What is best time to sleep and wake up
How to Sleep Better - And Wake Up Early
[Music]
hey everyone and welcome to top think
today we're going to learn about how to
sleep better and wake up early
now let's begin number one timed
light exposure do you like working in
the dark many people hide inside during
the day
you close the curtains you shut off the
lights and you enjoy the quiet comfort
of your dark room
but every time you turn off the lights
you're confusing your brain
daytime exposure to light has a huge
impact on your sleep cycle
a 1993 study from the journal of the
american geriatrics society
found that timed light exposure
significantly changes your sleep
participants who experienced bright
light during the day
saw huge improvements in their sleep
efficiency
why because light is one of many ways
that the brain governs your sleep cycle
when the world is bright and sunny the
brain feels awake and alert
your brain knows that it's daytime so
your energy and productivity remain high
but sitting in darkness confuses your
brain it doesn't know what time of day
it is
it loses track of your sleep cycle and
that confusion
leaves you feeling groggy and tired
throughout the day
so open the curtains in the morning turn
on the lights during the day
and keep your brain awake by saving the
darkness for later
number two napping routine do you nap
during the day
napping seems like a great way to ruin
your sleep cycle but that's not always
true
studies have shown that napping helps
you sleep better and wake up earlier but
only if you nap the right way
many people nap whenever they feel tired
well let's say you took a nap at four
o'clock yesterday you came home
after a stressful day of work and you
fell right to sleep
but today you got tired much earlier
instead of napping at four
you took a nap around noon are these
naps going to help
or hurt your sleep cycle your sleep
cycle follows a biological pattern
called
a circadian rhythm the brain uses this
rhythm to wake up and fall asleep at the
same time every day
that's why it's so important to keep
your sleep cycle on a consistent
schedule
the more regular your sleep routine is
the easier it will be to fall asleep
if you nap at different times every day
it's going to throw off your circadian
rhythm
according to a 2011 study in the journal
behavioral neuroscience
irregular naps damage sleep quality they
also interfere with important cognitive
processes like stored memories which
happens during your sleep cycle
if you're going to nap during the day
try to nap at the same time
each day your brain wakes and sleeps on
a schedule
so consistency is key
number three afternoon caffeine
it's late in the afternoon and you're
still working you need to finish a big
project by tomorrow morning
but your energy levels are fading fast
so to keep yourself awake you decide to
make a cup of coffee or
down an energy drink you get a big burst
of energy and you finish the last of
your work
but what happens when you try to fall
asleep countless people use
caffeine to counteract this afternoon
slump after a busy morning your
motivation starts to fade later in the
day
a boost of energy seems like a recipe
for success
but that second cup of coffee is
destroying your sleep cycle
the problem is caffeine stays in your
system much longer than you think
it gives you an energy boost that lasts
a few hours but the actual caffeine
remains in your bloodstream for six to
eight hours after consumption
so if you're sensitive to caffeine that
number can climb even higher
with caffeine in your bloodstream your
sleep suffers significantly
according to a 2013 study in the journal
of clinical sleep medicine
researchers found that caffeine damages
your sleep more than six
hours after consumption participants in
this study experience significant sleep
disruptions
that includes trouble falling asleep
difficulty staying asleep
and grogginess after waking up so don't
rely on caffeine to give you a boost of
energy in the afternoon
instead try a shorter yet effective
alternative take a walk around your
neighborhood or eat energy boosting
snacks
like almonds apples and bananas these
healthier habits will give you the boost
you're looking for
without ruining your sleep cycle
number four unravel your stress
do you find yourself working before bed
do you fall asleep full of tension and
anxiety
stress has a major impact on sleep
quality and quantity
before you fall asleep your brain needs
time to relax and settle down
but stress stands in the way of your
relaxation it fills your brain with
worries and doubts
which keep your brain tense and wired
that's why
stress relieving activities are so
important before bed
if you live a stressful lifestyle a
relaxing nighttime routine could
transform your sleep
it can unravel your stress before bed
and that way your brain can fall asleep
smoothly
and peacefully so what is a relaxing
nighttime routine
look like there are countless different
ways to create your relaxing routine
some people get lost in a good book
others take a warm bath
and listen to soothing music you can
also practice deep breathing
meditate or combine multiple of these
activities together
it doesn't really matter what you do as
long as you're relaxed and consistent
so find one or more activities that
soothe your stress
and use that activity like a ritual to
unwind every night
not only will your ritual help you relax
it will consistently signal your brain
that it's time to sleep number five
gradual adjustments are you unhappy with
your sleep schedule
do you want to go to sleep and wake up
earlier than you do right now
there are countless benefits to waking
up early from higher energy to greater
concentration
the brain performs at its best in the
first half of the day
anyone can take advantage of this
morning boost but first you need to
adjust your sleep cycle
and that means waking up earlier and
going to sleep earlier
alright let's say you normally wake up
at 10 or 11 am but you want to try
waking up
at 6 00 am the worst thing you can do is
to switch your schedule all at
once many people make this mistake they
expect their brains to suddenly adapt to
a big change in their sleep cycle
but this big change comes back to bite
them instead of feeling energetic they
end up feeling drowsy and unproductive
the brain
enjoys consistency in your sleep cycle
so use this consistency to your
advantage
don't dramatically change your sleep
cycle in one night
instead adjust your sleep cycle over
time
let's say tonight you just shift your
sleep cycle by 30 minutes
this small change is much easier on your
body and it's a whole lot less
exhausting
so start with 30 minutes and then
gradually move your schedule
when 30 minutes feels comfortable try an
hour and then 90 minutes
and then two hours little by little
you're giving your brain the opportunity
to adjust alongside you
you're not just waking up earlier you're
teaching your brain to feel energized
and comfortable in the mornings
number six avoid your bed do you do
anything other than sleep in your bed
many people check emails browse social
media and watch tv in bed
your mattress is comfortable your
pillows are soft your sheets are silky
and it's incredibly tempting to lay in
bed throughout the day
but this bad habit can impact your sleep
cycle
your brain creates mental associations
between places and behaviors
for example you're more likely to be
productive sitting at your desk
than sitting on your couch your brain
associates your desk with work
so sitting at your desk improves your
mindset in the same way you want your
brain to associate your bed with sleep
if you build a strong mental association
simply lying in bed will help you fall
asleep faster and stay asleep longer
each time you work browse or watch tv in
bed you're weakening that mental
association
you're teaching your brain that your bed
isn't just for sleeping
so try to avoid your bed throughout the
day save that feeling of warmth and
comfort for the end of the day when
you're ready for bed
and if you can create a strong mental
association the comfort of your bed will
lull you into a deep
restful sleep number seven
restless breaks the vast majority of
people have experienced delayed sleep
latency
in other words many of us have had
trouble falling asleep at night
sometimes we lay awake for hours begging
our brains to fall asleep
we check the clock over and over again
and grow more frustrated by the minute
the truth is tossing and turning isn't
going to help you fall asleep
if you've been lying in bed for 20
minutes stop trying
get out of bed and find a relaxing
activity to do instead
if you've crafted a nighttime ritual
re-engage with that routine
spend 10 or 15 minutes focusing on
something other than sleep
during this time don't look at the clock
don't worry about the sleep you're
losing
just enjoy 10 to 15 minutes of
relaxation
your brain is more likely to get tired
because you're not stressed about
falling asleep
so the next time you can't sleep give
this method a try
once you get out of bed you may find
yourself getting tired
in no time hey thank you for watching
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