How to improve your sleep with the ultimate sleep tracker
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You can’t manage what you don’t measure
Sleep is the golden chain that ties health and our bodies together
Thomas Dekker
Not too long ago I was guilty of being in that group of people that say
“I’ll sleep when I’m dead.”
Not valuing the enormous impact sleep has on our biology on every level.
Oh, have the tides changed!
Those who know me well understand exactly how much I value my sleep these days. I may possibly be the only guy in Melbourne if not Australia that wears his blue blockers from sunset out at night, even whilst training at the gym, and constantly optimising ways to get the most out of my physical recovery, memory and more. I am on a mission to get as many people as possible to start valuing sleep a lot more and truly experience what I feel every day when I wake up.
KNOWLEDGE IS POWER
Like anything, knowledge is only useful if you apply it to something. It doesn’t matter how much you “know” sleep is important or the fact you “know” you sleep like crap, or even worse you think you sleep great but objective data shows something different. Unless you take some consistent action toward improving your situation then don’t complain about being tired. There is so much free information out there, like this, it’s inexcusable to not do something. That something doesn’t have to be perfect, filter through what resonates with you and try it. What on earth have you got to lose?
DATA IS VALUABLE
First up, when it comes to improving your sleep quality you need to track it. You can’t manage what you don’t measure. Of course, you can see how you feel subjectively after a nights sleep, but pairing that with objective data that breaks down your sleep cycles is ideal. It’s always a good idea to track your sleep for a week to gather a baseline and then implement sleep optimisation hacks one at a time. There are plenty of sleep tracking wearables and apps out there, most are unfortunately wildly inaccurate, in my opinion, and personal experience, nothing comes close to the ŌURA RING.
Having a clear and accurate snapshot of my sleep stages (picture above) I can apply my knowledge of sleep to try and minimise my awake periods and increase my deep and R.E.M sleep stages, which in turn lead to an overall high-quality sleep, feeling incredibly refreshed and alert upon waking.
NOTE: The ōura ring has a few more features that I haven’t mentioned, but I am just addressing the sleep feature on this blog, as this is my main use of the wearable device. (click link down below for more info)
PASSIVE IS THE WAY
Anyone can somewhat become their own sleep expert as the ōura ring’s data is displayed in a very user-friendly way, offering useful tips and insight into how you slept the night before and what potential variables may have prevented you from an even better nights sleep. Collecting all this data passively while you go about your day with no extra effort needed on your end.
Now, knowing what to do to consistently get a high sleep and readiness score is a whole ‘nother thing.
TRY THIS AT HOME
Whether you are tracking with the ōura ring or sleep cycle app, track a baseline first. I have no doubt if you apply all the below on a consistent basis you will notice a dramatic improvement in your sleep. Unfortunately I am well aware most aren’t willing to put in the work. The choice is yours.
5 MOST EFFECTIVE SLEEP OPTIMISATION HACKS
#1: WIFI router switched off when you go to bed.
#2 Mobile phone in Airplane mode or even better switched off.
#3 Block blue light from sunset with a pair of blue blockers.
#4 stick to a consistent sleep/ wake schedule every day.
#5 Get sunlight in the eyes, if possible, first thing in the morning
ADAPT ● EVOLVE ● THRIVE
If you would like to know more about anything from above or thinking about taking action toward your health and need that extra personalised support and guidance, head on over to www.daynebarkley.com and schedule a FREE initial consultation call and we can see if coaching may be a good fit for you.
