1. Sleep tips I picked up this week (many I knew, some I did not)…
I listened to a podcast with Dr. Andrew Huberman, a neuroscientist who knows A LOT about the brain, sleep, and human behavior. He was on Lewis Howes’ podcast, The School of Greatness. They were talking about sleep. Here are several nuggets from that podcast that can help boost your sleep quality…
- Keep room temperature between 65-68 degrees.
- Put a foot or a hand outside the blankets to reduce body temperature.
- Drink chamomile tea before bed to calm your system.
- Tape your mouth shut to ensure nose breathing.
- Keep away from ALL bright lights prior to bed (they disrupt melatonin). Dim lights and candlelight are okay.
- Avoid caffeine later in the day (How late is different for each person).
- Put something under your feet to elevate the feet just above the heart. This enhances the glymphatic system, which is a system that clears waste from your head while sleeping (much like the lymphatic system in your body).
- And the one that surprised me most… take a HOT shower before bed. I always thought cold was better before bed, but he says the body will react to the cold by trying to heat up, which will hurt your sleep. The hot shower causes your body to try to cool, which helps your sleep.
If you’re interested, click here to listen to that podcast.
2. Something I am REALLY grateful for this week…
My mother and father would have been celebrating their 55th wedding anniversary tomorrow (Feb. 5th). My dad passed away a few years ago, but I am super grateful for my mom and dad and the incredible model they provided for relationships and marriage. I believe the MOST POWERFUL tool you can have to be successful is someone to model that does it right. Parents are the most influential model you can have (good or bad) because you are immersed with them day in and day out, from the time you are forming your first beliefs. And while a lot of your success is within your control, you don’t get to pick you parents. Therefore, I am exceptionally grateful to have fallen into such good hands. Happy anniversary, Mom and Dad! I know 51 years were not enough, but you made an incredible impact on me in those years.
3. Project I am working on…
I am working on a monthly webinar-type presentation. It would be live, via zoom or some other video group technology, would be about 45 minutes long, start with about 15-20 minutes of content, then end with live Q&A. This would allow me to talk about timely topics and take a deeper dive with my followers in a live format each month. It would help us to connect on a deeper level, for me to share more information and insights, and possibly most importantly… allow for you to ask questions. Stay tuned!
***UPDATE… A couple of weeks ago, I spoke highly of an app that sends out motivational quotes, call Motivation. I did the year subscription, so I’ll stick it out, but I am NOT too impressed. The quotes are not that great, and I catch myself skipping them or missing them. Sorry! Not my best recommendation.