Life is busy these days. With all of the demands on us, including hectic schedules and internal and external pressure to push ourselves harder and do more, it is not surprise that an increasing number of us struggle to turn off. Nevertheless, one of the most crucial things we can do for our wellbeing, energy, and productivity is to get enough sleep. However, giving up seven to nine hours of our days to rest and lie down may seem like a lot to ask.
I'm here to make you reconsider that. Believe me, I know how stressful it is! I used to put my work before my life, which led to complete burnout and a disregard for my most basic requirements, such as mindfulness and rest.
Everything else started to suffer as those things started to suffer. Due to my lack of self-care and mental health, my mood, productivity, and ability to concentrate all suffered. I realized it was time to start prioritizing my head. I would never again disregard taking care of myself.
The Building Blocks of Brain Health
This is a recurring theme in my work as an author, speaker, and executive advisor, as well as in my responsibilities as a neuroscientist, coach, lecturer, and former psychiatrist. Anything else becomes extremely challenging if you don't provide your brain with the fundamental resources it requires.
If I told you that there was a medication that could increase your productivity by fifty percent without causing any negative side effects, improve your mood to the point where it is comparable to the effects of antidepressants for treating mild to moderate depression, and create the ideal environment for your brain to flourish, you would want to know what it was.
The answer is straightforward: braincare.
Our brain affects our immune system, energy, sleep, and focus, among many other things. Braincare may seem like something you can put off until later in life. However, a growing body of research indicates that cognitive decline starts in our 30s and 40s, and Alzheimer's symptoms can sometimes be seen 25 years before they manifest.
Therefore, it is best to begin prioritizing your braincare as soon as possible.
The following are my top priorities that are necessary for the best possible brain function:
- Rest
- Nutrition
- Hydration
- Exercise
- Mindfulness
Rest is at the top of that list, as you will see, but in order to perform at your best, all of them must cooperate. But let's concentrate on sleep for the time being.
Why Is Sleep Important?
You may feel like you're not doing anything at night. But a lot is happening behind the scenes. The CSF fluid is cleaned as you sleep by a system known as the lymphatic system. This aids in clearing the brain of neurotoxins that can cause conditions like dementia, Alzheimer's, and Parkinson's, such as amyloid plaques and tangles.
Inadequate sleep can also lead to exhaustion and make emotional regulation more challenging. After receiving less than ideal sleep, we've all noticed ourselves being irritable with our loved ones and coworkers.
Immunity is also impacted by the amount and quality of our sleep. It accomplishes this by controlling immune markers and their cells, which directly affects immunological response and immunity maintenance. For instance, changes in the circadian cycle brought on by stress might impair immune function and sleep quality.
Additionally, as we sleep, the things we have learned or encountered during the day are stored in our memory. REM sleep is when this happens, and slow-wave sleep is when more verbal information, like fact lists, is stored.
How Much Sleep Do We Need?
Every day, we all require seven to nine hours of restful sleep. 98% of human brains require this every night. Those politicians and businesspeople who boast that they just require a few hours each night? They aren't helping their minds or mental health either, so they're just making the rest of us feel horrible.
You're probably not among the 1 to 2%. It's time to let go of that notion and acknowledge to yourself that getting adequate sleep does make you feel better.
Our safety, quality of life, and mental and physical health are all safeguarded by getting adequate sleep. Actually, research shows that even for high-achieving individuals, even a small amount of sleep deprivation can have a significant influence on mood, alertness, and a variety of cognitive processes. This behavior is ingrained in our DNA. Our body's natural cycles of rest and wakefulness are regulated by our circadian rhythm, and sleep is a critical period of time for many key functions.
Having Good Sleep Hygiene
I hope that now you have a better understanding of how crucial sleep is. It's essential for your immune system, mood, daily brain function, and prevention of future cognitive loss, so getting enough should be your top priority.
Here's where taking a nap can be quite helpful. I am aware that a variety of things, including kids, pets, the need to use the restroom, snoring partners, and more, can keep you up at night. So, a well-deserved power nap can be a terrific way to top up.
Later on, I'll discuss the greatest kind of naps. But first, let's discuss how to ensure that you're sleeping as well as possible. Your daily schedule can have a big influence on how well you sleep, especially right before bed. They may contribute to insomnia or encourage restful sleep.
The Benefits of Power Naps
Power naps, or really any naps, are just quick, occasionally very calculated snoozes that we take whenever we feel like it. People can be divided into two groups based on my observations: those who nap frequently and those who don't.
Power naps have been shown to enhance alertness, productivity, and cognitive performance. Since it's often accepted that naps foster creativity, some of the world's largest corporations, including Google and Uber, have designated sleep areas in their workplaces.
Numerous studies have also demonstrated that naps enhance learning and memory, help with emotion regulation and frustration tolerance, and enhance performance in areas like response time, logical thinking, and symbol identification.
Make a Sleep Routine
The importance of sleep for your health, wellbeing, and ability to concentrate cannot be overstated. I don't know about you, but I need to go through some sort of regimen to get ready for sleep before I can get a decent night's sleep or even a nap.
Everybody's routine will be unique, of course. However, here are a few things you may want to think about.
- Stretching
- Deep breathing
- Setting out your clothes for the following day
- Meditating
- Showering or having a magnesium bath
- Reading
- Reviewing your day and setting goals
- Using a relaxing pillow spray
Every stage in your routine should make you feel accomplished and enable you to feel rested and ready to go to sleep. Establishing a schedule could help you accomplish more in the coming day and be more proactive when you wake up.
