Even machines needs downtime
I once had an old computer that ran for 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Never mind the insane reasons why it needs to be ON 24/7 but the fact of the matter is that it’s a dutiful machine that caters to everyone of our family members’ needs. From Tetris games, to running complex simulations, to 3D rendering, to heavy multiplayer action from morning till dawn of the next day – it was truly time well spent for us but a hellish cycle for the poor machine.
First it was the speakers that broke, then some of the USB ports died out, then the screen would begin to fuzz out – it took only 5 months for the computer to completely shut down on us. I recalled vividly the technician saying that we’ve essentially “overworked” it to the point of burning out everything inside. It was a hard lesson learned for the whole family and one that stuck in my head whenever the difficult topic of sleep and adequate rest comes up.
Similarly to how our computer was acting up, the same thing would happen to our body if we overwork it – i.e. going on days with little to no rest. The body shuts down on itself as a preventive measure against further injuries within the body. Sleep can be equated as the downtime for our body to repair itself and should be considered a vital part of living for the average human being. It was something we never gave our computer which ultimately lead to it’s demise.
More than closing the eyes
If an efficient machine can also be destroyed from lack of downtime, imagine what will happen to the human body when subjected to the same torture. Yet, there are still people who would treat the issue of sleep very lightly, those who would go with only a measly 4 or 3 hours of daily sleep. Unfortunately, that’s how the average life nowadays especially with the extra take home work we’re given or simply extending our “me time” with our gadgets till past midnight. It can be difficult to get the recommended 8 hours of sleep, let alone getting to sleep after shutting our eyes.
While some are able to simply doze off after laying down in bed, others may require some magic spell to be cast upon them. In other words, just like the journey in getting the perfect skin, there is no one-size-fits-all solution to this matter. However, what I can teach you guys are some ways I’ve been able to help myself and others close to me to get better at maxing their 8 hour/day sleep quota.
Disclaimer: As always, do treat what you’re reading as simply advice material and not a full fledged prescription. Do consult your doctor for better clarification where necessary!
It's all about managing
As a dedication to the near 50% of working adults who’s not getting enough sleep, I’ve decided to go with a more familiar language when presenting my points. Just like how we all want to manage our life, children and employees, sleep also needs its own serving of conscious management by you!
1. Manage your food
This mainly covers how well you should manage the timing of your food consumption before hitting the hay. Preferably, you would cease all snacking at least 2-3 hours before your night’s sleep. Eating any later than that would turn your stomach to overtime mode to digest the food – disabling you to get the proper sleep you were aiming for.
You should not, under any circumstances, be consuming any caffeinated food or beverages – even if you feel that it doesn’t affect you much. Caffeine energizes your body and keeps it alert long after your sleep is due. Save the morning roast for well… the morning!
“They call me the sleep killer” – killer koffee
2. Manage your sleeping environment
It is preferable to sleep in a dark (or dimly lit), quiet and cool room. Classical music such as Mozart or Beethoven are excellent bedtime choices for some much needed relaxation. Couple that with some scented candles then you’ve got yourself a top notch sleeping environment right there. It’s no wonder why people fall asleep so much easier in massage parlors!
This may come to no surprise to a lot of us but I would also insist in taking some time off at least once a month to clean your bedroom. Nothing beats poor sleep quality like having a poorly maintained bedroom!
3. Manage your gadgets
Most of us fall asleep with gadgets by our side – be it mobile phones, tablets or even a bedroom TV on the far corner. Any blip, beep or *insert notification noises* can easily alert our brains of new activities, preventing it from being able to fully shut down into the much needed deep sleep.
Not only that, the light from these gadgets can trick your brain into staying awake longer than it should, even if you’re beyond tired. One thing I’d often do is to have a box of tissue ready by the bedside. Whenever it’s bed time, my phone can be slipped right into the box BUT it would then take a considerable effort to pull it back out.
P.S. it can serve as a bonus for waking up in the morning as you’ll have to fully be awake yourself to actually get the phone out and turn the alarm off!
4. Manage your mattress
This is something so important that it deserves its own section. Yes, having a solid mattress to sleep on is a major determining factor whether you’re getting a good night’s sleep or not. Hence why the mattress industry has always been a booming sector for decades!
Having a good mattress helps you sleep in a better posture – that’s the key thing. If you have a good sleeping posture, it will create a better circulation of blood which enables a full recovery throughout your body.
Another important aspect of the mattress are the bedsheets. Every night before you snuggle in, give it a few whacks to brush off any dust that’s settling on the surface. This will make sure that you’re not breathing in dusts while you’re asleep.
5. Manage your sleeping time
Arguably one of the most difficult things to manage in your life – you have to make sure that you’re strict with enforcing your own bedtime. Otherwise, it’s you who will be suffering from baggy eyes and drowsiness when you come into the office the next day. Referencing back to the previous point, I believe gadgets before bedtime to be the culprit of keeping our minds busy.
So apart from keeping your gadgets away or resorting to medications to make you fall asleep, what else can you do so that you’ll be asleep on time? As highly recommended by my wife after a long hard day at work, her go to methods includes having a nice relaxing bath, some low intensity stretches and finally ending with a glass of warm milk…
6. Manage your exercises
Light stretches before bed time aside, it is also important to keep a consistent routine of daily exercising – like cardio, resistance training (personal favorite), and so on. I can’t talk enough on the benefits of sweating it out but I’ll probably leave that to a separate article 
.
So in a nutshell…
If all else fails...
For some, even getting a good night’s sleep can be difficult due to medical conditions such as insomnia or sleeping disorder. If that’s the case or you’ve suspected that you might be having those conditions then I would highly implore you to visit your doctor as soon as you can. Just as some may need help in terms of dieting, or learning, there’s no shame in asking for help especially in something as crucial as getting better sleep!
Now you're also a boss at sleeping!
Though seemingly unimportant especially in our younger years, as we grow older we tend to look at sleep in a more mature outlook. It nourishes us physically and spiritually – often times it can lead to great epiphanies in our sleep as our brain works in the background subconsciously. Similarly to how medicine is accompanied by a good night’s sleep to be fully effective, some say it’s the best remedy in existence.
I do not wish anyone of our readers to burn out like that old computer of mine. We are not machines and we should not try to emulate one. So, whether you’ve just got back from work, lounging around after dinner, or perhaps reading this while in your bed 😏, be sure to get some sleep soon!
The difference between a good morning and a bad morning is a good night’s sleep!
Albert Einstein (probably, who knows)
P.S. Be sure to comment down below any other effective tips you may have that we didn’t manage to cover. We’re more than happy to read up!