Sleep Optimisation Protocol

You know how they say success starts the night before?

The quality of your daytime productivity hinges on 2 areas: your morning routine and your evening routine. A productive day starts with the regularity of high-quality sleep, emphasizing the importance of consistent practices.

If there is one area of health and fitness you should care about, it's unequivocally sleep. It's the best nootropic for overall well-being, it serves as the best stress relief, immune booster, hormone augmentation, and emotional stabilizer.

In this context, I present the Peak Sleep Optimization Protocol:

1. Caffeine Management:

• Recognize that the half-life of caffeine extends to 5-6 hours, impacting sleep cycles, particularly deep sleep (Roehrs, T., Roth, T., 2008).
• Strive to abstain from caffeine within 8-10 hours of bedtime, or even extend it to 12-14 hours, as suggested by sleep expert Dr. Matt Walker (Walker, 2017).

2. Light Regulation:

• Acknowledge the profound influence of light on alertness and sleep patterns.
• Use artificial lighting only as necessary for safety at night, incorporating blue blockers if needed
• Avoid exposure to bright lights, especially overhead lights, between 9 pm and 4 am (Brainard, G. et al, 2001).
• Candles and moonlight are viable sources of natural light (As suggested by Dr. Huberman in his podcast)

3. Bedroom Environment:

• Recognize the vitalitt of body temperature in effective sleep; a drop of 1-3 degrees is essential.
• Maintain a cool room temperature (60 to 67 degrees Fahrenheit or 15.6 to 19.4 degrees Celsius) using blackout blinds or a sleep mask as needed (Kr?uchi, K., & Wirz-Justice, A., 1994).

4. Mental Control:

• Address the challenge of quieting the mind before bedtime through bodily interventions such as meditation, yoga or hypnosis (Ong, J. C., Shapiro, S. L., & Manber, R., 2008).
• Prioritize activities that focus on breathing and bodily control, such as 5 minutes of nasal breathing when getting into bed.

To give you an example of what an evening routine that is optimised for maximum productivity the next day looks like, here is The Peak Performance Evening Routine:

2 Hours Before Bed

• Do not eat.
• Keep your phone away in a drawer on "do not disturb" mode.
• Dim all lights below eye level.
• If watching TV, use blue light blockers.
• Write down your to-do list/thoughts for tomorrow.

1 Hour Before Bed

• Ensure the bedroom/house/workspace is tidy and clutter-free.
• Non-screen soothing activities (Writing, Reading, Drawing)
• Brain Dump

30 Minutes Before Bed

• Wash and clean your teeth (consider a warm shower to lower core temperature).
• Ensure the bedroom is dark and at the correct temperature.
• Optional: 5 minutes of nasal breathing.
• If falling asleep is challenging, engage in reading or non-screen activities.

By using this protocol you will be able to consistently achieve 7–9 hours of rejuvenating sleep, waking up refreshed and you'll be ready to seize the day without those midday crashes!

Ready to maximize your executive performance through enhanced sleep strategies? Let's delve into tailored approaches to optimize your sleep, boost productivity, and elevate your leadership game.

Schedule your call today with us today and unlock the potential for unparalleled success: https://calendly.com/samirosierfitness/health-audit

References:

1. Walker, M. (2017). Why We Sleep: Unlocking the Power of Sleep and Dreams. Simon & Schuster.
2. Roehrs, T., & Roth, T. (2008). Caffeine: Sleep and daytime sleepiness. Sleep Medicine Reviews, 12(2), 153-162.
3. Brainard, G. C., Hanifin, J. P., Greeson, J. M., Byrne, B., Glickman, G., Gerner, E., & Rollag, M. D. (2001). Action spectrum for melatonin regulation in humans: evidence for a novel circadian photoreceptor. Journal of Neuroscience, 21(16), 6405-6412.
4. Kr?uchi, K., & Wirz-Justice, A. (1994). Circadian rhythm of heat production, heart rate, and skin and core temperature under unmasking conditions in men. American Journal of Physiology-Regulatory, Integrative and Comparative Physiology, 267(3), R819-R829.
5. Ong, J. C., Shapiro, S. L., & Manber, R. (2008). Mindfulness meditation and cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia: a naturalistic 12-month follow-up. Explore, 4(3), 178-186.