Restful sleep is essential - it is the only way our body can regenerate optimally and carry out a number of important processes. But what if your sleep quality leaves a lot to be desired? Then it's time to optimize your sleep routine.
Sleep routine: Why is restful sleep so important?
While you sleep, your body carries out many important and complex processes. Only if you regularly consume enough high-quality Sleep these processes can take place optimally.
regeneration
During sleep, your body goes through various phases in which it regenerates. Damaged cells are repaired, and growth hormones are released to ensure that muscles can be built and tissue repaired.
At the same time, your blood pressure drops while you sleep, which in turn relieves the strain on your heart and reduces the risk of cardiovascular disease.
Mental Health
Your brain processes emotional experiences, especially during REM sleep. This helps to mentally "reset" you so that you can start the next day balanced.
Lack of sleep, on the other hand, often leads to increased irritability and susceptibility to stress.
Cognitive Functions
Restful sleep even improves your mental performance because your brain stores information during sleep and can absorb new impressions the next day.
If you don't get enough sleep, it will affect your ability to concentrate - difficulties in thinking and reacting are often the result.
hormone regulation
During sleep, your body regulates important hormones with different functions: leptin and ghrelin for example, are responsible for the feeling of satiety and the stimulation of appetite.
If lack of sleep disturbs the delicate balance between the two hormones, it often leads to cravings the next day. Chronic lack of sleep can therefore increase the risk of obesity and insulin resistance increase.
strengthen the immune system
Even a short-term lack of sleep impairs the function of the so-called T cells, which eliminate infected body cells and thus, for example, prevent the spread of a virus in the body.
Those who get enough sleep are also better protected against illness.
temperature regulation
Our body temperature reaches its peak in the evening before we go to bed. Thermoregulation is part of the so-called circadian rhythm (more on this later) and the rise in temperature in the evening ensures that we can fall asleep optimally.
Our body temperature then drops again overnight and reaches its lowest level in the early morning hours. Over the course of the day it fluctuates by up to 1 degree.
What exactly is biohacking?
biohacking is based on the idea that we can actively and independently improve our physical and mental health. The goal: to increase our own performance, increase our lifespan or address individual health problems.
Biohackers try to get the best out of their body and mind.
The most important components of biohacking include:
- Healthy eating
- sports and exercise
- supplements
- light therapies
Ultimately, every biohacker experiments with different measures to get the most out of themselves. There is therefore no "one" biohacking routine.
The circadian rhythm
The circadian rhythm is our body's internal biological clock that controls many physiological processes. It follows a 24- to 25-hour cycle and influences not only our sleep, but also hormone secretion, body temperature, blood pressure and many other functions.
The The most important stimulator for the circadian rhythm is light. During the day, light hits receptors in our eyes, which transmit the stimulus via many interfaces to the suprachiasmatic nucleus in the hypothalamus. The result: In daylight, the stress hormones cortisol, serotonin and adrenaline are released.
But it is not only our sleep that is influenced by the daily cycle: Our cortisol levels also play a role here: It rises slowly overnight until it reaches its peak around 8:30 am.
As a so-called stress hormone, cortisol affects your blood sugar and fat metabolism. It has an anti-inflammatory effect and delays the excretion of water.
The natural counterpart of cortisol is the sleep hormone melatoninIf the light intensity decreases, more melatonin is released - your body calms down.
By the way: Stress also keeps your cortisol levels high. The result: you come cannot relax and sleep worse.
Last but not least, our gastrointestinal tract normally follows a circadian rhythm. We get hungry every four to five hours, but at night our appetite is reduced. Leptin and ghrelin are primarily responsible for this regulation. The intestine uses the night's rest to transport its contents further.
Circadian Hacking
The term “circadian hacking” is used more and more frequently when it comes to biohacking and sleep rhythm. Circadian hacking is about consciously influencing the circadian rhythm. The goal: to specifically adapt the internal biological clock to personal or external requirements.
But one thing is certain: Although you can "hack" a lot of things about your sleep, your chronotype remains largely the same. This means that an owl who is more active at night will not become an early bird who wakes up with the first rays of sunshine, even with lots of tips and tricks.
The best tips for optimizing your sleep
Owl or lark?
Owl and lark - these are the so-called chronotypes. While larks are active early in the day, owls only become active late in the day and into the night.
What chronotype you are is largely determined by your genes.But you can still do it a little bit - for example through light, food intake or exercise.
However, you should adapt your sleep routine to your chronotype as much as possible. The more closely you match your natural rhythm, the better.
Light & Movement
Your sleep routine begins during the day - it sounds strange, but it's true. If you spend time outdoors during the day, get some daylight and exercise, you support your circadian rhythm.
In addition: An investigation was able to show that exercise and sport are an effective solution, especially for sleep problems - and probably also improve sleep quality in the long term.
A similar result was reached by the study "Physical activity affects overall quality of sleep": Of the 2600 participants, those who exercised for at least 150 minutes per week slept significantly better and also felt more alert during the day.
The reason for this: Sport promotes the reduction of stress hormones and improves regulationAt the same time, exercise increases the release of serotonin - and this is what your body can convert into melatonin in the evening.
Avoid caffeine
How exactly we react to caffeine is very individual. But one thing is certain: caffeine blocks the effect of adenosine, a neurotransmitter that "makes us tired". So if we have caffeine in our bodies, it is harder for us to fall asleep and stay in deep sleep phases.
This is exactly what a study confirms: Subjects consumed caffeine at different times before going to bed. Compared to the control group, all test subjects showed a measurable sleep disturbance - even if caffeine consumption had occurred six hours previously.
It is therefore better not to consume any caffeinated drinks after 2 p.m. - or even to avoid them completely.
Avoid alcohol
Not surprisingly, alcohol also disrupts your nighttime rest. It leads to a reduction in REM and deep sleep phases, increases respiratory problems, causes you to wake up more often and, last but not least, makes you go to the toilet more often.
One twin study, which began in 1975, was able to show that even moderate alcohol consumption is associated with poorer sleep quality in the long term. Of course, the best thing would be to avoid alcohol completely - because alcohol not only has a negative effect on your sleep, but also on many other physical processes.
optimize your bedroom
Your bedroom also plays a big role in your sleep routine. But what is important when optimizing your sleeping area?
- Temperature: Keep the room temperature between 15 and 18 degrees - the optimal temperature for adults.
- Bed linen: Use breathable, possibly even thermo-regulating bed linen.
- Light: Install blackout curtains or blinds to keep your bedroom as dark as possible.
- Quiet: Make sure your sleeping environment is as quiet as possible - if in doubt, earplugs will help.
- Keeping things in order: Clutter can unconsciously cause stress, so keep it tidy - and minimalist.
- Air: Ventilate regularly (especially before going to bed). Houseplants such as snake plants, for example, can improve air quality.
- fragrances: Maybe you can Smells like lavender or chamomile help you fall asleep.
using a weighted blanket
Weighted blankets are becoming increasingly popular - they are supposed to calm the parasympathetic nervous system and thus reduce stress. These blankets are usually filled with small glass beads and weigh around seven kilograms.
There is hardly any scientifically sound evidence for the supposedly positive effects of such blankets - and it would also be difficult to implement. After all, there is no such thing as a "placebo weighted blanket". Test subjects would know immediately whether it is a weighted blanket - or not.
However, many people report positive effects of weighted blankets, especially when they are suffering from anxiety or restlessness. So you can give it a try without worrying.
Find a sleeping position
You've probably seen a video about supposedly "correct" sleeping positions at some point. First, the good news: If you don't have any health problems or other restrictions, you can do whatever feels good.
Things look a little different with:
- neck or back pain
- snoring or obstructive sleep apnea
- reflux and heartburn
- lung diseases
- pregnancy
The probably the healthiest sleeping position is lying on your backThis allows the spine to assume its natural shape and the body weight is evenly distributed. For people with breathing problems, however, lying on your back is not suitable.
So you see: Your optimal sleeping position is something very individual. However, if you are currently suffering from sleep problems, it can be useful to take a look at your sleeping position.
Use sleep phases
If you are woken up during a light sleep phase, it is much easier to get up. However, if we are woken from a deep sleep phase, this becomes much more difficult. A solution to this problem are so-called sleep phase alarm clock.
The over-the-counter versions measure physical movement, are designed to recognize the different phases of sleep - and then wake us up in a less deep phase. There is no fixed time in advance, but rather a time frame in which you would like to be woken up.
These alarm clock models are often not suitable for people who generally sleep very restlessly - i.e. who move around a lot.
Also important: It is difficult to prove whether the alarm clocks actually recognize sleep phases based on movement alone. Even the professional devices in sleep laboratories sometimes have problems with this - it is questionable whether a smartwatch, for example, can even do this.
As is often the case, the same applies here: try out what suits you best.
Relaxing in the evening
Peace of mind is the foundation for good sleep. Stress, on the other hand, can disturb our sleep - studies show that people with high stress perception sleep shorter and worse - and are also duller and sleepier during the day.
The following tips can help you relax better in the evening:
- meditation
- Do stretching exercises or yoga
- autogenic training
- breathing exercises
- walk in the fresh air
- Drink tea, especially chamomile, lavender, hops or valerian
- Reading a relaxing book
Reduce blue light
Sitting on the mobile phone before going to bed - for many people this has become quite normal. The problem is blue light. According to a study The short-wave rays can hinder the release of the sleep hormone melatonin - and thus make it more difficult for you to fall asleep.
The solution: At least 30 minutes to one hour before going to bed, switch off all devices - or at least glasses with blue light filter carry. Bryan Johnson even completely avoids any stimuli in the bedroom.
Eating healthy
A healthy diet also plays a role in sleep: in order to sleep well, our metabolism needs to calm down at night. Very fatty, spicy or simply very rich meals in the evening stand in the way of this.
Other typical errors are:
- Eating very spicy food - Chili causes our core body temperature and heart rate to remain high. But we need exactly the opposite in order to be able to sleep well.
- Raw vegetables and legumes - they put a strain on our intestinal flora and prevent us from sleeping well due to the fermentation.
- Raw fruit - blood sugar fluctuations and fermentation processes disturb your sleep.
Better options could be:
- A light, balanced meal
- Sweet potatoes instead of potatoes: The large amounts of resistant starch are popular with our intestinal flora
- Lukewarm dairy products
- Drink less after 7 pm to avoid having to go to the toilet at night
The right supplements
Supplements can also have a positive effect on your sleep-wake rhythm. The following dietary supplements are particularly popular in biohacking:
magnesium
magnesium fulfills many important functions in our body. The mineral supports our sleep primarily through:
- Support of the nervous system: Magnesium binds to the GABA receptors in our brain. GABA (gamma-aminobutyric acid) is a neurotransmitter known for its calming properties - and is therefore also crucial for our sleep.
- Fewer sleep disturbances: A lack of magnesium is often responsible for sleep problems - for example due to restless legs syndrome or classic calf cramps.
amino acids
Amino acids are the building blocks of life - and therefore also play a crucial role in sleep. Some amino acids serve as precursors for neurotransmitters that control our sleep and wake cycles.
This includes:
- Tryptophan: An essential amino acid that the body needs to produce serotonin, the precursor to melatonin.
- Glycine: A non-essential amino acid that helps lower body temperature so we can sleep optimally.
- GABA (gamma-aminobutyric acid): A non-essential amino acid that reduces the activity of our central nervous system - and thus ensures relaxation.
Ashwaganda
Ashwaganda is a plant whose berries and roots are used primarily in Ayurvedic medicine. The evergreen plant is said to have many different positive effects.
Among other things:
- Reducing stress and anxiety symptoms
- Help with Insomnia
- More strength, endurance and energy
- lowering blood pressure
- reducing inflammation
Reducing stress plays a major role in our sleep: According to a meta-analysis Ashwaganda was able to significantly improve the sleep quality of the test subjects. The GABA-like effect is probably responsible for this.
That’s why you will also find Ashwaganda in our QNIGHT capsules - that help you relax in the evening.
melatonin
Melatonin is an important stimulant for our sleep-wake rhythm. It is the counterpart to the stress hormone cortisol and makes us sleepy and tired. Melatonin preparations should ideally be taken over several weeks to be as effective as possible. However, melatonin only plays a role in falling asleep - not in sleeping through the night.
In addition, you should always take any medication at the same time, namely when you normally go to sleep. If you take the substance at different times, your internal clock gets confused.
taurine
taurine is an amino acid that we often know from energy drinks. It is involved in brain development and muscle activity, binds free radicals and thus counteracts inflammations.
Our taruin levels drop drastically as we get older. The effects this has on our aging process have not yet been researched in detail. However, it is almost certain that the amino acid plays a significant role in it.
In addition, taurine have a calming effect on our nervous system and help to lower cortisol levels.The result: You can fall asleep and sleep through the night better and faster.
