Did you know that 10,000 years ago, almost everything we did was determined by our circadian rhythm? During daylight hours, we were hard at work gathering food and building shelter. Like a squirrel in the fall, we were busy scurrying around to build a shelter and secure abundant fuel for the coming winter.
When the sun went down, we slept. This natural rhythm meant we got deep, restorative sleep, helping us wake up the next day feeling energized.
Today, televisions, computers, and smartphones keep us awake long after the sun has set, disrupting our circadian rhythm.
Understanding sleep debt.
This disruption can be significant. Sleep debt, the cumulative loss of sleep hour by hour, can affect hormone balance, metabolism, and appetite. Even losing a fraction of the recommended amount of sleep per night can impact your health.
Along with emotional impact, sleep deprivation can take a toll on your cognitive abilities, including perception, judgment, reaction time, and decision-making. Over time, this chronic sleep loss can quietly sabotage both health and productivity.
Sleep isn’t optional recovery — it’s a biological requirement.
To help discover if you are getting enough sleep, answer the following questions honestly. Do you:
- Wake up tired in the morning?
- Lack purpose when you start your day?
- Need a nap in the afternoon?
- Fall asleep watching TV?
- Feel irrational, anxious, or depressed often?
- Eat large or sugary meals late in the evening?
- Have difficulty falling asleep?
- Have difficulty staying asleep?
If you answered yes to more than three of these questions, your sleep could be undermining your health goals.
The good news: better sleep is within your control.
The Habits of Healthy Sleep provides simple strategies to restore your circadian rhythm, improve sleep quality, and enhance your energy, metabolism, and mental clarity. Here are a few tips to help you get started:
- Set a bedtime and wake time and stick to it – even on the weekends. Choose times that allow for about 7.5 hours of sleep and suit your chronotype (learn more on page 407 of Dr. A’s Habits of Health). Set reminders on your phone if needed, especially in the beginning.
- Limit caffeine and alcohol. These can interfere with the quality of your sleep, especially when consumed later in the day.
- Make your bedroom a sleep sanctuary. Keep it cool, dark, quiet, and free of distractions. Invest in comfortable bedding and blackout curtains if needed.
- Be patient and consistent. It can take a few weeks for your body to adjust, especially if your current sleep habits are irregular.
Just like healthy eating or creating daily movement, quality sleep is a Healthy Habit that requires intention and consistency.
For more guidance on Habits of Healthy Sleep, open up your copy of Dr. A’s Habits of Health or Your LifeBook, but these simple tips should help you start improving your sleep today.