If You Don't Fix This Your Lifespan Will Shrink - The Sleep Epidemic

Hey there! 👋 - Payal here,

Welcome to the 1st edition of The Elevated Mindset!

Its no surprise that sleep is an important human activity. Yet, with our modern lifestyles, many of us are sleep deprived.

Sleep is linked to our physical & mental health, productivity, & decision making.

If you want to start improving your performance, start with your sleep.

Today, I'm going to break down Dr. Matthew Walker's illuminating view on sleep & 7 habits you can incorporate now to fix yours 💪 

Let's dive in!

Estimated Reading Time = 3 minutes

Dr. Matthew Walker

Dr. Matthew Walker is a neuroscientist professor of neuroscience and psychology at UC Berkeley, the Director of its Sleep and Neuroimaging Lab, and a former professor of psychiatry at Harvard University.

He has published over 100 scientific studies and has appeared on 60 Minutes, Nova, BBC News, and NPR’s Science Friday. Why We Sleep is his first book.

He definitely knows his stuff!

Quality Sleep Explained In 1 Minute

According to Dr. Walker, quality sleep is characterized by three main factors:

Duration: Quality sleep should last for around 7-9 hours each night, depending on an individual's age and other factors.

Sleep Stages: Quality sleep involves cycling through the various stages of sleep, including non-REM (NREM) and REM sleep.

NREM sleep - body undergoes restorative processes such as muscle repair

REM - crucial for memory consolidation and emotional regulation.

Continuous Sleep: Experiencing uninterrupted sleep throughout the night. Fragmented sleep, even if it adds up to the recommended duration, can lead to decreased cognitive function and impaired physical health.

In summary, quality sleep is characterized by sufficient duration, cycling through different stages of sleep, and continuity without interruptions.

Dangers Of Being Sleep Deprived

Hold your coffee/chai...you might want to hear this.

Failure to get enough sleep puts you at the risk of:

• Alzheimer's disease

• Cancer

• Diabetes

• Heart Diseases

• Death

• & More....

Factors that impact quality of sleep include:

• Stress

• Inconsistent sleep habits

• Exposure to artificial light

• Caffeine

• Alcohol

• Sleep apnea

• Insomnia

• Weight

7 Habits To Fix Your Sleep Today

You can't "make up" for lost sleep, but you can work on building better sleep habits now to benefit your future self.

The 7 Habits:

• Avoid alcohol in the evening

• Maintain a consistent sleep schedule of 8-9 hours per day

• Avoid hitting the snooze button

• Get in bed early

• Limit screen time before bed

• Practice deep breathing exercises

• Re-hydrate upon waking up

Prioritize sleep and make it a regular part of your daily routine to ensure your body is getting the rest it needs to function properly.

TL;DR

7 Habits To Fix Your Sleep Today:

1. Avoid alcohol in the evening

2. Maintain a consistent sleep schedule of 8-9 hours per day

3. Avoid hitting the snooze button

4. Get in bed early

5. Limit screen time before bed

6. Practice deep breathing exercises

7. Re-hydrate upon waking up

That's a wrap! Thanks for reading! 

Want to read more? Check out my past editions here!

Till next time! 👋

-Payal