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the power of breath

By Callum @ AvocadoNinja

ARTICLE KEY POINTS

    • Sleep really is the biggest multiplier (or saboteur) of all our efforts. It is the most fundamental foundation of health, longevity, and optimal performance in the body.
    • A study by Keck School of Medicine and the American Cancer Society of over 1 million adults found that the people who lived the longest slept 6.5 hours per night.
    • Expose your eyes, ears, skin, or entire body to as much natural sunlight or green light first thing in the morning (which is covered in Light Activation in the Morning Momentum System) and again at around midday. This will help set your natural circadian rhythm.
    • The most important factors to be addressed in your sleep environment are temperature, electronic pollution, and light.
    • Set a time that you aim to be asleep by, then start to wind down an hour prior. Aim to do everything in a relaxed, calm way to be asleep an hour before normal.

Please note: Sleep is covered in more detail in the Ninja Sleep Guide and Evening Momentum book. However, it’s useful to cover the basics here. Because getting a great night of restorative sleep will make everything else so much easier and more powerful.

Sleep really is the biggest multiplier (or saboteur) of all our efforts. It is the most fundamental foundation of health, longevity, and optimal performance in the body. There are some supplements or practices that simply will not work for you if you do not get good quality sleep.

 

It is during sleep that your brain cleans up cellular debris, repairs the body, regulates hormones, and forms long-term memories. It can promote healthier ageing, optimize your brain, and also help you perform better at both work and in your daily life because you will be more resilient to day-to-day challenges, less stressed, and more alert. Our Morning Momentum System is designed to use the investment you've made in your sleep as a springboard to start your day powerfully.

 

On the flip side, poor quality sleep leads to rampant inflammation, biological damage, such as degeneration of muscle and brain cells. It is also directly linked to high blood pressure and heart disease, a decline in immune function, an increase in stress hormones, imbalances in appetite and blood sugar regulation. In fact, it is proven that poor sleep compromises longevity because the body is in a continuous catabolic, hormone-depleted state.

 

So, you can see why this area is critical to get right. Focusing on quality sleep will ensure your mind and body are in an optimum state. Thankfully, there are some simple steps you can take to instantly improve your quality of sleep.

ARTICLE CONTENTS

How Much Sleep Do You Need?

While genetics play a role (which you can explore with our convenient DNA test), the National Sleep Foundation (NSF) recommends the following:

 

  • Teenagers (14–17): 8–10 hours
  • Adults (18–64): 7–9 hours
  • Older Adults (65+): 7–8 hours

 

Depending on how much rest you need and how optimized your sleep is, you might fall on the lower end of these ranges. By using our Momentum protocol throughout the day, your body will experience dramatically fewer “hits,” making it is possible to get 6-6.5 hours of optimized sleep each night. This effectively gives you an extra 1.5 –2 hours of productive time every day.

 

In fact, a study by Keck School of Medicine and the American Cancer Society of over 1 million adults found that the people who lived the longest slept 6.5 hours per night. While people who slept 8 hours per night were more likely to die from natural causes.

 

As the study indicates, it’s worth making the distinction between time asleep and the quality of sleep. More time in bed does not equal more quality sleep. You can relate to this if you have ever slept for ten hours and still felt tired when you get up.

 

Your genetic chronotype is also helpful in optimizing sleep. It dictates when you should sleep for best results. If you have the flexibility, try altering your schedule to take this into account so you can get better quality sleep when your body is more receptive to it.

 

Here are some strategies to improve your sleep quality so you can find better momentum all throughout the day.

Use Daylight to Reinforce Your Body’s Clock

You’ll want to expose your eyes, ears, skin, or entire body to as much natural sunlight or green light first thing in the morning and again at around midday. This will help set your natural circadian rhythm so that you are sleepy at the right time at night.

Prepare for Optimal Sleep

In the two hours before you go to bed:

 

  • Don’t look at screens.
  • Don’t eat anything.
  • Don’t have any stimulants e.g., caffeine
  • Keep lighting low--don’t use bright white LED or compact fluorescent lights.
  • Ideally, use blue-blocking glasses in the evening.

Set Up Your Sleep Environment

The most important factors to be addressed in your sleep environment are temperature, electronic pollution, and light. Start by getting the temperature in your bedroom as close to 68 degrees Fahrenheit (20 degrees Celsius) as possible.

 

Next, unplug any unnecessary electrical devices in the bedroom. If possible, turn off your Wi-Fi and set your devices to airplane mode or turn them off completely. To minimize light disturbance, cover any LEDs in the bedroom with black tape or turn them off.

 

Consider using blackout curtains or a wraparound sleep mask to address any remaining light disturbance.

Set Up Your Sleep Routine

Plan to get up an hour before you normally do. To achieve this, go to bed an hour earlier than normal. If this adjustment proves difficult, just get up early, whatever time you went to bed. By bedtime, you will then be tired and more likely to go to bed earlier.

 

Set a time that you aim to be asleep by, then start to wind down an hour prior. Aim to do everything in a relaxed, calm way to be asleep an hour before normal. Funnily enough, going to bed earlier will give you more time. By investing an hour to get the perfect night’s sleep, you will ultimately need less sleep.

GET FREE ACCESS TO THE MOMENTUM PROGRAM AND LEARN HOW TO OPTIMISE YOUR SLEEP

Why not sign up for your Momentum Membership here and get your FREE 170-page book mailed to you? This includes an in depth guide to optimise your sleep.

 

Not only this, but you’ll have FREE access to your membership area, which walks you through how to apply everything to ignite your energy and create the life you deserve.

 

This will give you all the tools to create habits that will start every day with a huge reservoir of energy and a powerful emotional state.

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Statements made on this website are our personal opinion and are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. Information provided by this website or this company is not a substitute for direct, individual medical treatment or advice. It is the responsibility of you and your healthcare providers to make all decisions regarding your health. You can find our full disclaimer and terms of service here.