Sleep gives me superpowers

Imagine waking up from a perfect night's sleep. Without the aid of an alarm you calmly rise from bed, completely refreshed, without physical or mental discomfort. For the past few months, I have been working solely to make that a reality with myself. And I am happy to say that I am working toward that!

According to a global survey last year by Philips, more than three-quarters of adults (77%) have tried to improve their sleep. These include trying different medications, soothing music and new technology.

In recent years, we have come to know more about the enigmatic process that takes up a third of our lives to justify a serious approach to sleep optimization. But the rise of sleep science is taking place at a time of more technology, more sedentary lifestyles and false narratives about sleep. Of course, it has never been cool to state how important you consider sleep; a rigorous exercise plan and a strict diet earn you much more respect. Still, adequate sleep as the first pillar of health is a necessity if one is to see all the benefits of a lifestyle change.

There is a lie that is very harmful to us: The persistent, widespread belief that sleep is a waste of time and gets in the way of success. Ten years ago we could have overlooked it but now science has proven the opposite to be true. If you want to look more attractive, absorb what you've learned, be more creative and productive, etc.- focus on what takes up 1/3 of your life for a reason, sleep! Anyone who adheres to the idea that 8 or more hours of sleep is a barrier to success is ignorantly headed for illness and unhappiness.

I now know that our sleep quality is more important than diet and exercise combined....

Yes, technology is harming our sleep quality

Our beloved technology is designed to be used from morning to night, constantly enticing us with a "dopamine reward loop," keeping us constantly engaged with it, each time looking for novelty. I tend to believe that effortlessly avoiding boredom takes a toll on our ability to unwind. As a 16-year-old, I have compassion for peers who have so much trouble sleeping. Unlimited access to an unprecedented medium, the Internet, to which we are attached from a very young age, is clearly harmful. There are social media, video games, television programs, etc. All available anytime, anywhere. Regardless of your age, it can be challenging to detach yourself from an endless source of content in which you find solace for 7-9 hours, especially because of something you may have underestimated or misunderstood.
Artificial light at night

Some studies suggest a link between light exposure at night, such as when working a night shift, with certain cancers, diabetes, cardiovascular disease and obesity. This is not evidence that nighttime light exposure causes these conditions, nor is it clear why it may be bad for us. But we do know that light exposure suppresses the secretion of melatonin, a hormone that affects circadian rhythms, and there is experimental (very premature) evidence that lower melatonin levels may be related to cancer. - Harvard Health Letter

Not only are our devices emotionally stimulating, but they also emit bright wavelengths of blue and green light that trick our brains into thinking the sun is shining. The result is suppressed melatonin secretion and disrupted circadian rhythms.

I didn't realize that my computer monitor and television had a huge impact on how I felt the next morning until I started blocking out those artificial wavelengths at night.

Inactivity, lack of sunlight and stress

Most of us sit most of the day, with increasing tension in our hips, hamstrings, back, etc. 5-10 minutes of stretching before bed can make a huge difference to the quality of your sleep.

Exercise! Something as simple as a walk in the morning sun or a cold shower can strengthen your circadian rhythm.

Stress: Meditation, during the day or before bed, is proven to be good for becoming more relaxed and "letting go" of everything. Take 5 minutes to meditate before bed and see if it benefits you.

The Sleep Foundation suggests meditation as an all-natural, medication-free way to treat insomnia, and notes that doing so has been shown to reduce the use of sleeping pills, probably because meditation reduces arousal in the brain (training the relaxation response and making it easier to fall asleep!).