Free Shipping On Orders Over $75. Get Prime Delivery At Our Amazon Store!
Free Shipping On Orders Over $75. Get Prime Delivery At Our Amazon Store!
by Tony Gjokaj September 25, 2021 7 min read
A little over 10 years ago, I was overweight, had insomnia, and was depressed.
With depression, I would sit in bed overthinking things regularly, with myself falling asleep around midnight... and waking up around 3 am.
Upon waking at 3 am, I could not go back to sleep.
This had a negative impact on me negatively as the days and months went on.
Having depression and poor sleep hygiene led to my depression becoming worse.
It was not until I started exercising that my insomnia went away and I was able to sleep for 8 hours of uninterrupted sleep. My depression also lessened.
Most of us KNOW we have to get 7-9 hours of sleep.
But most of us also do not know HOW to get enough sleep.
In fact, most of us don't really know what it feels like to sleep well.
So in this post, we are going to explore the entirety of sleep, and how to improve the quality of sleep.
Let's dive in!
Sleep is the most important anchor that pretty much optimizes every bodily system we have. Quality sleep hygiene helps our brain and body recover, helps us maintain our physical health, helps improve our mood, wellbeing, and more.
Consistent sleep deprivation, on the other hand, increases the risk of illnesses, can lead to us consuming more "junk food" (overconsumption of calories), and more.
Most notably, sleep deprivation can have a large impact on mental health and depressive symptoms.
When it comes to sleep, there are two processes that help us fall asleep, or stay awake.
For starters, adenosine, a key regulator of sleep, builds up in our brain to help us fall asleep in the evening. The more adenosine builds up, the more it makes us sleepy. Adenosine is built up from all of the activities we do in our day-to-day.
In addition to adenosine, another factor that can impact our sleep is our circadian rhythm. That rhythm is controlled by light. Light exposure can keep us awake for longer periods of time.
This is why if someone pulls an all-nighter and gets daylight exposure, they may feel like they have more energy than they did staying awake through that all-nighter.
Darkness in the evening, however, primes us to fall asleep. When this occurs, our body signals melatonin to be produced so that we can fall asleep.
Most people typically wake up around sunrise.
When we wake up in the morning, cortisol is released.
This alerts our body to get up and start moving.
Essentially, the release of cortisol in the morning is a "timer" that prepares the secretion of melatonin within 12-14 hours.
Now that we have an understanding of how the sleep process occurs, we can set up strategies that can help us optimize our sleep.
The following are some of the foundational strategies we recommend for sleep.
Irregular sleep schedules are connected to poor quality of sleep. Our body's circadian rhythm prefers regularity and consistency.
Here are a few things we recommend when it comes to setting up a consistent sleep schedule:
While you might not be able to do this 100% of the time (family gatherings, events, etc), shoot for at least 90% consistency.
Go outside and view the sunrise in the morning. Getting light exposure in the morning will help our cortisol released earlier in the day and makes it a lot more optimal to secrete melatonin later in the evening.
Light exposure has also been shown to treat the majority of insomnia cases. In this study, morning light exposure improved both the quality and quantity of sleep.
This is probably why people who tend to be early risers report better reaction times and energy levels than night owls, a factor in sleep quality.
Early risers tend to get sunlight exposure in the morning which helps them build the pressure to sleep in the evening.
Here are a few recommendations when it comes to sun exposure:
As your sleep-wake cycle follows a circadian clock, it's important to do your best to follow this.
Go to sleep when it is dark out.
Be awake when the sun is rising.
We recommend two things:
While the quality of sleep is super important, so is quantity. The average person should get about 7-9 hours of sleep.
Plan for that.
Schedule your life accordingly.
According to Harvard Health, artificial blue light can impact our circadian rhythm before bed. This is because the neurons in our eyes respond to light to signal our brain to be awake.
The blue light from electronics replicates sunlight, which can have a negative impact on our quality of sleep.
As light levels decrease in the evening, melatonin starts to get secreted. Exposure to artificial light will suppress this process.
Here’s what I recommend if you can’t remove blue light exposure:
Alcohol depresses our nervous system, and while alcohol may help people fall asleep easily, it will impair the sleep-wake cycle. This means the quality of sleep will be interrupted or impacted.
Limit alcohol consumption as best as you can.
Don't get too buzzed!
Caffeine is an adenosine antagonist, meaning that it blocks the build-up of sleepiness. In other words, it promotes wakefulness.
This is why we don't recommend Starbucks in the evening.
It is important to monitor your caffeine intake, and what time you consume caffeine.
And while it is different for everyone, here's what we recommend:
Exercise improves the quality of sleep by normalizing our circadian rhythm. This is why those who exercise early in the morning report better sleep quality, and even sometimes end up becoming early risers over time.
If you prefer exercising in the evening, limit the intensity of your cardiovascular exercises. Cardiovascular exercise sometimes energizes people after their workouts - ESPECIALLY early risers.
However, those who are night owls may report better sleep quality with late night exercise than early birds.
I train in the evenings (~5-7 pm). When it comes to resistance training (weight training), I find myself having an easy time falling asleep afterward.
The follow are micro-strategies are those you can use to destress.
Let's explore the final few strategies.
A recent study found that journaling about tomorrow's challenges can improve one's quality of sleep.
If you're worried about tomorrow's challenges, take 5 minutes to journal or write in your planner before bed. This will help you organize your thoughts and may bring some ease for tomorrow.
While you are unwinding, read before bed.
Reading reduces stress for over-thinkers and those who deal with anxiety or depression.
Use a lamp or use something like an Amber Book Light to read.
I recommend a fiction read before bed.
Dream well!
Nature sounds may help you fall asleep peacefully.
When I used to work 10-12 hour days at my old job, it became a ritual to tell my Amazon Echo to play nature sounds.
It was very relaxing to hear rainforest sounds before bed.
A nice, hot shower can help prime you to destress and fall asleep. Those who bathe or shower in hot water before bed report better sleep quality.
That post-workout evening shower was always something I would look forward to before bed.
Stretching, Yoga or Meditation may help you destress before bed.
Mindfulness exercises have been shown to fight insomnia and improve sleep.
Once you've got everything covered, consider supplementing with melatonin on days where you know you won't sleep well.
And we've got you covered here.
Drift is our melatonin sleep drink crafted to help you build calmness before bed and help you sleep through the night.
Combined with other nootropic ingredients, expect to have a damn good night's rest with it.
You can get yours here on Amazon.
To summarize, here are some of the things we recommend to be of foundational importance when it comes to sleep:
If you follow some of these behaviors, you will notice your sleep schedule will become more consistent.
I wanted to take the time to thank you all for reading this one!
I hope it provided some insights on how to better improve your sleep.
Any questions or comments? Feel free to email us at support@reforgedperformance.com or direct message us on Instagram!
Until next time, Reforged Warrior!
Tony is the Owner of Reforged. He is a PN1 Certified Nutrition Coach and has been in the fitness space for over a decade. His goal is to help millions exercise their way out of depression and anxiety.
by Tony Gjokaj November 16, 2023 2 min read
I have been reading quite a few articles surrounding depression and its connection to lifestyle habits.
In recent years, scientists have started to discover that depression is not just a "chemical imbalance".
It's much more complex than that, and a lot of evidence is pointing towards positive habits helping to alleviate or reduce the risk of depression.
by Tony Gjokaj November 14, 2023 3 min read
Insomnia is a common sleep disorder that affects millions of people worldwide.
It is characterized by difficulty falling asleep, staying asleep, or both, despite the opportunity for adequate sleep.
This can lead to decreased energy levels, mood disturbances, decreased performance at work or school, and can negatively impact overall health and quality of life.
If you're tossing and turning at night, you're not alone.
In this post, we are going to go over the 5 natural ways to ease insomnia.
Let's dive in!
by Tony Gjokaj September 18, 2023 3 min read
Magnesium is an essential mineral that plays a vital role in many bodily functions, including muscle and nerve function, blood sugar regulation, and bone health.
Despite its importance, many people do not get enough magnesium from their diets alone.
This is where supplements like magnesium glycinate can be helpful.
Magnesium glycinate is a highly bioavailable form of magnesium that is easily absorbed by the body and has several potential health benefits.
In this post, we'll explore the benefits of magnesium glycinate and why it may be a valuable addition to your overall health and wellness plan.
Let's dive in!