The Secret to Great Sleep

If there’s one thing Americans don’t get enough of, it’s sleep. Think about it personally for a sec. When was the last time that you got a true 8 hours of uninterrupted sleep? Eight hours has long been the standard, but it seems that some people are able to get by on less than that. So the question then becomes, is sleep about quality or quantity?

In terms of quality of sleep, ask yourself the following questions:

Do I toss and turn throughout the night?

Do I feel tired during the day, to the point it affects my ability to concentrate and focus?

Is my environment best suited for quality sleep?

I love sleep. I think that all of us do. It’s when the body and mind both go into recovery and repair mode. This is maximized when we fall into the deep sleep state known as rapid eye movement (REM). To get to that state, and to maximize you sleep quality, here are a few times you can start implementing tonight.

#1 — Consistently go to bed at the same time

Your body likes consistency, and it is no different when it comes to sleep. If you have a sporadic sleep schedule where you go to bed at 9pm on some nights and 2am on others, you’re probably feeling a little tired throughout the day. Set a goal for this week to go to bed at the same time each day.

#2 — Avoid screens before bedtime

The light from the tv, your tablet, and your cell phone might be compromising your quality of sleep. This is especially true if you’re the type of person that likes to scroll through your phone while you’re lying in bed. If you’re like most people then you probably use your phone as your alarm clock. This being the case, set your alarm a few hours before you go to bed. That way you’ll be less tempted to take a look at what everyone is doing on Facebook while you’re waiting to fall asleep. Better yet, keep your cell phone in another room and go old school with a traditional alarm clock.

#3 — Keep it cool

Your body likes cooler temperatures when it comes to sleep. Depending on your preference, try setting the thermostat down between 65–72 degrees. If your core temperature is too high, you’ll find that you end up tossing and turning a whole lot more. This can also be accomplished by wearing the minimal amount of clothing when you sleep. Do you really need to wear socks and pajama pants to bed?

#4 — Keep it dark

This is a no-brainer, but there are a few extra things you can do to make sure that the room you sleep in is as dark as possible. First, take note of any outdoor light coming in. Eliminate the illumination of those street lights by using blinds or blackout curtains. Second, look for any light sources within the room. That might come in the form of a night light and your phone. If your phone is in the room, place it screenside down. That way the room won’t be illuminated if you receive a notification. A tactic I like to use is to put my phone on “Do Not Disturb” mode an hour before bed, up until when my alarm goes off.


Jon Griffith specializes in helping guys transform their lives through fitness and life coaching. He is a certified personal trainer, strength & conditioning specialist, firefighter, and founder of Max Fortitude Fitness. Jon has accumulated over 1,000 training hours working with clients in both group and personal training sessions.

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