Answer ? 3 to 3.5 liters ! Wtf ? That is the normal for a man doing only walking and mental work ! Also, people don’t even know that hydration is about salt and minerals too. Using plain water will just wash through you body !
When hydrated, your hunger signals and brain signals to sleep become regulated too !

Sleep is the remedy for so many diseases ! Combined with correct nutrition, hydration or fasting as an example, can cure injuries and disease !

Sleep alone is already great ! Sleep early in a calm room. Dark ! Cool ! On a quality bed ! With no lights and electricity around ! Waking up with no alarm ! Sleep early if can !
Making this regular will already create amazing results in motivation, creativity and productivity !

You can increase periodically the stimulation towards sleep. Drinking a light wild lavender tea and using a lavender essential oil diffusor. Having  cold shower summer time, before bed time or a contrast shower finishing hot winter time. Using breathing, starting with controlled long exhales and progressing towards natural chest dropping sighs. You can massage your tempes, the tip of your jaws under your ears with some coconut oil. Taking magnesium, massaging with magnesium oil. Using CBD capsules or oils or both at the same time.

Personally I just shower down after my dinner. Put my count down timer for 1 or 2minutes. Do some pose holds with light stretching in about 10 positions while breathing slowly. Listen to piano music. Ludovico Einaudi.

Troubled with sleep ?

• Stop coffee
• Stop alcohol
• Stop tea
• Stop meat before bed
• Eat carbs before bed
• Stop eating 2 to 3hours before bed

Assuming you don’t drink coke, eat crap and behaving badly, these should help to be a better sleeper.