Sleep to me is like a Cadbury Favourites Box. Sometimes you'll get a Boost (good), other times you'll end up with a Picnic (not so good). But, how do you control that? Other than tipping out the whole box to find which one you want (impossible for sleep, possible for chocolates) there are a few tips I have come across recently that I think you will find very interesting.
You don't need to sleep in blocks
This whole sleeping 7-8 hours a night thing is totally just a phase. A really, really long phase. I was listening to a Podcast recently and the man (forget his name, and don't ask for the name of the Podcast either because I forget that too), was explaining that as cavemen and even before that, humans would sleep in small blocks spaced throughout the day. For example if you were hunting for food, the best time for this would be either early evening when it is easy to disguise, and at sunrise when the prey would be just waking. These days, that is when we all switch off our phones (not) and hit the hay!
The Podcast was explaining that an adult human body these days only truly needs 5 rounds of 90 minute sleeping blocks. This can be spread out into a morning nap, afternoon kip and evening snooze just as long as you keep active in the waking hours.
He used an example of how some elite athletes are starting to do this when travelling in order to fit in training sessions and to accommodate jet lag. Giving them 90 minutes sleep when they land before waking at 6am to train, only to eat afterwards and have maybe 1-2 90 minute blocks of rest/sleep before going again.
...I'm not telling you that napping at work is ok.. I'm just saying that it should definitely be put forward to the boss as a possibility. #netflixallnight #napallday
Eye masks
Yes yes yes. I'm bringing them back! Eye masks are a thing, get around them!
In my recent travels I have been using a super cute and super expensive Kmart eye mask. #ballin. I originally bought it purely to use while on a plane, but have found myself searching for it at night whilst in bed also. It eliminates all light (even the light you didn't know you could see) and the feeling of having something almost heavy on your eyes is the most relaxing feeling ever.
NB: Highly recommend my $3 fox face from Kmart, my friend has a pure silk one and it is terrible. Falls off all the time. Kmart forever.
Food one hour before bed
Food - I love it so much, but having any type of food right before bed isn't good for us. It starts up your whole digestive system one last time for the day and can make you have a restless, disrupted nights sleep. Eating 1-2 hours prior to going to bed will allow your body enough time to process the food and fully digest which then gives your body more focus on recovering your muscles, tissues, cells and brain for the day ahead.
NB: If you feel like you could nap after a meal, you have over eaten!
I hope these tips have helped turn your restless, Picnic nights into an undisrupted Boost!
Goodnight,
PS. Move more, move better
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