{"id":7441,"date":"2011-09-22T21:00:57","date_gmt":"2011-09-23T05:00:57","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.pickthebrain.com\/?p=7441"},"modified":"2013-09-13T07:39:08","modified_gmt":"2013-09-13T15:39:08","slug":"how-to-get-a-good-nights-sleep","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.pickthebrain.com\/blog\/how-to-get-a-good-nights-sleep\/","title":{"rendered":"How To Get A Good Night’s Sleep"},"content":{"rendered":"
<\/div>

<\/a><\/p>\n

The comments section of a previous PickTheBrain post<\/a> inspired me.\u00a0\u00a0 The post itself contained some great information about how to be more productive when you\u2019re on a \u201cnight owl\u201d schedule, including telling people to \u201cSchedule Around Your Energy Cycle\u201d.\u00a0 But it\u2019s the comments from this post where I think we can all learn the most important lesson on this topic.<\/p>\n

For better sleep consistently, we need to listen to our bodies.\u00a0 When I read comments like \u201cmaybe I\u2019m just meant to be a night owl\u201d, or \u201cI\u2019m constantly trying to figure out what the heck I am \u2013 night owl\/early bird\u2026\u201d, it made me realize something.\u00a0 We\u2019re always categorizing and labeling.\u00a0 Sometimes it helps.\u00a0 But, when it comes to this topic (and many others) it can be dangerously disruptive.<\/p>\n

Sleep is a dynamic process.\u00a0 And, our body clocks do change over time.\u00a0 Most of us are very naturally predisposed towards \u201cnight owl\u201d behavior through our teens and into our 20\u2019s.\u00a0 Then, as we continue to age, our body clock continues to shift earlier.\u00a0 This is why a 20 year old might not feel tired until midnight, but grandma and grandpa had their early bird dinner at 4:30 and have been sleeping since 8.<\/p>\n

Here\u2019s where this can get dangerous:\u00a0 Joe TwentySomething is posting comments like \u201cI can never get to bed before 1 AM, I guess I\u2019m just a night-owl\u201d.\u00a0 Of course, he now believes this.\u00a0 Unfortunately, over the next few years, his body clock may undergo a massive shift.\u00a0 His \u201cnatural bedtime\u201d may advance by 2-3 hours.\u00a0 But, Joe\u2019s belief is now hard-wired.<\/p>\n

So, as Joe approaches 30, his belief about never being able to go to sleep before 1 AM is still true (to him).\u00a0 His body wants to go to sleep at 10:30, but Joe won\u2019t listen.\u00a0 In his head, Joe \u201cknows\u201d that going to bed that early is fruitless; he\u2019ll just toss and turn, right.\u00a0 So, he works late, eats late, watches Conan, and gets ready for bed at 1.<\/p>\n

What he doesn\u2019t realize is that his body wanted to go to sleep over 2 hours ago.\u00a0 When Joe ignored that signal, his body went into \u201cemergency mode\u201d, and flushed him with adrenaline to keep him awake.\u00a0 After all, if he\u2019s ignoring a clear signal from his body, there must be an emergency to deal with, so the body reacts accordingly.\u00a0 Just like an \u201covertired\u201d toddler, Joe is now wired.<\/p>\n

And, that\u2019s when his head hits the pillow, and his brain won\u2019t shut off.\u00a0 It bounces from here to there, from one thought to the next.\u00a0 And, Joe doesn\u2019t fall asleep until 2:30\u2026four full hours after his body wanted to go to sleep.\u00a0 In the morning, Joe is beat, so he turns to coffee.\u00a0 \u201cI just couldn\u2019t fall asleep last night\u201d, he thinks.<\/p>\n

After a few months\/years of this pattern, Joe will start to develop a new belief.\u00a0 Unfortunately, that new belief is unlikely to be \u201cHey, I need to go to sleep earlier\u201d.\u00a0 It\u2019s more likely to be \u201cI guess I just have insomnia\u201d.\u00a0 Yikes!\u00a0 A new label and one that is very difficult to shake!<\/p>\n

People cling to their \u201cinsomnia\u201d label like a teddy bear.\u00a0 It becomes a part of them, a part of who they are.\u00a0 They try pills, prescriptions, anything external is worth a try.\u00a0 They always ask the same thing, \u201cWill this help ME<\/strong>?\u00a0 With my insomnia<\/strong>?\u201d<\/p>\n

In many cases people would rather defend their identity and their label than actually solve the problem they\u2019re experiencing.<\/p>\n

I know PickTheBrain is a community comprised of a different caliber of people, so we can be very direct about this.\u00a0 The sooner you let go of the labels and are willing to change your beliefs, it\u2019s amazing how fast can change anything. \u00a0Whether it\u2019s sleep patterns, diet, relationships, anything.\u00a0 Be willing to deal with what really exists, rather than what you labeled something to be yesterday, last week, or 8 years ago.<\/p>\n

Maybe you can think of other situations where reality might shift, rendering our labels useless (or worse, disruptively inaccurate)?\u00a0\u00a0 When you see something in your life that isn\u2019t working the way you think it should, go back to your beliefs and reevaluate.\u00a0 Sometimes, a small shift can make all the difference.<\/p>\n

And, by the way, you\u2019ve probably realized everything is easier when you\u2019re well rested.\u00a0 So, as you continue on your journey, always protect your sleep.\u00a0 It\u2019s a tremendous investment in your health, outlook, and productivity.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Sean Folkson is the founder of <\/em>TheSleepGuy.com<\/em>, and <\/em>NightFood: Nutrition for Better Sleep<\/em>.\u00a0 To try NightFood for yourself, go to <\/em>http:\/\/www.NightFood.com<\/em><\/a> and request a risk-free sample.<\/em> <\/em><\/em><\/p>\n

Photo Credit: Paul Sapiano <\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

For better sleep consistently, we need to listen to our bodies. When I read comments like \u201cmaybe I\u2019m just meant to be a night owl\u201d, or \u201cI\u2019m constantly trying to figure out what the heck I am \u2013 night owl\/early bird\u2026\u201d, it made me realize something. We\u2019re always categorizing and labeling. Sometimes it helps. But, when it comes to this topic (and many others) it can be dangerously disruptive. Continue reading →<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":12163,"featured_media":7442,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0},"categories":[6],"tags":[1638,1637,62,1639,339,66,4629,136,295],"yoast_head":"\nHow To Get A Good Night's Sleep - Pick the Brain | Motivation and Self Improvement<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Sleep is a dynamic process. And, our body clocks do change over time. Most of us are very naturally predisposed towards \u201cnight owl\u201d behavior through our teens and into our 20\u2019s. Then, as we continue to age, our body clock continues to shift earlier. 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