Chapter 7 – Sleep Sufficiently: HELP Explained

By Rachel Borg • July 5, 2023

In 2023 we are working through the 10 chapters of The Health, Energy & Longevity Plan, digging deeper into each aspect of the plan on a monthly basis. If you don’t want to wait, click here to access the whole booklet now.

Sleep needs to be a priority to maximize your health. Many of your body’s clean-up processes happen during sleep, including in the brain.

Our bodies are designed to do best when we follow the circadian rhythm, mirroring that pattern of sunrise and sunset. Our always-on screens and electric lighting make it easy for this rhythm to be disrupted, however.

We will go into this in more detail this month in our HELP Explained series, but if you would like to explore the importance of sleep, this podcast episode featuring UC Berkley neuroscience professor Matthew Walker, Ph.D. is a great place to start. It’s the first of a three- episode series that will help you see sleep in a new way.

Here are a few key tips you can apply right away:

  • Maintain the same sleep schedule regardless of whether it’s a weekday or weekend. Some variation may be unavoidable, but the more consistent you can be, the better.
  • Get a few minutes of exposure to sunlight within a half-hour of waking. This gets your circadian cycle started.
  • Turn off the TV, smartphone, or computer at least an hour before bedtime. Because the blue light from these devices can diminish melatonin in your brain, consider wearing eyeglasses that filter out the blue light.
  • Make your bedroom cool. A lower body temperature enables deeper sleep. There’s a reason why the bottom side of the pillow feels so good.

Lee has an Ōura Ring, which contains sensors that measure body temperature, heart rate and variability, respiration and amount of time in each part of the sleep cycle (Deep, REM, Light, Awake) and gives both a Sleep and a Readiness score on the app each morning. The least expensive one is $299, so it’s not something to consider lightly, but it does provide helpful insights to optimize sleep.

For a healthy sleep schedule:

  • Maintain your schedule, even on weekends.
  • Start the day with natural light.
  • Turn off screens one hour before bed.
  • Make your room cool.

Remember to check back each Wednesday for another post offering practical advice and education about topics addressed in The Health, Energy & Longevity Plan.

Rachel Borg

Rachel is HELPcare's Membership Director and the HELPcare Challenge Coordinator. She lives in Winchester, KS with her husband and six children.
Please sign in or register to post a reply.