Why sleep matters

To be stronger, happier, and more productive,you need to focus on improving your sleep. Good sleep is a pillar of high performance. High-quality, restorative sleep benefits, include:

• Improved brain function
• Aids in muscle recovery
• Boosts longevity
• Balances your hormones
• Protects your heart
• Fights fat

Stay Away from the Light Blue light that emits from your smartphone, laptop, and tablet screens — is wrecking your sleep. Too much blue light messes with your brain’s production of melatonin — the hormone that tells your body when it’s time to snooze. Blue light wakes you up and tells your brain that it’s daytime. The best ways to protect yourself from too much blue light exposure:

• Use blackout curtains
• Unplug unnecessary electronics in your bedroom
• Wear blue light blocking glasses
• Shut down electronic devices two hours before bed
• Increase the warm light setting on your phone

Try Meditating Science shows that meditation significantly lowers stress and reduces anxiety. Meditation makes you aware of your automatic thoughts and impulses, and with that awareness comes more control. You learn to differentiate between a helpful thought and a destructive one. Meditation also rewires your brain, strengthening neural pathways that calm your nervous system. Start meditating for just five minutes each day, and slowly work your way up to 20 minutes. Eat More Fat What you eat affects your sleep. Your brain is the fattiest organ in the body. High-quality fats like grass-fed butter and wild-caught fish nourish your brain so it can do its job — repair itself while you sleep. The right fats also keep your blood sugar steady and hunger pangs at bay. Filling up on fat at dinner means you’re less likely to find yourself poking around the fridge at midnight. Supplements for Sleep ? Here is What I Take Nightly Vitamin D: Low levels of vitamin D are linked with poor quality sleep. Fish Oil: Oily fish like sardines, krill, and salmon are full of brain-boosting omega-3 fatty acids, which research shows improve sleep and help you fall asleep faster. Magnesium: Supplementing with magnesium can help you nod off and sleep more deeply. It does this by lowering stress and regulating melatonin.