Sleep Like It Matters—Because It Does

There’s often debate on what one thing is most important for overall health and longevity. While in my humble opinion, cleaning up your diet takes the cake, but some researchers like one of the world’s leading neuroscientists, Matthew Walker—author of Why We Sleep, would disagree. There is one thing he says trumps all when it comes to improving your health.

It would be sleep.

Sleep is the ultimate force multiplier. It regulates your hormones, heals your body, boosts your immune system, sharpens your brain, and elevates your emotional resilience. No other habit gives you such an incredible return on investment.

So if you’re ready to upgrade your vitality, longevity, and performance—this guide is your playbook for creating sleep that restores you on a cellular level.

🛏️ Set the Stage: Optimize Your Sleep Environment

Your bedroom isn’t just a place to crash—it’s your recovery sanctuary. Here’s how to make it work for you:

🌑 Light

• Use blackout curtains or wear a sleep mask to block out all external light.

• Digital Sunset at least an hour before bed to signal melatonin production. Use this time to read, stretch, journal, connect with loved ones—or just be.

  • If you must use screens, wear blue light blocking glasses.

  • Use red light or blue-free bulbs in the evening.

🔇 Sound

• Use white noise, brown noise, or a sound machine to drown out disruptions.

• Consider earplugs if you live in a noisy area.

🌿 Smell

• Diffuse calming essential oils like lavender, palo santo, cedarwood, sandalwood, or chamomile. Or activate your parasympathetic nervous system with this essential oil blend.

• Try a toxic-free linen spray with natural relaxing scents to anchor your bedtime ritual.

🧘‍♀️ Body-Based Wind Down

Create a nightly wind-down ritual to shift into parasympathetic (rest-and-digest) mode to promote relaxation.

☺️ Stretch, Roll, & Release Tension

Loosen up your body and prepare for stillness with:

• Myofascial release with a foam roller or a Chirp Wheel to roll out the spine.

• Pso-Rite massage tools for deep psoas/hip release.

• An acupressure mat to melt tension, stimulate endorphins, and promote circulation/relaxation.

• Light mobility or stretching.

🌀 Downshift Your Nervous System

• Practice box breathing (inhale 4, hold 4, exhale 4, hold 4) or 4-7-8 breathing for at least 5 minutes.

• Use bio-tech stimulate the vagus nerve: I use Pulsetto

• Try light meditation, prayer, gratitude, or a simple affirmation.

✍️ Journal or Reflect

• Gratitude journal: Write down 3 things you’re grateful for. This is a powerful exercise to shift the mind into a calmer, more relaxed state.

• Brain dump: Get tomorrow’s to-do’s out of your head and onto paper or a lifestyle planner.

• Reflect on your wins, lessons, and intentions.

🌿 Smart Supplementation

These are some of my favorite natural compounds for promoting deep, sustained sleep:

🧠 Magnesium (Oral or Topical)

• Magnesium glycinate promotes calmness and muscle relaxation. Or try this 7-in-1 Complete Spectrum Magnesium Complex

• Magnesium chloride spray or lotion can be applied to legs, feet, or shoulders before bed

🔬 Other Supportive Options

• Glycine: Helps reduce core body temperature and supports deeper sleep. Try 3g before bed.

• L-theanine: Calms without sedation.

• Apigenin: Naturally found in chamomile.

• Ashwagandha: Reduces cortisol (stress) levels.

• GABA: Supports relaxation.

• CBD or CBN: For deeper physical relaxation (use high-quality, tested brands).

🌅 Set Clear Boundaries

Start treating sleep with the sacredness it deserves. Create your own clear boundaries and make them a non-negotiable part of your day. Here are some examples, but feel free to come up with your own that make the most sense for you:

☕️ Caffeine Cutoff

• Caffeine has a half-life of ~6 hours. Set a "caffeine curfew" around 12 PM–2 PM, depending on your sensitivity and time you normally go to bed.

🛌 Time in Bed ≠ Time Asleep

• Try to wake up each morning and be in bed every night at the same time +/- 30 minutes. This strengthens your circadian rhythm, leading to deeper sleep.

• Track with a WHOOP or other wearables to see real sleep vs. time in bed.

• Adjust bedtime to allow for 7.5–9 hours of actual sleep.

🛑 Stop Doing Things That Kill Your Sleep

❌ Scrolling on your phone before bed
❌ Drinking alcohol
❌ Eating too close to bedtime
❌ Going to bed wired and tired without a wind-down routine
❌ Sleeping in a hot room
❌ Late-night workouts

🧪 Bonus Biohacks for Elite Sleep

🌍 Grounding Sheets or Mats

• Grounding while you sleep may reduce inflammation and improve sleep quality.

😴 Mouth Tape or Nasal Strips

• Promotes nasal breathing, increases oxygen, and can reduce snoring helping you achieve a deeper sleep.

• Personally, I use Hostage Tape for both mouth tape (and nasal strips), but I’ve used this micropore tape prior that worked fairly well for a smaller cost.

💧 Hydration

• Hydrate earlier in the day, taper in the evening.

• Add electrolytes in the AM to support fluid balance.

🌡️ Ideal Sleep Temperature

• Your body sleeps best around 60–67°F (15–19°C).

• Consider a cooling mattress pad or a fan for extra airflow.

☕️ Nightcap Alternatives

• Replace wine or sugar-laden desserts with a warm mug of:

  • Herbal tea: chamomile, lemon balm, or rooibos

  • Bone broth with sea salt and ghee for deep nourishment

Final Thoughts: Sleep Like It’s Sacred (Because It Is)

If you truly want to show up as your strongest, sharpest, healthiest self—don’t treat sleep as an afterthought. Make it a non-negotiable ritual of restoration.

Start with one or two of these upgrades this week. Track how you feel. Then layer on more as you go. Master your sleep, and you’ll unlock levels of vitality most people only dream about.