Golden Slumbers: Your Summer Sleep Toolkit š“
Don't snooze on this intel
3 min read
NO SLEEP IN BROOKLYN
Between the absurd swings in East coast temperatures, the news cycle š±, and the return of TV binge season in The Bear, weāve got more than a few opportunities to log some low-quality sleep. If this is ringing bells for you, hereās whatās in my current sleep toolkit, some tried and true and some brand new:
Cognitive shuffling - when the 3am mind monkeys start to chatter, this is a cool technique to try. The idea is to give your brain something mindless to focus on, to quiet the monkeys and slow down racing thoughts. Shuffling basic information mimics the brainās natural process of drifting off, known as the hypnagogic state, and breaks the worry cycle. The method: pick any word, letās say BLANKET, and then go through a mental list of every word you can think of that starts with B, then L, then A, then N, etc. Chances are youāll drift off before you finish the whole word.
A sleepy snack: mixing complex carbs like whole grains to stabilize blood sugar, with protein and fat like nut butter to help increase tryptophan, topped with natural melatonin booster like tart cherries is a delish recipe for sleep success.
Ozlo Sleepbuds: Light sleepers, IYKYK šš»āāļø: when sharing a bed witheven the quietest snorer, there are times when the white noise machine and the fan just donāt cut it. Enter Ozlo snore-blocking sleep headphones. Theyāre like a white noise machine in your ear, comfy for side sleepers, and they reduce almost all of the ambient snore. And shockingly, the battery lasts all night, despite their teeny tiny size. Get $10 off your order!
The 3-2-1 Method: in case you need a refresher, this is a simple strategy that thrives on consistency and involves sequentially winding down on food, liquids, stress and screens, in that order, starting three hours before bed.
Red light/dark environment: turning those lights down low or switching to red bulbs by 9pm limits artificial light to signal your brain that itās time to get ready for sleep. Even 30 seconds of bright light at night can interfere with your natural melatonin production, so yes, on those late nights where Iām still out and about instead of powering down, Iāve been known to sport my red shades unapologetically. If it aināt brokeā¦
When all else fails, donāt fight against the wakefulness, lean into it. Try a practice like Yoga Nidra/aka NSDR (non sleep deep rest), designed to promote rest even without sleep. Free versions exist on YouTube, Spotify or InsightTimer. Even if you donāt fall back asleep, you can still benefit from the restful state.
Sleep, pretty darling, do not cry. You can always try again tomorrow.
THIS SH*T IS BANANAS
Fun fact: š Strawberries are not actually classified as berries, which are technically derived from a flower with a single ovary, like cranberries or blueberries, or even bananas. Strawberries, raspberries and blackberries are considered āaggregate fruits.ā I predict many a fun uncle winning bets against small childrenā¦
Happy weekend, all!