How to Bio-Hack Your Sleep
Published January 18th, 2022
Are you hitting the snooze button with a bit more force these days? You’re not alone: At the time of year when everyone is talking about fresh starts, the winter months can leave motivation tapped out thanks to shorter days, colder temps, and less time spent outside. One way to get a little more get-up-and-go? A good night’s sleep. Consider kicking off your new year with an enviable rest regimen that can improve your focus, boost your mood, and maximize your athletic performance. Here, we gathered some of our favorite tips, practices, and tools to ensure you achieve deep REM sleep to awake feeling energized and clear. Get ready to catch some really good zzzs.
Sound the Alarm: Wake & Sleep Hours
The simplest step is also an important one: Wake up and go to sleep at the same time every day. You’ll create a habit that your body and mind will get used to and look forward to. Pro tip: Set an alarm not only to wake up, but as a reminder that it’s time to get ready for bed, too.
Turn Your Routine Upside Down: Inversion Poses
Simple, relaxing, and destined to help you get better sleep, “Legs Up the Wall” is a yoga inversion pose that can help you increase circulation, stimulate lymphatic drainage, and de-stress. It’s simple, too: Sit on the ground (with a blanket and pillow for support if you need it) and rest your legs on the wall in front of you, creating an “L” shape with your body. Stay there and relax for two to three minutes.
Blanket Statement: HigherDOSE Infrared Sauna Blanket
This smart blanket isn’t just a favorite of celebs, it’s also an incredible investment in your sleep hygiene. Studies show that a rapid increase and decrease of body temperature, like the one provided by this blanket, can help you to induce sleep and improve your circadian rhythm. Snuggle in and let sleep come easy.
Treat Through Your Feet: The Nue Co Magnesium Ease Spray
This sweet-smelling spray (it includes lavender and arnica oils) is applied directly to feet to deliver 45 mg of magnesium in just three sprays. You’ll get an instant, calming and restorative effect—remember, magnesium is essential for muscle maintenance, nerve, and heart function. Bonus: This spray may also help you speed up muscle recovery.
Press Play: Create Your Playlist
Send yourself off to sleep and get your day started with playlists you’ve curated just for those purposes. Not sure where to start? When it debuted in 2016, studies showed that the song “Weightless” by Marconi Union helped to reduce anxiety and aid sleepiness for listeners. Also helpful: calming, binaural beats. Not your jam? Try a simple sleep meditation from YouTube or think dreamy thoughts with a bedtime story read by Harry Styles on the Calm meditation app. For your morning mix, opt for upbeat and fast tempo to get you amped. (We love the mood of this one, and this one, but you can never go wrong with a classic.)
Have a Good Day: Managing Sleep When You’re Awake
While it may seem like bedtime begins when the clock strikes 9 p.m., the truth is that good sleep habits extend throughout the day. Consider your caffeine intake—if you’re still drinking coffee or a high energy drink later in the afternoon, it could be interrupting your body’s natural circadian rhythms. Also important: Get outside. Studies show that 20 minutes of sunlight during the day can boost your Vitamin D and help you get some shuteye later on.
Room Service: Check Your Bedroom
To get a restful night, make sure you create a space that is conducive to sleep. Keep your room completely dark with great blackout shades that will keep sunlight (and streetlights) from disrupting your dreams. Make sure to cover any blue light, which mimics dawn and can block melatonin production in your body and keep you awake. That includes alarm clocks, fans, and of course, your cell phone. Keep your room cool (sleep specialists have identified 60-67 degrees Fahrenheit as the optimum temperature range for REM sleep) and try a cooling pillow to keep you chilled out all night long.