Chapter 9: Helpful Sleep Tips
The following are additional biohacking tips that just make sense. In fact, you might be using them already. In addition to the more specific hacks discussed here, these extra little tweaks will give you added benefit.
Regular exercise. Having a regular exercise routine improves overall health and a healthy body plays a big role in quality sleep. Exercise does not have to be an aerobics class or a gym workout. Biking, swimming and nature walks are equally healthy. Just make sure you are exercising your body regularly.
Remember, exercising before bedtime is not a good idea as it will energize you.
Unwind before bedtime. Spend an hour in a relaxing activity before going to bed. Read a book, meditate if you’re into it, or spend time in quiet conversation with your partner.
Avoid stressful activities that will keep you up for hours. If you're high-strung, or easily scared, do not watch horror movies. Do not start arguing with your spouse about finances. Avoid getting into any situation that could cause you stress.
Quiet surroundings encourage sound sleep. If family members are up and about, ask them to keep noise to a minimum. Turn off your cell phone if possible. Fix any noisy devices like air conditioners or clanking boilers. Take stock of any additional noises that could disrupt sleep. If you are a light sleeper this is doubly important.
A good way to tune out noise is by playing soft music or nature sounds in your bedroom throughout the night.
Buy the best quality essential oils. Not all essential oils are created equal. For optimum benefit, buy only the best quality. These should be labeled 100% pure or 1OO% organic.
Invest in a top-quality mattress. Your mattress is not something you want to skimp on. It is the "foundation" that will make biohacking truly optimal.
You may not know this, but most mattresses are padded with highly toxic materials. Flame retardants especially are extremely harmful to health as well as quality sleep. These toxins may take years to air out and in the meantime, you are breathing them in!
A 1OO% natural or organic mattress is one of the soundest investments you can make. Do your due diligence and take time to shop around and look at various brands. It will be expensive but look at it this way: don’t you value your health more?
Switch of the Wi-Fi. Wi-Fi waves can interfere with your brain waves during sleep. Simply switch it off and generally, do not keep any routers in your bedroom.
Make sure your bedroom temperature is right for sleep. The best temperature for optimal sleep is 60-67 F. As you fall asleep, your body temperature drops, so keeping your room cool will aid this process. Maintain your room at this temperature as much as possible, Try wearing socks and prepare a hot water bottle when you are cold.
Take supplements that promote sleep. Natural supplements are totally different from sleeping pills as they are totally natural and have no side effects. They may be helpful hacks if your body is lacking certain sleep- promoting vitamins and minerals. Vitamin B-5, vitamin B- 12, vitamin D and magnesium, iron, calcium, and Vitamin E are important for stabilizing the circadian rhythm. You can buy them over the counter supplements to improve your sleep.