Unlocking the Secrets of Rest
“Happiness is waking up, looking at the clock and finding that you still have two hours to sleep.”
- Charles Schulz
My mom always said my dad could fall asleep sitting on a fence post. Pop would always say it was because he had a clear conscience. Whatever the reason, the ability to go to sleep has always been a challenge for me. It wasn’t because I couldn’t get comfortable, but because I was so excited about what the next day would bring.
Sleep is not just a time to recharge my body; it is a powerful force that shapes my mental, emotional, and physical well-being. If you can’t do anything else to take care of yourself—workout, eat right, walk, do yoga, hydrate—getting a full night's rest will be a bridge to staying healthy.
The Science Behind Sleep
So that you know I’m not pulling this out of my backside, here are some things I have learned as I researched sleep during my career.
Imagine your brain as a busy city at night. As darkness falls, streetlights flicker on, and traffic slows down. This is similar to what happens during sleep—your mind shifts gears into maintenance mode. The researchers at the top of their game told me that during deep sleep, your brain clears out toxins accumulated throughout the day and solidifies memories formed while you were awake. In fact, their studies demonstrated that adequate sleep enhances learning and creativity.
Taking a step back in history, Thomas Edison was known for taking short naps throughout his workday to fuel his creative bursts. His belief in rest as an essential part of innovation reminds us that we often overlook the synergy between creativity and recuperation.
The top athletes I worked with practiced rest and sleep protocols to increase their athletic abilities. They would wear watches that measured their sleep to ensure that they were not only sleeping but also phasing in and out of their best sleep to help them recover more effectively.
Emotional Resilience
The connection between sleep and emotional health cannot be overstated. Have you ever noticed how you are more irritable after a restless night? When we skimp on sleep, our emotional regulation falters, leading to heightened stress responses and diminished resilience.
If you have children, you know how sleep affects their moods and ability to work through stress. This doesn’t just stop when you “grow up”. At any stage of your life, when you are overly tired, you will tend to overreact to the most minor irritants – people being late, repetitive questions, while driving – they add up quicker and you respond harsher than you really should.
When we get our sleep, we handle chaos a little better. We change our reaction levels to fit the situation. We gain empathy. When the person pulls out in front of us, we don’t flip them off; instead, we consider that they may be in a hurry to get to an appointment, shake our heads, and drive on.
The Physical Powerhouse
Sleep impacts our minds and is crucial for our physical health. As we sleep, growth hormones are released while immune functions peak—two vital processes essential for recovery from illness or injury.
Athletes understand this better than anyone else. The top athletes will sleep around 12 hours a day! For them, it’s not merely about performance enhancement; it’s about maintaining longevity in their career. Athletes recognize that their bodies need time to repair muscles torn during rigorous training sessions; they understand that good performance begins with restorative sleep.
The average person who is a consistent runner or will train in a weight room must understand that their activities' most significant growth and development don’t come while they are training but in the sleep and recovery that occurs between training bouts.
When we train, we stress the muscle. When we train correctly, our work creates microscopic tears in our muscles because we have pushed the system farther than it was used to. The tears are openings for more growth and development. Our soreness after a workout (Don’t get me started on the difference between pain and soreness) comes from these tears and the stress on your joints, ligaments, tendons, and bone structure. The body calls to the brain to grow, improve, heal, and become more efficient in its cardiovascular pursuits.
All of this is happening during our sleep. Without even trying, you are building your body into a physical powerhouse.
Breaking Down Barriers: Myths About Sleep
Despite its significance, I have had to tell my athletes about the myths surrounding sleep that are used as excuses for them not getting the sleep they need.
· “I’ll catch up on weekends.” While sleeping longer on weekends might seem appealing, research shows that this will not fully reverse the effects of chronic deprivation. It’s like you have a sleep bank and all you need to do is have X hours a week. Each day the “sleep bill” comes, and if you don’t get enough, you are now in a sleep deficit.
· “I’m fine with five hours.”: Some may pride themselves on being “short sleepers,” but studies show that consistently getting less than seven hours can lead to serious long-term health consequences. Just because you are functional with five hours doesn’t mean you are working at full capacity. Take time to get your sleep in so that you are always at your best.
· “Napping is for the lazy.”: I’ll go to war on this one. Naps can boost alertness and enhance performance if timed correctly! Recent studies have shown that people who get 3 – 4 power naps (20 minutes or less) are less likely to have coronary issues.
By dispelling these misconceptions about rest, we can better understand how vital it is in our daily lives.
Getting the Best Sleep: Practical Tips
So how do we get the best sleep possible? Here are some actionable tips:
· Create a Sleep Sanctuary: Make your bedroom a restful haven by keeping it dark and cool and minimizing noise. That means get the TV out of your bedroom. You don’t need to be distracted and fall asleep watching the TV. Your body goes to sleep but your brain still listens to the TV. Soon the TV show becomes part of your dreams. During this time, your brain is not healing the body, but still working on solving the problems on the TV show.
· Establish Consistent Routines: Go to bed and wake up simultaneously every day—even on weekends—to regulate your body clock. When you get into a habit, you will soon see fewer roller coaster mood swings and clearer lines of thought throughout the day.
· Limit Screen Time Before Bed: Blue light emitted by devices can interfere with melatonin production; consider reading or meditating instead. I heard a comedian say that his girl is too tired for his advances but will stay up until 2:00 a.m., death scrolling on her phone. The light from the screen is telling your brain that it should be awake, so when you do finish scrolling, your mind will still be thinking about what you were watching. Soon, you will have baby goats quoting Marcus Aurelius.
· Practice Relaxation Techniques: Activities like slow, easy stretching or deep-breathing exercises before bedtime can ease anxiety and promote better rest. Combine this with turning off your electronics thirty minutes before you start your sleep process, and you will find your best sleep.
The Awakening
As we move along our path and encounter life’s demands—balancing careers, relationships, hobbies—it’s easy to dismiss the importance of quality sleep as merely indulgent or unnecessary. However, recognizing its profound influence opens doors to healthier physical and mental choices.
The next time you find yourself reaching for another cup of coffee or pushing through fatigue to meet deadlines, remember this: sometimes success isn’t about working harder; it's about resting smarter. Prioritize those precious hours spent asleep—they hold more power than you think—and watch how they transform not just your days but your entire life journey into one filled with vitality and purpose.
So, reclaim your nights as sacred spaces where dreams become reality. When we embrace the magic of deep, restful sleep, we wake up refreshed and ready to conquer whatever challenges lie!
Have an amazing night's sleep!
