Tim Ferriss’ Guide To Sleep

The following is a summary of a recent podcast episode from The Time Ferriss Show.

The episode was about sleep. Tim outlines five ways to either help fall asleep or help stay asleep. Insomnia is a huge problem and I personally have dealt with it in the past.

1. ChiliPad — A heating/cooling mattress pad. You simply place this under your bed sheets and it circulates water through the pad. What’s intriguing about this system is that it features duel-zone temperature setting. If your partner desires a warmer temperature while you desire a cooler temperature, this will help solve that. It’s not cheap but given the potential benefits this could have on your health, I’d say it can be truly priceless.
2. Hanging upside down. Tim says that this helps decompress the spine. He uses Teeter Hang Ups gravity boots. He cautions that there are safety risks so be sure to exercise caution when using them. He also mentions the use of Teeter Inversion Tables.
3. Sleep mask & earplugs. Tim doesn’t recommend just any, he recommends the Sleep Master Sleep Mask. He likes it because it’s made of satin and that it covers your ears instead of having a strap that goes over your ears potentially rubs against your ear causing irritation. For earplugs, Tim recommends the 3M E-A-Rsoft FX ear plugs.
4. Tea. Specifically the Yogi Soothing Caramel Bedtime Tea. Tim spoke very positively of this tea in helping him get to sleep quickly. He also said that he’s used California Poppy before. He would put drops of it in water.
5. Visual overriding. The goal of this is to crowd out distracting thoughts in order to calm your brain before bed. Meditation can help with the dialing down of the chatter that goes on in your mind as you try to fall asleep. Playing games like Tetris for 10 minutes before bed with the brightness on your smartphone set as low as possible is another way to calm your mind.