"Sleep is probably the most important aspect to address in the quest for optimal health."
SLEEP
My secret weapon is that I can fall asleep in 2 minutes. The only time this falls apart is when I drink caffeinated coffee. Caffeine is my kryptonite. Then in 2017 a health crisis at home coupled with work stress led to a dysfunctional sleep pattern for many months. I struggled to fall asleep and would wake at 3am most nights. This took a targeted approach and many months to resolve.
Sleep is probably the most important aspect to address in the quest for optimal health. Everything falls apart when sleep is poor including cognitive decision making, recovery from injury, food choices and relationships. Poor sleep increases the risk for dementia related diseases.
Many executives rely on prescription sleep medication, in ever increasing doses. Yet, this leads to a brain wave pattern similar to an unconscious state. Supplement use for sleep is ubiquitous while the downsides of relying on substances like melatonin are not discussed. Supplements and nutraceuticals can be employed strategically for short periods of time.
Fortunately sleep-hygiene is receiving more limelight. Changing lifestyle habits alone can improve sleep. While blue-blocking glasses are useful at night, simply changing to floor lamps instead of switching on bright, fluorescent overhead lights can make a big difference to endogenous melatonin production. Modifiable factors that influence sleep include diet, alcohol, exercise, stress and the bedroom environment. A five-minute breathing routine is one of the simplest ways to improve sleep quality.
You owe it to yourself, your family and your work to sleep well.