While cues like exercise, social activity & temperature can affect the master clock, light is the most powerful influence on circadian rhythm.
✔️Open curtains, go outside, sunlight & ground.
✔️View the sunset to send a signal to your brain that it’s evening.
Avoid large meals, heavy snacking, caffeine, and alcohol before bedtime.
✔️Limit alcohol, because alcohol is not a sleep aid, contrary to popular belief. While it might help induce sleep, according to Dr. Matthew Walker alcohol is one of the most powerful suppressors of REM sleep. ✔️It’s best to moderate alcohol consumption and avoid it later in the evening. ✔️Cut down on caffeine in the afternoon & evening. Caffeine is a stimulant, it can keep you wired even when you want to rest. Be aware if you’re consuming lots of caffeine to try to make up for lack of sleep. According to Huberman you shoud avoid caffeine 8-10 hours prior to bedtime and Walker might say to avoid it 12-14 hours prior to sleep.
✔️If you can possibly take a short midday nap like our ancestors used to and some Mediterranean and South American cultures still do, you should (but no later than 3 pm). It will likely improve your creativity and coronary health as well as extend your lifetime. Key is to: - Keep naps short (not more than 20-25 mins) and early in the afternoon.- Late and long naps can push back your bedtime and throw your sleep schedule off-kilter.
Bright lights can hinder the production of melatonin. Dimming the lights before you go to bed can help stimulate melatonin production.
✔️Dim the lights. ✔️Avoid viewing bright overhead lights between 10 pm & 4 am. ✔️Have 30-60 minute pre-bed buffer time that is device-free. ✔️Turn off all devices and unplug from electronics. ✔️Keep electronics out of the bedroom. No TV, computer, or smart phone.
✔️Use dim red lights for night lights. Red light is less likely to shift circadian rhythm & suppress melatonin.Artificial light exposure at night can interfere with circadian rhythm.
✔️Avoid looking at bright screens beginning 2 to 3 hours before bed. Cell phones, tablets, and laptops cause mental stimulation that is hard to shut offand also generates blue light.*Blue light=decreased melatonin, viewing bright lights of all colors=problem for your circadian system.*If you work a night shift or use a lot of electronic devices at night
✔️Wear blue-blocking glasses.
✔️Install an app that filters the blue/green wavelength at night.
Make sure your bedroom is quiet, dark, relaxing & at a comfortable temperature.