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Hack Your Way to Better Sleep
Posted by Tamar Weinberg at 9:00 AM on February 4, 2008
Blogger Tim Ferriss has spent over a decade studying sleep optimisation and has discovered five effective means of getting the sleep you need when you need it. Right before you go to sleep, you should consume 150-250 calories of low-glycemic index foods (e.g. lowfat yogurt or an orange). Treat your meal schedule just as you'd treat your sleep schedule: keep it regular. Ferriss also suggests that ice baths can bring upon sleep, but beware of the consequences.
The result: it's like getting hit with an elephant tranquilizer. Don't expect it to be pleasant at first.
If you have difficulty falling asleep at night, avoid reading non-fiction right before bed. Also, plan your to-do list early in the afternoon so that you're not preparing late at night and adding to stress right before sleep. How do you prepare for that much-needed rest? Thanks, James!
Tags: body hacks | relaxation | sleep
Comments (AU Comments · US Comments)
There are currently no AU comments for this post.
Brad
Posted 9:39 AM 4/2/08
Tim Ferriss never fails to amaze me.
This guy's like Ghandi except he probably outsources his salt harvesting.
Brad
Victor V.
Posted 11:39 AM 4/2/08
Just wanted to point out the reason for the hot bath to induce sleeping is:
Hot temperature gives you more energy, as it decreases your melatonin hormone. However, this hot temperature is just right after the bath. Then, you'll have the contrast and feel cold, which will increase melatonin levels, and thus, you'll feel drowsy (melatonin effect).
Victor V.
kateymac
Posted 3:39 PM 4/2/08
Sex, yes. But I find it difficult to go to sleep easily after plain old exercise.
kateymac
Deprong Mori
Posted 3:39 PM 4/2/08
Exercise or sex.
Deprong Mori
Deprong Mori
Posted 5:39 PM 4/2/08
@kateymac:
Naaah, you have to work out several hours before going to sleep. I come home from work, exercise until about 7pm, then have dinner, heading to bed around 9-10p.
Deprong Mori
origamimavin
Posted 5:39 PM 4/2/08
i take vitamin B6 before i go to bed every night to promote better dreams. B6 opens up the dopamine receptors in the brain, and if taken right before going to sleep, it kicks in when rem starts, and dreams are more vivid.
origamimavin
MichaelTV
Posted 5:39 PM 4/2/08
I find that I am put to sleep quite easily by non-fiction reading... of the assigned textbook variety, anyway. =P
For a long time I've read a chapter or two of a novel (select Tolkien works, lately) by the nightstand lamp's glow before calling it a night. When I get too tired to hold the book up, the lamp goes off and that's it.
MichaelTV
infmom
Posted 6:39 PM 4/2/08
I just make sure I haven't been using the computer or watching TV within two hours of bedtime. Doing either seems to scramble my brainwaves so I can't get to sleep.
The easiest thing to make yourself drowsy is to read a book you've already read.
infmom
ecognito
Posted 7:39 PM 4/2/08
"Exercise or sex"
Contrary to the stereotypical male, I actually wake up after sex.
Ecognito (the insomniac)
ecognito
m4dm4n
Posted 1:39 AM 5/2/08
I take the SSRI Efexor and missing a dose of that can seriously mess up my sleep. It does have the unusual side-effect of inducing incredibly real and vivid dreams, though (although they're usually terrifying nightmares). I also find that I can't sleep without relaxing music or soothing sounds in the background, although I've been told that its quite bad for effective sleep to have lights or sounds.
m4dm4n
Myles
Posted 2:39 AM 5/2/08
Look forward to trying these. I wake up with headaches way too much.
Myles
Beki
Posted 3:39 AM 5/2/08
I play a game of Picross with the lights out every night. Now I get tired every time I play the game. This would probably work with any short routine, but I think the lights being out and the insane number of puzzles (so you can do this for a long time) makes this method work really well for me.
Beki
middy
Posted 4:39 AM 5/2/08
@rsd212: I'm going to try that. A 14 oz tumbler filled to the brim with scotch. That oughta put me out.
middy
rsd212
Posted 4:39 AM 5/2/08
Glass of scotch.
rsd212
Idolwild
Posted 5:39 AM 5/2/08
Temazepam works wondezzzz z zzzzz zzzzzz.
Idolwild
zrag
Posted 6:39 AM 5/2/08
Crossword puzzles knock me out. Lay in bed and do one of those, next thing I know I'm drooling on my pillow.
zrag
slick519
Posted 6:39 AM 5/2/08
It is all about the pzizz!
www.pzizz.com
my sleep has become much better thru a little guided meditation at night. Since i have made it a habit, the nights when i do not have access to pzizz, i can simply recall the sounds and steps that pzizz prompts to get myself to sleep.
Probably placebo effect, but who the hell cares?! it works well for me.
slick519
Steve_Mann
Posted 10:40 AM 5/2/08
Oranges are NOT low-glycemic foods. Its actually a very high glycemic indexed food. It can be given to diabetics suffering from an Insulin Reaction (low Blood Sugar) to bring them out of the reaction quickly and safely. Might want to update that!
Steve_Mann
micahstephens
Posted 6:41 AM 7/2/08
I used to fall asleep listening to music, but then I would wake up in the middle of the night with a song lodged in my brain.
micahstephens
engtech
Posted 6:43 AM 8/2/08
I would have though oranges would wake you up. I find citrus has that effect on me.
The key to falling asleep is to stop thinking. Surprisingly, stuff like sudoku can really help with that.
engtech
yitzle
Posted 5:40 PM 8/2/08
I'm going to try an orange tonight (its 1AM).
I had a textbook that was guaranteed to knock me out after 5 lines, regardless of the time of day!
I sometime listen to classical music while falling asleep.
yitzle
Evelyn Vincent
Posted 4:24 PM 16/2/08
I have battery operated clocks (so there's no light glaring in my face).
I also use therapeutic-grade essential oils. Many of them are quite relaxing, some even promote sleep.
Check them out here...
Sleep Disorders and Essential Oils
Evelyn Vincent
Torley
Posted 3:11 AM 20/2/08
@Brad: Haha, "outsources his salt harvesting", that's GREAT! =)
Torley