I watch my boy Roan sleep, and nothing can disturb him from his impressive work, though the house be afire over his head.
But granting that sleep exists, problems with it naturally arise, for most of us, sooner or later.
I used to have issues falling sleeping, and for a while, it was a real nightmare, too. So I did countless research, and self-experimentations to try and get back that beautiful baby-like way of sleeping: I used sleep deprivation, I used melatonin, I used meditation; I used cognitive conditioning, herbal regimens and right on down the very long (and mostly unproductive) line.
But here’s what I found actually works:
1. Good, low-carb nutrition
Sugar and other such noxious, innutritious foods will disturb your sleep and inhibit quality. Brain runs best on fat, especially before bed. So the first step in getting the best sleep is to eat more high-quality fat, and less man-made carbs.
2. A Few Good Herbs
I’m not such a fan of melatonin or any other substances so direct as that. The effects are diminishing, and so the needed dosage gets higher and higher. You’re far better off with a few good, high-quality herbs like Kava (water extract only), Valerian, and Bacopa. [Kava, interestingly enough, has a reverse tolerance—it gets more potent (to an extent) the more you use it. No wonder them islanders so chill]
3. A Good Fiction Book
A good fiction book serves as an easy focus point. It’s a sort of forced meditation, for people like me who can’t turn off “monkey brain”.
It helps even more if you read the SAME fiction book over and over again, because then your mind won’t be aroused in suspense, but rather, gently stewed to sleep through sheer boredom. I’ve probably read Huck Finn 20-30 times this past year alone, and am as dead asleep as Mr. Tutunkhamun within 10-15 minutes every time I pick it up. That book is a “trigger”, now, that tells my mind it’s time for sleep, and to shut up. It works.
Of course all the usual rules that are so heavily belabored still apply. Turn off your electronics (I say at least 2 hours before bed), get a handle on your stress, make sure your bedroom is cool and dark, and avoid the use of any stimulants after noon.
I hope you take these tips, use them, and get awesome sleep.
– Pat
PS – If you want to learn more about using herbal regimens to improve sleep, reduce stress, and optimize your hormones, so you can have more energy, make more progress in the gym, and just feel happier and more pleasant overall, well I’ve got something cool in the works for you in next month’s Inner Circle newsletter.
I’m going to roll out my exact herbal regimens for reduced stress, improved sleep, quicker recovery, more muscle, and less fat. I love this stuff, and am pretty good at it. These herbal protocols are involved, but they work. Because ain’t can nothing beat chemistry. So if this sounds like something you’d be interested in just CLICK HERE, and sign up for the Inner Circle before the issue comes out next month (I’ll even give you some cool back content to keep you busy in the meantime).