Issue #101: The Middle of the Night
Good morning. It’s Monday, January 9th. It's day 1 of my 4-day fast - wish me luck (I'm not hanging out on a boat on the Great Barrier Reef like Chris Hemsworth in Limitless).
Did you miss any of our issues on the Best of 2022 issues last week? Catch up on Issues #96 - #100 here.
This week we're returning to a foundational element of our health and longevity - SLEEP. It's about how to wake up refreshed and fully recharged every morning!
“Legend says that when you can’t sleep, it’s because you’re awake in someone’s dream. So if everyone could stop dreaming about me, that would be great.”
From the Lab: Wake Up in Middle of the Night
Take Action: 3 Things to Do/NOT Do
Speed Read: Lungs of the Earth
Monday Metabolic: Start with a Sprint
Monday Q: What Affects Your Sleep?
The percentage of men over 40 that wake up once a night or more to use the bathroom. Surprisingly, for women over 40 it's even higher - 76%. (The Sleep Foundation)
From the Lab
My wife will tell you - I typically fall asleep within 5 min of my head hitting the pillow or putting down my book, but…
If I hear a crying 2-yr old or even a distant siren at 3am - I’m pretty much up the rest of the night.
I’m not the only one - while it might be a kid often disrupting my night (I'm sure fellow parents will understand) - 70% of adults over 40 go to the bathroom at least once per night. *Try sipping water (not gulping it) after dinner and cutting it off 1-2 hrs before bed.
My mind is racing. All of the sudden I’m in work mode, but feel stuck because I’m running through my To Do List - trapped in bed and not getting any of it done. And sometimes doubt or negativity creeps in.
So what’s the solution (besides getting my kids to sleep through the night)?
Take Action
3 Things to DO
Write it Down - if there are specific thoughts zooming through your mind, whether they are stress-related or eureka moments of genius - transfer them from your mind to paper. This will allow your brain to feel they’ve been documented and your mind can rest knowing these thoughts won't get lost in the AM.
Yoga Nidra (what?) - ok, you can start with just a 4-7-8 breathing to calm down. If that doesn’t work, try to meditate (I go back and forth to clear my mind - focus on my breath, then let it wander - makes me exhausted and gets me to sleep), or go to full Yoga Nidra (from Andrew Huberman, here on Tim Ferris Podcast).
*Highly rated Yoga Nidra for Insomnia: YouTube
Move - when all else fails, get up. Stretch - maybe 5-10 min of a more traditional yoga, reset the going to bed routine, and maybe try reading something really boring.
3 Things to NOT do
Check the Clock - this will only create more anxiety about how much time has gone by since you woke up or how soon it’s going to be to get up and start the day. I actually got rid of my bedroom clock.
Screen Time - getting on your phone or watching TV will just further disrupt your circadian rhythm to think it’s time to be awake and really wreck not only the rest of that night’s sleep, but future nights too.
Eat - digestion won’t make it easier to get good, deep sleep. Look if you’re starving go for something with some healthy fat and protein that isn’t too hard on your body and will fill you up (maybe a scoop of peanut butter), but try to wait unless hunger is what’s been keeping you up.
Thrive25 Partner Spotlight
Created by the personal chef, Mary Shenouda (@paleochef), for the World Champion Golden State Warriors, Phat Fudge is a performance food to replace energy gels and bars when you're working out.
Eat Clean. Play Often. Crush Life. That’s the Phat Fudge motto. Short and sweet, like the ingredient list - you're too busy crushing life to worry about weird, hidden junk in your food. Check it out HERE.
Speed Read
Health & Longevity in the News
🌏 Happiest Place on Earth: No - not Disney World. For five years in a row, Finland is the happiness country (yes - the one next to Russia with land in the Arctic Circle). Check out the three reasons why they are so damn happy while cross-country skiing. (CNBC)
🌳 400 Billion Trees: In 50 years, 17% of the Amazon (the size of Texas) has been converted from rainforest to farmland. "The lungs of the earth" absorb half a billion tons of CO2 / year). We're at a tipping point and soon the Amazon could release more carbon than it absorbs with significant global consequences. (50min on NYTimes)
🏆 NFL Playoffs Are Set: Anyone think 45-year old Tom Brady has a little magic left in him? A repeat for Patrick Mahomes? Maybe passing the mantle to one of the emerging QBs? For the full slate of games next weekend check out NFL.com.
Would you let your son play tackle football?
Can be hypothetical if you don't have a son or he's past Friday Night Lights age.
Monday Metabolic
Kicking off the week fast - 3 timed rounds that will get your heart going and build up those shoulders. It all starts with a sprint!
Click HERE to view the workout on our YouTube channel.
Workout and video courtesy of Connor J. Obrochta. Check out all of Connor's workouts on Playbook!
Monday Q
Do you know what most affects your sleep?
*Just like anything, measure what matters (thanks John Doerr) - track good night and bad night sleep to see what you can do to personalize a perfect routine for sleep.
Product Recs
Some partners of ours that can help with your 2023 goals:
Impossible - now part of my sleep protocol. Just magnesium and l-theanine powder to get a little calmer before you hit the sheets. Sleep is possible - Check it out HERE.
TMAC Fitness - 20-min home workouts to help you get in shape and your mind right. Try TMAC for 10 Days Free
*Impossible and TMAC Fitness are affiliate partners of Thrive25 - because we believe in the products
Thanks for joining us today! Tomorrow - sleep supplements!
Check out the latest workout videos on our YouTube channel
Got feedback? Tell us what you think at team@thrive25.com
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Why Thrive25
We’re 40-something dads that felt our bodies and minds start to slow down and we’re not ready for that. We found too much information on every subject. So we started Thrive25 to transform what we’ve learned into something useful for the rest of us to spend just 3-5 min a day to optimize our health & longevity.
This newsletter is for you and we truly value your feedback. Never hesitate to reach out to us at team@thrive25.com.
To health!
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The information in this newsletter is for informational purposes only and may not be appropriate or applicable based on your individual circumstances. Thrive25 Labs LLC does not provide medical, professional, or licensed advice. Please connect with your healthcare professional for medical advice specific to your health needs.