8 Steps Towards Better Sleep: What I Do and Why

There is a direct relationship between how well you sleep and how long you live.

If you think you can get away with 5 or 6 hours of sleep, the scientific evidence is not on your side. Getting 7 to 8 hours of sleep each night is one of the most underappreciated and most important things you can do to extend your healthspan.

Sleep expert Dr. Matthew Walker, author of the wonderful book Why We Sleep, says that sleep is the single most effect thing we can do to reset our mental and physical health each day.

As he told me in a recent conversation: “Sleep is Mother Nature’s best effort yet to counter death.”

In today’s blog, I’ll discuss how I get 8 hours of great sleep and how you can too.

Let’s dive in…

#1 – What’s Your Sleep Goal?

My absolute target is 8 hours of sleep, with 7 hours as a minimum. It doesn’t mean I always achieve that, but I always try.

Do you value sleep or do you think it’s a waste of time? “I’ll sleep when I’m dead” used to be my mantra, that is NOT the case anymore.

#2 – Standard Bedtime & Wind-down Period

My goal is to be in bed by 9:30pm, and asleep by 10pm every night. That’s what works for me because my body wakes up at 6am.

Having a consistent, standard bedtime is more important than you might expect. Establishing a routine is critical for high-quality sleep. Eight hours of sleep between 10pm and 6am is NOT the same as 8 hours between 12am and 8am.

Similarly, you want to have a consistent “wind-down” period. For me, this is 30 – 60 minutes, typically between 8:30pm and 9:30pm, when I turn down the lights, wear my blue-light-blocking glasses, and slow down my routine.

#3 – Eye Mask

I use a Manta Sleep Mask (mantasleep.com), which I love. It’s super comfortable, blocks out all light, and avoids putting pressure directly on your eyes. I’ve become addicted to my Manta mask and own 3 of them, and I always travel with one wherever I go.

#4 – Staying Cool at Night

There are two things I do in this area:

• Room Temperature: set my room temperature air conditioning at a chilly ~63 degrees F (17.2 degrees C).

• Cooling Mattress Pad: I purchased Eight Sleep, a system that covers the mattress (under the bedding) and cools you down to a chosen temperature over the course of the evening and warms the bed for my wake-up at 6am.

#5 – Mandibular Adjustment Device

I snore and grind my teeth. In the past I used a CPAP (Continuous Positive Airway Pressure) machine, which works, but they are bulky and uncomfortable, and hard to travel with. Now I use a specially-fitted upper and lower mouth guard called a “Mandibular Adjustment Device” that slightly juts my lower jaw forward, keeping my airways open and preventing snoring and apnea. Plus, it also prevents me from grinding my teeth. I love it so much that I can’t go to sleep without it.

#6 – Evening Entertainment

One change I’ve made that makes a huge difference is eliminating screen time (computer, smart phone, and TV) before sleep.

Instead, I listen to a book on Audible and set the timer for 15 or 20 minutes. I guess that’s the adult equivalent of being read a bedtime story!

#7 – Oura Ring: Measuring My Sleep

The Oura ring allows me to gamify my sleep. It gives you a daily “Readiness Score” and a “Sleep Score.” My goal is always to get at least a score of 90 on each (which I don’t always achieve, but it’s my target). Many times, just the thought that I will be measured in the morning is motivation enough to get to sleep early and minimize any alcohol intake.

#8 – No Coffee After 2pm & No Late-Night Eating

Caffeine has a half-life of up to 5 hours, which means it takes that amount of time for the quantity of caffeine in your body to be reduced by half. To ensure a good night's sleep, it is often recommended to avoid consuming caffeine for at least 6 hours before going to bed.

I also avoid having any food within 2 hours of going to sleep (so, typically 7:30pm for my 9:30pm bedtime). This gives my body enough time to begin digestion and to prevent a full stomach that can lead to heartburn.

Why Sleep Matters

In Why We Sleep, Dr. Walker points out that close to 0% of the total population can get away with less than 7 hours of sleep a night without harming their health.

For most people, regularly getting 8 hours of sleep boosts memory retention, enhances concentration, augments creativity, stabilizes emotions, strengthens the immune system, enhances athletic performance, and staves off deadly ailments like cancers and heart disease.

One of the key lessons from Dr. Walker is: If humans had been able to evolve with the ability to get along with less sleep, then we would have. Yet evolutionarily, our bodies retained the need for 8 hours.

PLEASE make getting a solid 8 hours of sleep a priority for yourself.

One major element of my upcoming Longevity Platinum Trip will be how to maximize sleep to increase your longevity. We’ll get practical insights from sleep expert Dr. Matt Walker and other longevity leaders.

If you’re able to join us, get ready for some life-changing habits!