If you are like me your brain is always on, whether it’s thinking about your job, coming up with new business ideas, getting excited for vacation, your relationship, your mortgage, and on and on and on. You may notice that some mornings you are on fire with motivation and others you are groggy and slow. What gives?
It’s totally frustrating but it could be something so small that you did the day before that can mean the difference between having a productive day and having one that is unproductive, slow, and boring.
Again, if you are like me you know the importance of getting a good night sleep and waking up refreshed and invigorated, ready to take on the day. So, with that being said it is imperative to learn how to turn your body and brain off at night for you to be super motivated and productive the following day.
I am going to show you just how to have more frequent good night sleeps that will translate to more productive days. Lets call it the “pre bed boot camp” and the key is consistency.
Pre Bed Boot Camp
Lets look at your diet and activities after Noon. Lets not get crazy here but let me ask you a few questions and give you some insight:
• What kind of lunch do you eat? – Lunch should be very light and lean so that you do not get groggy in the afternoon which will translate into disruptive sleep because your body gets confused about when it should sleep.
• When do you drink your last cup of coffee? – Personally I have given up on caffeine because it really disrupts my sleep but if you are still a coffee drinker (most of us are) don’t have coffee or caffeine after 2pm. If you can, try to move to half caffeine drinks, or tea. This will promote more consistent sleep.
• What time do you workout? – Many of us workout at night and this is often the cause of inconsistent sleep. You are energizing your body when you should be winding down your day. If you can, try working out in the morning when your body needs that energy. If you can’t work out in the morning, try lunch.
• How many hours before bed do you eat diner? – Again another reason for disruptive sleep. The closer you eat toward bed, the more your body is working to break down food, the more energy your body is using. Again, your body is supposed to be winding down. If you go to bed at 10, eat at 6 or 7 at the latest and NO SNACKS before you go to bed. See what happens.
Do’s and Don’t Before Bed
• Do not watch TV in your bed. This is tricking your mind with stimulation in your place of rest. This is a real bad habit that leads to loud brains when you sleep and ultimately groggy, unproductive mornings. In fact, getting that TV out of your room will make a HUGE difference.
• Do not read emails or do work in your bed before sleep. Again unnecessary stimulation that will keep your brain buzzing all night.
• Limit alcohol before bed. This is obvious but giving up that nightly glass (or three) of wine may be difficult. Try it out.
• Try to limit computer, ipad, or iphone reading at night in bed, as the bright screens have been known to trick your body’s time clock by thinking its daylight.
• Do read fiction before bed and try to make it a physical book. Fiction stories help the brain to relax and wonder off which is what we want. I used to read non-fiction before bed and I always found myself waking up in the middle of the night with business thoughts and couldn’t go back to sleep.
Try It Out!
The above “pre bed boot camp” all sound obvious but you cannot just implement one thing and expect big differences. If you want results you should try all of the suggestions above and try them for 2-3 weeks and see how your mornings become.
I am always looking for ways to be more efficient and more productive. It has taken me awhile to understand the importance of rest and a quiet mind to make your “work” time more productive. If you are serious about your time and want to be more productive during your days, learn how to turn your brain off and get the restful sleep you need. Than call me and thank me for the advice. It’s life changing.
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Cort Davies is on a mission to provide people with the tools necessary to help them find happiness and fulfillment from within. Feel free to visit Cort’s site at CortDavies.com.