7 Ways to Optimize Your Sleep

Welcome to Actionable Insights, a weekly newsletter exploring health, mindset, and productivity!

In This Issue:

• How to optimize your sleep

• A story about my trip to Kenya

• Tool of the week - Tally, a habit tracker app

How to Optimize Your Sleep:

Sleep is one of the most important aspects of your health. When I was younger, I didn't prioritize sleep as much as I do now. I find it much easier to get things done and enjoy myself when I get at least 8 hours of sleep. Here are some tips I use to optimize my sleep.

1) Develop a consistent sleep schedule

Consistent bed and wake times help you get higher quality sleep.

While sleep quantity is important, so is sleep quality. When I get 8 hours of sleep but only 1 hour of REM sleep, I feel tired the next day.

2) Practice sleep hygiene

Sleep hygiene means only using your bed for sleep and sex.

This helps your brain associate your bed with sleep. It will help you fall asleep faster and stay asleep.

3) Use an eye mask

Even with curtains, light can enter your room. An eye mask helps block sunlight, which allows you to sleep longer.

I used to wake up around 7am every day, but my eye mask helps me sleep longer.

4) Avoid screens for 3 hours before bed

Screens have blue light, which interferes with melatonin, the hormone associated with sleep. Try to stop using screens 3 hours before bed.

If you have to use screens, use a blue light blocker like f.lux or blue light glasses.

5) Dim your lights 1 hour before bed

Your environment before bed matters. Dimming your lights helps your body prepare for sleep.

A dark environment ensures that melatonin is not suppressed.

6) No meals 4 hours before bed

Digestion can make it more difficult to sleep. The longer amount of time between dinner and bedtime, the better.

Try to avoid late night snacks as much as possible.

7) Wear earplugs

Sounds can wake you up earlier than you want to, especially if you live in an apartment complex like me. Earplugs help block out these unwanted sounds.

Earplugs come in many forms, including foam, wax, and putty. Find the right ones for you.

Sleep TL; DR:

• Develop a consistent sleep schedule

• Practice sleep hygiene

• Use an eye mask

• Avoid screens for 3 hours before bed

• Dim your lights 1 hour before bed

• No meals 4 hours before bed

• Wear earplugs

My Trip to Kenya:

In 2018, I went on a horse riding safari in Kenya with my family. While I had been on multi-day horse riding trips before, this was my first time in Africa. This trip is my favorite vacation to-date, and I experienced multiple benefits of travel firsthand. Here are some of my favorite reasons to travel.

1) Allows you to recharge

The summer of 2018 was the summer before my junior year of high school, arguably the most important year. I had multiple summer homework assignments and was also studying for the SAT. In Kenya, I got a needed break from my academic activities. I returned home refreshed and ready to dive back in to schoolwork.

2) Explore new things

Masai Mara, the area where we were horse riding, was filled with lots of animals that I had never seen in the wild. Lions, giraffes, zebras, elephants and more greeted us on each day of our horse riding safari. We even got within 10 feet of a lion in the Jeep.

3) Adapt to new situations

Horse riding can be dangerous, and I am no stranger to this fact. During an intense riding session, I fell and could not ride for a couple of days. As a result, I had to find something to keep me occupied during the long and monotonous Jeep rides. I decided to count how many of each animal I saw.

4) Meet new people

During the safari, I met a variety of interesting people from England, Australia, and New Jersey. I never would have encountered this people had it not been for this safari. I even witnessed the 3 Australian ladies giving each other brand new haircuts.

5) Make memories with loved ones

Exciting experiences like a horse riding safari are great in part due to the people you're with. I went with my parents and twin brother, and it was an unforgettable experience. Good company is an essential component of enjoyable travel.

Travel TL;DR:

• Allows you to recharge

• Explore new things

• Adapt to new situations

• Meet new people

• Make memories with loved ones

Tool of the Week — Tally:

Habits are the foundation of growth. In order to build new habits, you have to track your progress. Tracking habits helps you measure progress and stay motivated. My favorite habit tracker is Tally. Here are a few reasons why I love Tally.

1) Super customizable

Tally allows you to change how often you track a habit, the habit color, the view you use, and more.

2) Simple UI/UX design

Tally's main page consists of squares for each habit. The entire design is simple yet functional.

3) Sends notifications

Tally sends notifications to help you stay on track with your habits.

4) Allows you to add or remove targets

You can set a daily, monthly, yearly, or running goal, but you don't have to.

5) Multiple views

Tally allows you to view your progress on a calendar, graph, journal, or summary view.

Asana TL;DR:

• Super customizable

• Simple UI/UX design

• Sends notifications

• Allows you to add or remove targets

• Multiple views

Final Note:

I'm excited to start this journey of writing a newsletter that aims to improve your life. I look forward to sharing valuable insights on health, mindset, and productivity every Thursday.

If there's anything you'd like to see in this newsletter, feel free to reply to this email!

Stay consistent,

Simrun