I will be the first to admit I used to preach a lot of 'facts' about sleep.
After some more research and talk with experts I now know they are simply wrong or exaggerated.
It's always hard to hear the truth about a supplement, gadget or routine you believed was helping you sleep when in reality was doing nothing.
Thankfully I didn't lose lots of money...
But I did lose valuable sleep and time (tired = low productivity).
So here are the top 5 myths I used to believe in but I now know are simply not true...
1. Alcohol is a useful sleep aid
Studies on alcohol and sleep have reliably showed two things.
One.
You do in fact fall asleep faster.
Positive? Maybe.
Two.
Alcohol greatly disrupts REM sleep. This negatively effects your brain, cutting off it's regenerative process.
2. The only way to get health benefits from the sun is on your exposed skin
Vitamin D is created between the interaction of your exposed skin and the sun.
However this is only 1 important benefit from the sun.
If you're thinking...
I'm in a suit I can't go out and get any sun today so what is the point.
This is where you are making a big mistake.
The interaction between your eyes and sun light is a crucial process which needs to happen regularly in order to regulate your bodies hormones.
At what time of day and how often are also critically important.
3. Any light before bed is bad
Once the sun goes down all lights should go off. This is the best case scenario but in reality the most unlikely.
So are all lights bad?
No.
The spectrum between red and blue light is very important to know because by choosing the right end of the spectrum you still can have lights on and fall asleep naturally.
4. Sleeping on your back is the best position
You may have been told sleeping on your back is the optimal position.
The real answer is...
It depends.
Knowing how to individualise your sleeping position for your body type and mattress is critical to having healthy aligned joints, unrestricted airways and deeper sleeps.
5. 8 hours is the optimal amount of sleep
It's not the hours you need to be counting but the cycles of sleep.
Ever heard the term...
"It is not the length of life but the depth of life"?
This is key when it comes to your sleep cycles. Get the minimum amount of cycles and make sure they count.