How to Wake Up Refreshed and Full of Energy: Are We Doing Something Wrong?
- Why do we still wake up tired, even after getting 8 hours of sleep?
- Is that morning coffee helping, or are we just hooked on it?
- How are common gadgets disrupting your sleep quality?
- How can we tackle unfinished tasks to avoid them keeping us up at night?
- Can lighting and music serve as alternatives to sleep aids?
- Curious to find out the answers? Tune in to our podcast and explore new ways to improve your sleep quality!
LLM Podcast Transcript. How to Wake Up Refreshed and Energized
Julie: [00:00:00] Hey everyone. Welcome back. Today we're diving deep into something I think we all can relate to, which is how to wake up feeling refreshed, ready to tackle the day.
Brian: Definitely. It's a common struggle.
Julie: Yeah, and luckily, a listener sent in a great source called How to Wake Up Refreshed and Energized. We're going to unpack that, pull out some actionable tips, you know, things we can actually apply to our lives.
Sounds good.
Brian: Sounds great. Let's do it.
Julie: Okay, so one thing that really struck me about this source, and it's kind of a recurring theme, is this idea that A good night's sleep, or I guess I should say waking up refreshed, actually starts the night before, like way before you even hit the pillow.
Brian: Absolutely.
It's not just about those few hours you're actually unconscious.
Julie: Right. And I'll admit, I used to think, you know, you just kind of fall asleep and that's it. But this source is like, no, no, no, there's a whole buildup to it. It actually reminded me of, uh, you know how they say you should write down your to do list for the next day before you go to bed?
Brian: To clear your mind.
Julie: This feels like that, but for sleep. [00:01:00] Like, you're prepping your mind and body throughout the whole evening. The source uses a lot of exclamation points, by the way. It's very passionate about this.
Brian: It's true. I think it's because so many people just don't realize how much power they have over their sleep quality.
Julie: It's easy to forget that our minds and bodies, they don't just like, switch on and off, right?
Brian: Exactly. I like to think of it, um, almost like a car engine. You wouldn't just slam on the brakes when you're going 60 miles an hour, right?
Julie: No, that's a recipe for disaster.
Brian: Exactly. You gotta downshift, you gotta give it time to slow down, come to a smooth stop.
Yeah. And our brains, they need that same kind of gradual wind down process.
Julie: Okay, that's a really good analogy. I like that a lot. So, um, Where do we even begin with this whole downshifting thing?
Brian: Well, this source really hones in on resolving tasks and worries before bed. It sounds simple, but how often do you climb into bed with, like, your to do list swirling in your head?
Julie: Oh, all the time. It's like my brain suddenly decides that 11 p. m. is the perfect time to problem solve.
Brian: Exactly. And that's your [00:02:00] subconscious mind hard at work. It never really clocks out, you know? Right.
Julie: It's always going.
Brian: Ever wake up with a solution to a problem or a new idea? Yeah.
Julie: Yeah, actually, now that you mention it.
Brian: That's your subconscious doing its thing while you sleep. But the key is to minimize the mental load before you hit the pillow. So you're not carrying that stress and tension into your sleep.
Julie: Okay, so no more brainstorming sessions from bed. Got it. What are some other ways we can create that, like, mental buffer zone?
Brian: This source is adamant about stopping work at least two hours before bed. Two hours? At least. That means. No more answering emails in bed. No squeezing in one last task. Really disconnect.
Julie: Okay, now that is commitment. I'm gonna be honest. I'm guilty of scrolling through my phone in bed. I'm sure a lot of people listening are too.
Brian: Oh, absolutely. Yeah. And that's a big one, screens. The source talks about the importance of no screens for at least an hour before bed.
Julie: Yeah, the dreaded blue light. Everyone's talking about blue light these days.
Brian: And for good reason. [00:03:00] It's not just about no screens. You know, putting your phone down, though, that's a big part of it.
But it's also about understanding why blue light is so disruptive to our sleep.
Julie: Right, because at the end of the day, it's just light, right? So what makes it so special?
Brian: Well, blue light actually tricks your brain into thinking it's still daytime.
Julie: Uh huh. Okay.
Brian: It does this by suppressing melatonin, which is the hormone that regulates your sleep wake cycle.
So if you're on your phone or laptop late at night, You're basically telling your brain to stay awake.
Julie: Oh, that makes so much sense. So, all my late night scrolling is basically telling my brain it's go time, not sleep time. No wonder I can't fall asleep.
Brian: Exactly. And then we also have to talk about everyone's favorite pick me up, coffee.
Julie: Oh, no. Are you saying I need to give up my afternoon latte?
Brian: Well, I wouldn't say give it up entirely, but the source is pretty clear about avoiding caffeine in the evening.
Julie: Okay, yeah, that makes sense.
Brian: Because it's a stimulant. And its effects can linger for hours, making it harder to fall asleep and reducing the quality of your sleep.
Julie: Alright, alright, you've convinced me. [00:04:00] So, instead of staring at screens or downing coffee, what should we be doing to unwind in the evening?
Brian: The source recommends calming activities. Things like reading, taking a warm bath, listening to relaxing music. Even just having a quiet conversation with a loved one.
Julie: I love that it also talks about dimming the lights and using soft, warm lighting.
Brian: Absolutely, that's key.
Julie: Creating that kind of cozy sleep sanctuary.
Brian: It's all about setting the mood. And actually the source also briefly mentions the power of mindful breathing exercises or yogic relaxation techniques, which can be really helpful for calming the nervous system before sleep.
Julie: Interesting, like what kind of things?
Brian: Well, you've got things like box breathing, progressive muscle relaxation, there are a ton of different techniques out there.
Julie: I'll have to look into those. So basically it's all about creating that consistent, calming evening routine to signal to our bodies and minds that it's time to rest.
Brian: Exactly. It's like setting an internal alarm clock.
Julie: And when we actually [00:05:00] prioritize that wind down time, we're much more likely to experience deeper, more restful sleep. Which ultimately means
Brian: Waking up refreshed. Ready to tackle whatever the day throws at us.
Julie: And isn't that the goal? To not just get enough sleep, but to have good quality sleep.
Brian: Absolutely. It impacts everything. Our mood, energy levels, our focus, productivity.
Julie: So much. It makes you wonder, beyond these evening routines, are there things we can do to optimize our mornings?
Brian: That's a great question.
Julie: What about those light based alarm clocks the source mentioned?
Brian: Ah, yes. Yes, those are interesting.
Potentially a gentler way to wake up.
Julie: Definitely something to explore further. And listeners, that's something for you to ponder too. Until next time, sleep well.
