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Pillow Talk: Chasing Your Dreams Through Better Sleep
Plus: 6 Steps For Consistent Quality Sleep
Jake Miyazaki
December 19, 2023
We’ve all heard it before. Sleep is critical for our well-being.
Most of us still live in ignorance of this fact, usually by convincing ourselves that we “don’t have time” (News flash: You do) or cruising on autopilot to avoid accountability.
But the reality is, if we want to live a passionate life relentlessly chasing after our goals and achieving a deep sense of purpose, quality sleep isn’t optional.
It’s not something we can “catch up on” over the weekend.
It’s an essential building block for living a better life.
💡 An Idea to Consider
Consistent, quality sleep makes us happier, more productive, protects us from mental and physical disease, and even makes us live longer.
😴 Sleep: Why You Should Care
Sleep is a widely studied topic in science, so luckily we have a ton of data on it.
Here’s what you need to know.
High Quality Sleep is Correlated With:
The Impact:
📈 A longer life
🧘♀️ Increased focus, productivity, better decision making
🤗 Better mood, appetite control, sexual performance
❤️🩹 Decreased likelihood of depression, other mental health disorders
🫀 Decreased likelihood of heart disease, diabetes, and stroke
💪 More energy, less fatigue, better gains
🤝 Take Action: 6 Steps to Dial In Your Sleep
Alright alright, I get it. Sleep is important. But how can I actually fix my sleep habits and start reaping all of these benefits?
1. Find your sleep number
Science tells us that the golden number for adults is 7 ± 1 hour. 2
Most people should start at 7 and go from there. If you have a more physically or mentally demanding life, start at the upper end of the spectrum.
If your life is pretty chill, you might be able to get away with less.
Constantly recalibrate this number as your lifestyle and demands change.
2. Add an hour for a bedtime routine + falling asleep
This block’s first 30-45 minutes is for your bedtime routine.
The last 15-30 minutes is for the transition period as you’re falling asleep.
You’re not actually asleep during this time, so don’t cheat and count this as part of your sleep number.
3. Build habits & routines that support quality sleep
After you’ve settled on your sleep number and allocated that extra hour, start prioritizing habits that facilitate better sleep and create a bedtime routine you can stick to.
This doesn’t just mean focusing on the hour leading up to sleep, it also means making better decisions throughout the day.
As far as your routine goes, it doesn’t have to be anything grandiose. It just has to be relaxing and consistent.
The goal here is to signal to your body and mind that it’s time for sleep.
Over time, you’ll start associating your routine with sleep, and your biochemistry will reflect this.
Falling asleep and waking up at the same time will start to feel effortless.
Building blocks for consistent quality sleep:
Relaxing activities before bed: Reading, meditating, stretching, etc.
Lowering your bedroom temperature
Exercising (but not too close to bedtime)
Waking up at the same time every day
Things that sabotage your sleep:
Consuming caffeine within 10 hours of sleeping
Using screens (especially phones/computers) < 1 hour before bed
Spending time in bed outside of sleeping
Exercising or eating within ~2-3 hours of sleep
4. Start viewing your sleep as sacred 🙅♂️
Don’t take it lightly when something threatens your sleep or bedtime routine.
Set boundaries and stick to them.
It’s an essential part of the better life you’re building, so treat it that way.
5. Prioritize consistency & waking up at the same time
At some point, you’ll inevitably fail and go to sleep later than usual. When this happens, make sure you still wake up at the same time.
Be wary of the societal norm that you “deserve” to sleep in on the weekend. Oversleeping is associated with most of the same negative outcomes as a lack of sleep. 2
Sleep deprivation followed by waves of over-sleeping is a pattern that truly sabotages your mental and physical health 7 days a week.
What your body and mind really deserve is a consistent good night of rest every single day.
6. Bonus: Supplementation
I almost didn’t include this section because supplements are a slippery slope.
People tend to over-index on them because they’re easy, and don’t require any actual work. The problem is they’re never as effective as changing your behavior and habits.
With that said, it feels disingenuous not to mention magnesium, something that I take nightly.
The TLDR: Magnesium is an essential mineral that plays a role in regulating a hormone called GABA, which produces a calming and relaxing effect and can help us fall asleep.
The optimal chemical form of magnesium is still widely debated, but the sleep foundation recommends magnesium glycinate. So that’s probably a safe bet.
Sleep will always be a part of all of our lives, but it should never be just another box to check.
It’s a double edged sword that each and every one of us is equipped with, either to our demise or our success.
How will you choose to wield it?
“Your future depends on your dreams, so go to sleep.”
📣 Attention Growth Gang Members: I Need Your Help 🤝
We’re nearing the end of the year and I’ve been thinking a lot about all the changes and positive growth I’d like to see in 2024.
One of these is to hear interact more with the readers of this community to help even more people live happier, more fulfilling lives through this newsletter.
Your input truly matters.
If you have a spare 15 seconds, it would mean a ton if you answered these two anonymous questions ⬇️
Next week’s topic is a big one—can you guess what it is?
Cheers to a week of growing, and happy holidays to everyone celebrating 💚
