If you want to become physically stronger or simply more effective you need to sleep effectively so you have the energy to perform.

The better you want your performance to be the more you truly need quality sleep.

If two power lifters were physically the same – and trained the same – the lifter who had superior sleep habits and strategies would soon become stronger.

With better sleep and recovery techniques your muscles and CNS will recover more completely and this will give you an edge over any competition with inferior sleep strategies.

Recovery means giving your body the nutrition, the rest and the rituals needed to become as strong as possible.

With the launch of my new fitness coaching program Deadlift Dojo I have become more obsessed with the science of sleep and strength than ever.

Deadlift Dojo members you can enjoy a full audio version of this post in the members area.

The reason I am giving sleep tips so much play is because sleep is so vital for peak body and brain functioning.

Sleep is definitely a vital element of recovery, which is why I recommend doing everything possible to help you optimize your sleep.

If you decide to bulk for Power lifting as I am doing currently you will find sleep becomes an increasing challenge as you approach 300 lbs.

These are the sleep optimization strategies I use on a nightly basis to ensure I get better sleep at night and hopefully these sleep strategies help you too.

1) Increase Bright Light Exposure During the Day

Keep your blinds open during the day to let as much natural light in as possible.

Reversing this process is what I call “Getting the house into night mode” and it helps me go through the motions to get set up for a quality sleep.

Don’t worry the night mode steps I go through to get a great sleep every night will be shared in this article.

2) Invest in a Quality Bed

Buying the best bed you can afford is a great idea since you will spend more time in your bed than anywhere else.

Many furniture companies offer financing options which seem to me like a no brainier to me as the benefits a quality bed will bring almost certainly will outweigh the monthly cost of a new bed.

It is recommended that you upgrade your bedding at least every 5 to 8 years.

Too many people lose sleep and suffer because they don’t value sleep enough to invest in a better bed. Don’t let that be you.

3) Get Blackout Blinds

Having a dark room at night definitely helps get a good night sleep.

If you have any devices in the room which emanate light I recommend covering those lights so you get as close to complete darkness as possible.

4) Have a Bedtime Ritual

Before bed I have a series of activities that get me ready for sleep.

My process is: I brush my teeth, turn off all the lights, and shut the blinds throughout the house.

Often I will also optimize my oxygen flow so I can breather better at night.

5) Exercise Daily

Exercising daily definitely helps with getting better sleep at night.

My best nights of sleep often cone after my best workout sessions.

6) Use Nasal Strips

Breathe Right nasal strips are a drug free way to improve your breathing instantly.

If you can get used to the way these look and feel you will benefit from better sleep if you use them.

7) Decrease Bright Lights In The Evening

To help with this there are two things I have implemented.

First I implemented a free app into my laptop called F.lux.

Flux makes the color of your computer’s display adapt to the time of day, warm at night and like sunlight during the day.

The other thing I implemented is a dimmable smart bulb in my office.

With the smart bulb I can control the brightness of my office light at night and I dim it in the evenings to get my eyes ready to relax for sleep.

8) Take a Melatonin Supplement

Melatonin occurs naturally in the body and helps regulate sleep.

It can also be purchased as a supplement and found on the shelf at your local pharmacy.

It definitely works so give it a try if you need extra help getting to sleep.

9) Get Better Sleep By Taking a Relaxing Shower, Sauna or Bath Before Bed

A shower before bed is relaxing and saunas even earlier in the day definitely also help with muscle relaxation.

The more relaxed your muscles feel the easily it will be for you to get to sleep.

Plus if you are clean and fresh when in bed your chances of getting frisky increase – and friskiness often comes to a relaxing conclusion which helps with sleep (SEX! lol).

10) Avoid Long Naps

Short naps are awesome.

30 minutes or less is ideal.

Any naps longer than 30 minutes will cause excessive drowsiness and make it harder for you to sleep at night.

So keep your naps short and sweet.

11) Use a Neti Pot

Yes Neti Pots look somewhat strange however I can assure you this: They work.

I use a NetiPot on an almost nightly basis and it definitely helps me breate better at night.

Another interesting fact is I used a Neti Pot before a workout the other day and got a huge deadlifting personal record.

More oxygen means more muscle activation so a NetiPot is something any serious athlete should consider.

12) Get Into a Sleep Routine

Setting a bedtime for yourself is actually a great idea.

Once you get into a good sleep routine the routine will compel you to get to sleep at a good time.

“We first make our habits, then our habits make us.”

13) Take a Decongestant

A decongestant like Advil Night time can help open up your air ways if you have difficulty breathing at night.

There are other decongestants as well.

Find what works best for you and use them sparingly as consistent use can cause a tolerance to build up.

14) No Caffeine After 6PM

Stop drinking coffee or other caffeinated drinks after 6pm and your sleep will thank you for it.

This tip first came to me from Jason Statham and it has helped me avoid many sleepless hours by making 6pm my coffee deadline.

Sometimes I make an exception when I am training late in the evening. If I’m not training though I stay away from coffee and caffeine.

15) Smash Your Alarm Clock

Smash your alarm clock: You’ll get better sleep.

This tip is not for everyone because many people need to get to work on time so an alarm can be – unfortunately – essential.

However if you can manage to get away from needing an alarm every day your recovery will improve as a result.

Alarm clocks force people to wake up sooner than they otherwise would.

By not using an alarm clock and waking up naturally you will have a recovery advantage over everyone who cuts their rest short by forcing themselves to wake up early.

Waking up because you feel rested – rather than because you are forced – will lead to greater recovery results over time.

16. Turn Your Phone Off

I used to leave my phone on silent, but I found I would still be compelled to check it if I did.

So now when I am going to bed I turn my phone completely off so it won’t disturb me during sleep.

17. No Screen Time Before Sleep Time

Not only is

18. Maintain a Healthy Weight

If you find sleep is getting harder it might be because you have put on some extra weight.

Personally I find when my weight gets to 260lbs and above sleep becomes a real challenge, which is why I’ve had to dig deep to find all of the sleep optimization strategies above.

However many of the tips in this article are unnecessary if you take action to maintain a healthy weight.

19. Invest in a C-PAP Device

This is more of a temporary solution, if you find yourself having a hard time breathing at bed you should look into a more permanent solution such as losing weight or getting a CPAP sleep device.

At the highest level of powerlifting and strongman competitions almost every athlete uses a sleeping device to get a better night sleep.

20. Practice Deep Breaths

A breathing strategy I have used with success for relaxation is called box breathing.

Below is a graphic which explains how box breathing works.

Bonus Tip: Read a Book Before Bed

I’ve found reading before sleep is a great way to relax and become drowsy before sleep.

If reading is not your thing you might find listening to an audio book or relaxing music helps you wind down and get to sleep.

Bonus Tip: Stay Hydrated

Keep water by your bed so you can stay hydrated if you feel parched throughout the night.

Bonus Sleep Tips Podcast

Check out Tim’s blog on sleeping better and are interested in tools and tips for better sleep.

The main tools and tips Tim shares are listed below:

• Chili Pad
• Hanging upside-down or traction 
• Sleep Master sleep mask and 3M E-A-Rsoft FX ear plugs
• Yogi “Soothing Caramel Bedtime” tea
• Visual overwriting (e.g. Tetris or Escape to River Cottage, Season 1)

Conclusion

Hopefully you enjoyed this article about optimizing your sleep!

Leave me a comment and share your favorite tip you use to get better sleep at night.

Make sure to sign up for updates at the Deadlift Dojo homepage.

The post 20 Tips for Better Quality Sleep – Episode 106 appeared first on Next Level Podcast.