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Sleep: The Myth of 8 Hours, the Power of Naps, and the New Plan to Recharge Your Body and Mind
Proven solutions for a better night's sleep, from the "sleep guru" to elite athletes
One-third of our lives--3,000 hours a year--is spent trying to sleep. The hours we spend in bed shape our moods, motivation, alertness, decision-making skills, creativity...in short, our ability to perform. But most of us have disturbed, restless nights, relying on over-stimulation from caffeine and sugar to drag us through the day. It's time for a new approach. Endorsed by professionals in sports and business, Sleep shares a new program to be your personal best: learn how to map your unique sleep cycle, optimize your environment for recovery, and cope with the demands of this fast-paced, tech-driven world. Sleep your way to a more confident, successful, and happier you.
One-third of our lives--3,000 hours a year--is spent trying to sleep. The hours we spend in bed shape our moods, motivation, alertness, decision-making skills, creativity...in short, our ability to perform. But most of us have disturbed, restless nights, relying on over-stimulation from caffeine and sugar to drag us through the day. It's time for a new approach. Endorsed by professionals in sports and business, Sleep shares a new program to be your personal best: learn how to map your unique sleep cycle, optimize your environment for recovery, and cope with the demands of this fast-paced, tech-driven world. Sleep your way to a more confident, successful, and happier you.
208 pages, Paperback
First published November 22, 2016
539 people are currently reading
3883 people want to read
About the author
Nick Littlehales
8 books22 followersNick Littlehales is a sleep coach to a wide variety to of athletes and teams, including British Cycling and Team Sky; NBA, NFL, and NHL teams; Olympic and Paralympic athletes; international soccer teams; Rugby Union and Rugby League; and corporate clients such as GE.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 327 reviews
February 13, 2017
Maximizing rest while optimizing sleeping time. After this book I ordered a 10 000 LUX daylight lamp for my office desk, fixed alarm clock to 6AM 7 times a week (might move to earlier in coming weeks) and started calculating time for going to sleep in 90-minute cycles. Also found out what the most optimal sleeping position is (on the non-dominant side) and how to design the most optimal sleeping environment. Also found out why mobile phones have "night mode" and why it's actually scientifically useful.
Circadian rhythms (AM VS PM people)
1. Get outside, set your bodyclock with daylight, not artificial light.
2. Take time to learn about your rhythms
3. Know your peaks and troughs: monitor yourself against what should be happening naturally - use a wearable fitness tracker to measure.
4. Peak sleeping time is around 2-3 AM. If you go to bed as the sun comes up, your are fighting against your body clock.
5. Slow down in your mornings: rushing off from the word go can disrupt your body. Sleep quality is all about what we do from the point of waking.
6. Blue light is badly timed light in the evening - dim it down when you can. Go for yellow or red light - or even candlelight.
7. Picture yourself by the fire on our island: what are you doing right now that is conflicting with this?
SEVEN STEPS TO SLEEP SMARTER
1. Know your chronotype; and establish those of close friends and family.
2. Manipulate your day so that you can be at your best when it matters.
3. Use caffeine as a strategic performance enhancer, not out of habit - and not more than 400mg a day.
4. PMers - don't lie in at weekends if you want to beat social jet lag.
5. Fit meeting rooms, offices and desks with daylight lamps to improve alertness, productivity and mood at work.
6. Know when to step up and when to take a back seat.
7. Learn to work in harmony with your partner if your chronotypes differ.
CYCLES NOT HOURS
1. Your constant wake-up time is the anchor that holds in place the H90 technique- set one, and stick to it.
2. Think of sleep in ninety-minute cycles, not hours.
3. Your sleep time is flexible, but it is determined by counting back in 90-minute slots from your wake time.
4. Look at sleep in broader tact of time to take the pressure off, think in cycles per week.
5. Try to avoid three nights of fewer cycles than your ideal back to back.
6. It's not simply quality vs quantity: know how much sleep cycles you need. 35 ideal, 28 OK for most people.
7. Aim to achieve your ideal amount at least four times per week.
PRE and POST SLEEP ROUTINES
1. Directly affect your sleep and waking day.
2. Take technology breaks (e.g. in the gym in the morning)
3. Post-sleep routines are important for PM'ers too instead of snooze
4. Don't text drunk!
5. Moving your body from warmer to cooler helps trigger the natural drop in body temperature (rinse under warm water also helps).
6. Declutter your environment and mind and download your day before going to bed.
7. Pre-sleep is about shutting down while post-sleep is about starting up - time for yourself.
ACTIVITY AND RECOVERY HARMONY
1. Controlled Recovery Period (CRP) during midday 1-3PM
2. Early evening 5-7PM is next best opportunity but should be kept to 30 minutes maximum
3. When can't sleep during day then just use time to disconnect from the world.
4. Taking breaks at least every 90 minutes to refresh mind and concentration levels.
5. Stop any preconceived notions of daytime sleepers being lazy
6. Use mediation apps, mindfulness etc.
7. If can't CPR plan something less demanding for the mid-afternoon slump.
THE SLEEP-KIT
1. Learn to sleep in the foetal position, on your non-dominant side.
2. Doing the mattress check-up
3. Taking incremental approach for sleeping kit (not spending all at once but building in layers)
4. Using hypoallergenic and breathable bedding
5. Size matters - super king size (180 cm wide) is absolute minimum for 2 people.
6. Don't buy blind.
7. Mattress-frame ratio can be up to 100% in favor of the mattress.
RECOVERY ROOM
1. Bedroom should not be extension of living space but completely isolated.
2. Empty your bedroom and bring back only items critical for rest, recovery and relaxation
3. Black out your room
4. Make your room a cooler environment compared to rest of home (18-19 degrees C)
5. Feel safe and secure in your room
6. Have a neutral decor
7. Control tech use in your room
Circadian rhythms (AM VS PM people)
1. Get outside, set your bodyclock with daylight, not artificial light.
2. Take time to learn about your rhythms
3. Know your peaks and troughs: monitor yourself against what should be happening naturally - use a wearable fitness tracker to measure.
4. Peak sleeping time is around 2-3 AM. If you go to bed as the sun comes up, your are fighting against your body clock.
5. Slow down in your mornings: rushing off from the word go can disrupt your body. Sleep quality is all about what we do from the point of waking.
6. Blue light is badly timed light in the evening - dim it down when you can. Go for yellow or red light - or even candlelight.
7. Picture yourself by the fire on our island: what are you doing right now that is conflicting with this?
SEVEN STEPS TO SLEEP SMARTER
1. Know your chronotype; and establish those of close friends and family.
2. Manipulate your day so that you can be at your best when it matters.
3. Use caffeine as a strategic performance enhancer, not out of habit - and not more than 400mg a day.
4. PMers - don't lie in at weekends if you want to beat social jet lag.
5. Fit meeting rooms, offices and desks with daylight lamps to improve alertness, productivity and mood at work.
6. Know when to step up and when to take a back seat.
7. Learn to work in harmony with your partner if your chronotypes differ.
CYCLES NOT HOURS
1. Your constant wake-up time is the anchor that holds in place the H90 technique- set one, and stick to it.
2. Think of sleep in ninety-minute cycles, not hours.
3. Your sleep time is flexible, but it is determined by counting back in 90-minute slots from your wake time.
4. Look at sleep in broader tact of time to take the pressure off, think in cycles per week.
5. Try to avoid three nights of fewer cycles than your ideal back to back.
6. It's not simply quality vs quantity: know how much sleep cycles you need. 35 ideal, 28 OK for most people.
7. Aim to achieve your ideal amount at least four times per week.
PRE and POST SLEEP ROUTINES
1. Directly affect your sleep and waking day.
2. Take technology breaks (e.g. in the gym in the morning)
3. Post-sleep routines are important for PM'ers too instead of snooze
4. Don't text drunk!
5. Moving your body from warmer to cooler helps trigger the natural drop in body temperature (rinse under warm water also helps).
6. Declutter your environment and mind and download your day before going to bed.
7. Pre-sleep is about shutting down while post-sleep is about starting up - time for yourself.
ACTIVITY AND RECOVERY HARMONY
1. Controlled Recovery Period (CRP) during midday 1-3PM
2. Early evening 5-7PM is next best opportunity but should be kept to 30 minutes maximum
3. When can't sleep during day then just use time to disconnect from the world.
4. Taking breaks at least every 90 minutes to refresh mind and concentration levels.
5. Stop any preconceived notions of daytime sleepers being lazy
6. Use mediation apps, mindfulness etc.
7. If can't CPR plan something less demanding for the mid-afternoon slump.
THE SLEEP-KIT
1. Learn to sleep in the foetal position, on your non-dominant side.
2. Doing the mattress check-up
3. Taking incremental approach for sleeping kit (not spending all at once but building in layers)
4. Using hypoallergenic and breathable bedding
5. Size matters - super king size (180 cm wide) is absolute minimum for 2 people.
6. Don't buy blind.
7. Mattress-frame ratio can be up to 100% in favor of the mattress.
RECOVERY ROOM
1. Bedroom should not be extension of living space but completely isolated.
2. Empty your bedroom and bring back only items critical for rest, recovery and relaxation
3. Black out your room
4. Make your room a cooler environment compared to rest of home (18-19 degrees C)
5. Feel safe and secure in your room
6. Have a neutral decor
7. Control tech use in your room
April 24, 2023
Libro que hará que te replantees todos tus esquemas preestablecidos sobre el sueño. Es una visión novedosa y científica del hecho de dormir. No hay en este libro ningún conjuro mágico. Todo está basado en conceptos puramente científicos y en la experiencia profesional del autor.
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A book that will make you rethink all your preconceived ideas about sleep. It is a new and scientific vision of the act of sleeping. There is no magic spell in this book. Everything is based on purely scientific concepts and the author's professional experience.
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A book that will make you rethink all your preconceived ideas about sleep. It is a new and scientific vision of the act of sleeping. There is no magic spell in this book. Everything is based on purely scientific concepts and the author's professional experience.
September 3, 2017
Actual rating: 3.5 stars
Initial thoughts: A few days ago, I read The Sleep Solution by W. Chris Winter. In his book, Winter maintained that locking ourselves down to 90-minute sleep cycles isn't always efficient and might even rob us of that extra hour of sleep we need, increasing our tiredness during the day. Whose advice then, should I follow? Nick Littlehales, the author of this book, Sleep, or Winter, who's a neurologist? Both authors research sleep but I'm more inclined to trust the the trained scientist of the nervous system. Provenance matters when you want to ensure you learn the right things.
Beyond the disagreement over breaking down sleep into 90-minute chunks, Sleep was an informative book with very concrete guidelines to follow. Lots of details were included down to ideal sleeping positions and room temperatures, which makes this book a great read for anyone who's struggling with their sleep cycles and wants to achieve optimum performance, athletic or otherwise, as well as improve their health.
Initial thoughts: A few days ago, I read The Sleep Solution by W. Chris Winter. In his book, Winter maintained that locking ourselves down to 90-minute sleep cycles isn't always efficient and might even rob us of that extra hour of sleep we need, increasing our tiredness during the day. Whose advice then, should I follow? Nick Littlehales, the author of this book, Sleep, or Winter, who's a neurologist? Both authors research sleep but I'm more inclined to trust the the trained scientist of the nervous system. Provenance matters when you want to ensure you learn the right things.
Beyond the disagreement over breaking down sleep into 90-minute chunks, Sleep was an informative book with very concrete guidelines to follow. Lots of details were included down to ideal sleeping positions and room temperatures, which makes this book a great read for anyone who's struggling with their sleep cycles and wants to achieve optimum performance, athletic or otherwise, as well as improve their health.
September 21, 2017
Growing up, my dad was always a napper. He'd eat lunch and then sleep for a bit before going back to work. My grandfather was the same. I'm now in my mid 30s, and although I've long disdained naps, I found myself thinking a month or so ago that maybe I should start toying with them. So when this book came up in a search (for a different book on a different topic altogether), I figured I'd give a go.
Littlehales is a sleep coach for high performing athletes. There are some useful concepts in his book on sleep. Here are some that caught my attention, perhaps because they confirmed my own biases.
It seems like the "morning person" vs. "evening person" common knowledge may be a scientifcally proven real thing with its own jargon. We can change as we grow older, usually beginning as morning people, shifting to evening people in adolescence, and then the morning creeps back into our lives.
The eight hours a night thing is not a myth so much as an average number and therefore misleading. Many people need less than 8 hours of sleep and there are people who need more.
Pre-sleep routines matter.
Hydration, food, and exercise affect sleep.
A dark and somewhat cool room will usually be ideal for sleep.
Waking with dawn (sunlight) and going to sleep with at dusk will generally help to bring on sleep.
I was a bit skeptical of one claim. Littlehales wants people to sleep without interruption. In other words, try to avoid things that will cause you to wake in the middle of the night. But I've found that I'll always wake up for a few minutes in the middle of the night, often to just shift my body. I've also read that some people commonly sleep in two shifts and that it may even be natural. If Littlehales took this into account, I obviously dozed through that section.
Which may be because I picked up this book while getting ready for a nap. Also, I tend to take books like this with a grain of salt and therefore skim them. At the end of the day, I am more inclined to pay attention to my own experiments, but it's also useful to read what others suggest about sleep. And in this sense, I found Sleep very interesting.
Please note that there are many technical details, broader sleep programs, and there's also some trouble shooting that I've not mentioned. Feel free to pick up the book for the rest.
Littlehales is a sleep coach for high performing athletes. There are some useful concepts in his book on sleep. Here are some that caught my attention, perhaps because they confirmed my own biases.
It seems like the "morning person" vs. "evening person" common knowledge may be a scientifcally proven real thing with its own jargon. We can change as we grow older, usually beginning as morning people, shifting to evening people in adolescence, and then the morning creeps back into our lives.
The eight hours a night thing is not a myth so much as an average number and therefore misleading. Many people need less than 8 hours of sleep and there are people who need more.
Pre-sleep routines matter.
Hydration, food, and exercise affect sleep.
A dark and somewhat cool room will usually be ideal for sleep.
Waking with dawn (sunlight) and going to sleep with at dusk will generally help to bring on sleep.
I was a bit skeptical of one claim. Littlehales wants people to sleep without interruption. In other words, try to avoid things that will cause you to wake in the middle of the night. But I've found that I'll always wake up for a few minutes in the middle of the night, often to just shift my body. I've also read that some people commonly sleep in two shifts and that it may even be natural. If Littlehales took this into account, I obviously dozed through that section.
Which may be because I picked up this book while getting ready for a nap. Also, I tend to take books like this with a grain of salt and therefore skim them. At the end of the day, I am more inclined to pay attention to my own experiments, but it's also useful to read what others suggest about sleep. And in this sense, I found Sleep very interesting.
Please note that there are many technical details, broader sleep programs, and there's also some trouble shooting that I've not mentioned. Feel free to pick up the book for the rest.
September 7, 2018
I heard Nick Littlehales on Dr. Rangan Chatterjee's wonderful Feel Better Live More podcast, it was this which convinced me to read this book.
As I age I have found it increasingly hard to stay asleep. I nod off within 10 minutes however tend to wake up sometime between 3 and 5 am and struggle to get back to sleep. Consequently I have developed a keen interest in books and advice about sleep and have read a few books on the subject in the last few weeks.
Nick Littlehales is not a scientist, he's an elite sports sleep consultant and has advised Manchester United FC, Arsenal FC, Tour de France cyclist teams, the British Olympic team, and the England football team. This aspect of his work is interesting, particularly the lengths professionals will go to ensure optimal sleep.
His key piece of advice is around the R90 system which splits sleep into 90 minute cycles. He advocates naps as a way of ensuring sufficient sleep and is less concerned about getting all sleep in one 7 hour stint.
Surprisingly he doesn't mention the effects of alcohol on sleep, even blithely mentioning returning home after a few drinks with colleagues but not how this will destroy your sleep quality for that particular night
Whilst there's some interesting advice in Sleep: Redefine Your Rest, for Success in Work, Sport and Life, there are other books I would recommend before this one if you are looking to improve your quality and quantity of sleep, specifically The Circadian Code: Lose Weight, Supercharge Your Energy, and Transform Your Health from Morning to Midnight and Why We Sleep: Unlocking the Power of Sleep and Dreams.
Why We Sleep: Unlocking the Power of Sleep and Dreams is the best book I have read on the topic - an exhaustive, if somewhat alarming, study that is rooted in decades of research.
3/5
As I age I have found it increasingly hard to stay asleep. I nod off within 10 minutes however tend to wake up sometime between 3 and 5 am and struggle to get back to sleep. Consequently I have developed a keen interest in books and advice about sleep and have read a few books on the subject in the last few weeks.
Nick Littlehales is not a scientist, he's an elite sports sleep consultant and has advised Manchester United FC, Arsenal FC, Tour de France cyclist teams, the British Olympic team, and the England football team. This aspect of his work is interesting, particularly the lengths professionals will go to ensure optimal sleep.
His key piece of advice is around the R90 system which splits sleep into 90 minute cycles. He advocates naps as a way of ensuring sufficient sleep and is less concerned about getting all sleep in one 7 hour stint.
Surprisingly he doesn't mention the effects of alcohol on sleep, even blithely mentioning returning home after a few drinks with colleagues but not how this will destroy your sleep quality for that particular night
Whilst there's some interesting advice in Sleep: Redefine Your Rest, for Success in Work, Sport and Life, there are other books I would recommend before this one if you are looking to improve your quality and quantity of sleep, specifically The Circadian Code: Lose Weight, Supercharge Your Energy, and Transform Your Health from Morning to Midnight and Why We Sleep: Unlocking the Power of Sleep and Dreams.
Why We Sleep: Unlocking the Power of Sleep and Dreams is the best book I have read on the topic - an exhaustive, if somewhat alarming, study that is rooted in decades of research.
3/5
Read
February 7, 2021Great book to regain control of your routines and get the most out of your sleep, providing great tips that may not have been taken into account until making you feel more rested. Solid, research-backed advice from someone who makes a living consulting with zero-tolerance professional athletes for rehabilitation advice that does not succeed. A few of the topics at hand: sleep is broken up into lots of 90 minutes, and it's important to have a constant waking time - I've always been an early riser, so 6am works for me. And therefore I began sleeping at 11pm, waking up at 6:30am, sleeping 7.5 hours a night, meaning 5 cycles a night. To really make it all work, there are plenty of other ideas and advice to adhere to.
So get into this book - it's a wise investment, albeit implementation is essential here. Learn it, grasp it and bring it all into effect. Perk up your ears, as there is plenty of effective information to be found.
So get into this book - it's a wise investment, albeit implementation is essential here. Learn it, grasp it and bring it all into effect. Perk up your ears, as there is plenty of effective information to be found.
June 12, 2017
Audiobooks.com purchase
I usually like nonfiction audiobooks that are narrated by the author.
The issue with this one is his voice, his tone, and all the athlete name dropping which I could not care less about.
The book did offer some interesting concepts, the 90 minute sleep cycles, the correct size and mattress sizes for couples, and cooler temperatures for bedrooms.
Some of what was said is well known information, no drinks before bed, complete darkness equals better sleep, get sun in the morning, have a pre-sleep routine.
What made my progress very slow is that I just did not care about the athletes, their model wives, their million dollar arenas and lofts, how clubs go out of their way to secure their "investment" in them. Most of us buying the books do not have that kind of support system, so I would have liked a general approach to the subject.
I usually like nonfiction audiobooks that are narrated by the author.
The issue with this one is his voice, his tone, and all the athlete name dropping which I could not care less about.
The book did offer some interesting concepts, the 90 minute sleep cycles, the correct size and mattress sizes for couples, and cooler temperatures for bedrooms.
Some of what was said is well known information, no drinks before bed, complete darkness equals better sleep, get sun in the morning, have a pre-sleep routine.
What made my progress very slow is that I just did not care about the athletes, their model wives, their million dollar arenas and lofts, how clubs go out of their way to secure their "investment" in them. Most of us buying the books do not have that kind of support system, so I would have liked a general approach to the subject.
May 4, 2023
This book was 6 plus hours so thinking there's a mix up with the title. It was an interesting read and a unique take on sleep. He promotes the idea of five, 90 minute sleep cycles instead of the traditional 8 approximate hours most experts believe we should have. It is an incomplete look however as there is no discussion whatsoever on women's issues with sleep because of hormone changes. So he basically ignores 50% of the population in the second half of their lives.
June 15, 2023
Pure garbage. Unreferenced, contradicts the evidence available, and is written by a literal mattress salesperson.
February 14, 2019
Mi-am dorit sa gasesc lucruri care sa ma ajute in prezent ori aveam alte asteptari. Recomandarile din carte sunt de bun-simt, iar o persoana care a fost mai interesata de somn va cunoaste cam toate recomandarile: circurile circadiene de 90 de minute - dormeam dinainte de a afla din carte cate 3, 4.5, 6 sau 7.5 ore, hrana echilibrata si exercitiu fizic, "echipamentul de dormit", importanta mai mare pentru saltea decat pentru un pat - si aici m-am gandit la un pat direct din paleti sau unul care sa arate ca paleti, facut acasa, ca un pat normal pentru o persoana ar trebui sa fie considerat patul dublu, perne antialergenice, jaluzele care sa blocheze complet lumina si simulatoare/alarme de zori de zi (de la Lumie sau Philips - bodyalarm clock). Faza e ca ma voi gandi serios la toate acestea atunci cand voi cumpara propriul apartament. Salteaua de acum este mediocra, jaluzele nema, simulator de zori de zi inca nu...
Calitatea somnului meu din prezent este si ea mediocra spre buna. Asta poate si pentru ca lucrez ture de noapte, de la 2 la 11 dimineata. Speram sa gasesc mai multe detalii decat prostiile de pe internet. In 250 de pagini, doar patru sunt dedicate acestei sectiuni si nici acestea foarte detaliat. Se recomanda 4-5 cicluri de cate 90 de minute de somn odata, dar nu spune daca imediat inainte de munca sau dupa munca. In prezent, dorm cate doua cicluri inainte si dupa serviciu, adica 6 ore de somn pe zi, cu activitate umana si sociala intre 16:00-17:00 si 22:00. Pana acum, totul pare bine. Dar tot ma voi gandi ca la un moment dat sa am un job de zi si sa pot dormi noaptea, asa cum am fost adaptati de la natura, imediat dupa caderea intunericului.
Lectura usoara, dar n-am simtit entuziasmul necesar al autorului, chiar si el spune ca "iti alegi ce vrei si ce crezi ca te ajuta cel mai bine din informatiile prezente in carte" - ori ceva de genu'...
Calitatea somnului meu din prezent este si ea mediocra spre buna. Asta poate si pentru ca lucrez ture de noapte, de la 2 la 11 dimineata. Speram sa gasesc mai multe detalii decat prostiile de pe internet. In 250 de pagini, doar patru sunt dedicate acestei sectiuni si nici acestea foarte detaliat. Se recomanda 4-5 cicluri de cate 90 de minute de somn odata, dar nu spune daca imediat inainte de munca sau dupa munca. In prezent, dorm cate doua cicluri inainte si dupa serviciu, adica 6 ore de somn pe zi, cu activitate umana si sociala intre 16:00-17:00 si 22:00. Pana acum, totul pare bine. Dar tot ma voi gandi ca la un moment dat sa am un job de zi si sa pot dormi noaptea, asa cum am fost adaptati de la natura, imediat dupa caderea intunericului.
Lectura usoara, dar n-am simtit entuziasmul necesar al autorului, chiar si el spune ca "iti alegi ce vrei si ce crezi ca te ajuta cel mai bine din informatiile prezente in carte" - ori ceva de genu'...
November 10, 2016
I listened to this book on Audible. Nick Littlehales gives top notch tips on how to improve your sleep, and he has the credentials and experience to back it up.
I usually have trouble sleeping 2-3 nights per work week, which I knew was really effecting my performance. After listening to this book my sleep habits immediately started to change and I sleep so much better now. More importantly my whole attitude towards sleep has changed and I don't get stressed out if I can't sleep, don't have the time to sleep, or just feel tired.
I never realized how it was effecting me before. I read a lot of self-dev titles and this one has had the most immediate and profound effect on my performance/happiness/lifestyle. I can't recommend it enough.
The narrator, on Audible, is Nick himself and he reads very slowly. If you speed it up to 1.3 speed however it's perfect.
I usually have trouble sleeping 2-3 nights per work week, which I knew was really effecting my performance. After listening to this book my sleep habits immediately started to change and I sleep so much better now. More importantly my whole attitude towards sleep has changed and I don't get stressed out if I can't sleep, don't have the time to sleep, or just feel tired.
I never realized how it was effecting me before. I read a lot of self-dev titles and this one has had the most immediate and profound effect on my performance/happiness/lifestyle. I can't recommend it enough.
The narrator, on Audible, is Nick himself and he reads very slowly. If you speed it up to 1.3 speed however it's perfect.
December 30, 2016
I had definitely never taken the time to think about sleep or how I can strategically use sleep. For this, I give the author credit. There are good reminders of things we know (shouldn't play with devices before we sleep, and we should feel a little guilty that we look at them first thing, with squinty, tired morning eyes!) However, much of the material felt repetitive. At one point I turned to my husband and said "This could have been a pamphlet."
It's not a page-turner, but it's interesting enough and if you change a single habit, that's a step forward. The good news is that, if you read this before bed, it may help you achieve the aim, so enjoy that meta experience, won't you?
It's not a page-turner, but it's interesting enough and if you change a single habit, that's a step forward. The good news is that, if you read this before bed, it may help you achieve the aim, so enjoy that meta experience, won't you?
March 27, 2024
Should’ve been a blog article rather than a book: there’s only a few sentences of interesting content and the rest is filler, boredom, and pseudoscience nonsense. Some books are written by smart people, this book is written by an idiot.
September 16, 2025
I stayed up all night reading this. 😂😂😂I kid. Interesting read. I may even try to incorporate some of his suggestions.
June 7, 2024
Did not finish.. made it 2/3 of the way through but didn’t feel like I gained any new knowledge as I feel like I already have pretty good sleep habits. But maybe this is useful if it’s all new information for you.
June 28, 2023
**DNF @ around 80%**This book was largely repetitive, centred around people who either work office hours or have a job that revolves around recovery and sleep being as important as their work itself eg. Athletes. The author appeared to want to name drop as many athletes and footballers as he possibly could whilst repeating the same mantra in almost every chapter. The first few chapters started off promising, eluding to the fact you’d be getting helpful hints and tips to improve sleep however I read almost all the book to find it mostly didn’t really deliver and the tips I did receive weren’t really based on any hard evidence. Finally to get to the section about night shift and shift workers basically telling me how shift work is linked to all kinds of health conditions that shorten life span and I should consider whether I want to continue doing this for the rest of my life 👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻 so all in all not overly helpful 🤷🏼♀️ another non fiction/self help book that hasn’t really delivered and wasted my time.
September 1, 2018
I think 3 stars is a little but too much for this book but I'd feel bad giving it 2... Parts of this book read like a advertising brochure - there should be a warning on the cover that the reader will be subjected to advertising! Other than that there was a bunch of good advice on how to sleep better, although hardly innovative.
April 5, 2020
Mis amigos, les comparto mis comentarios sobre el libro “Dormir: El mito de las 8 horas, el poder de la siesta... y un nuevo plan para revitalizar cuerpo y mente” de Nick Littlehales - https://amzn.to/2GfxyXy.
En este libro descubrimos una serie de tips valiosos para optimizar los momentos de descanso y recuperación, y darle la debida importancia al sueño, tomarse la oportunidad de debatir los conceptos conocidos sobre el sueño, y obtener como resultados una mejora continua en el rendimiento personal al igual que los grandes del deporte como el equipo de fútbol Manchester United, y celebridades de talla mundial como Cristiano Ronaldo, Beckham, al equipo Sky en el Tour de Francia, entre otros.
Si eres una persona que se preocupa por incorporar las mejores prácticas para el desarrollo personal y así dar lo mejor de tí en todas las esferas posibles te lo recomiendo, a continuación, comparto un resumen corto con las principales lecciones que aprendí del libro.
LAS SIETE CLAVES PARA DORMIR BIEN
Así, Nick Littlehales presenta siete indicadores clave de la recuperación mediante el sueño, que son los fundamentos del programa 'R90'.
1. Conocer nuestro ritmo circadiano.
2. El Cronotipo.
3. Dormir por ciclos, no por horas.
4. Rutinas pre y post sueño.
5. Redefinir la siesta.
6. La importancia del colchón.
7. El entorno para el sueño.
1. Conocer nuestro ritmo circadiano. Es un ciclo interno de 24 horas que evolucionó para adaptarse a la rotación de la Tierra. Está gestionado por nuestro reloj biológico, que regula los patrones de sueño y alimentación, la producción de hormonas, o la temperatura, por ejemplo, y que se ajusta a estímulos externos como la luz.
2. El Cronotipo. Describe si somos una persona de mañanas o de tardes. Esto influye en nuestro ritmo de vida y rendimiento. "Las personas de tarde, por ejemplo, consumen generalmente elevadas cantidades de cafeína, lo que puede provocar agitación y ansiedad. Es más eficaz recurrir a la luz natural".
3. Dormir por ciclos, no por horas. 8 horas de sueño es lo que tradicionalmente se ha venido recomendando para lograr un buen descanso. Pero la realidad es que éstas no son necesarias para todo el mundo. "Incluso se pueden llegar a convertir en una presión contraproducente, ya que cada persona es diferente", avisa. "En eso se basa el método 'R90', en la recuperación en 90 minutos".
A su juicio, no se trata de un número cualquiera, sino de la cantidad de minutos que una persona necesita (en condiciones de laboratorio clínico) para realizar todas las fases del sueño que constituyen un ciclo. En este tiempo pasamos por 4, y a veces por 5, fases distintas de sueño, aunque se perciban como una noche de sueño continúa. En ésta hay todo tipo de obstáculos (ronquidos, llanto del niño, ruidos, entre otros), que originan patrones de sueño ligero, y con ello el cansancio del día siguiente. "El enfoque 'R90' identifica y bloquea los obstáculos para conseguir un sueño reparador".
Aquí destaca que una cosa fundamental es fijar una hora de despertarse. Esta debe ser la más temprana a la que se tenga uno que levantar (si hay diferencia entre unos días y otros), y levantarse siempre a esa hora, incluso los fines de semana. Lo ideal es que esa hora sea al menos 90 minutos antes de la hora de entrada al trabajo. Partiendo de esta hora, hay que contar hacia atrás en ciclos de 90 minutos para establecer la hora de ir a dormir. "Se puede ir probando según las necesidades de sueño, periodos de 4 o 5 ciclos, los que sienten bien. En poco tiempo nos despertaremos sin necesidad de despertador y sintiéndonos descansados".
Eso sí, Littlehales aclara que todo esto no significa que haya que llevar una vida rígida y llena de renuncias, ya que si se sale a cenar con los amigos habrá que levantarse a la misma hora, pero se contará con intervalos de 90 minutos para ir a dormir. "No importa que esa noche no durmamos lo acostumbrado. Lo importante es que a lo largo de la semana se cumpla 'el calendario de sueño': al menos cuatro noches a la semana de rutina ideal en nuestro horario".
4. Rutinas pre y post sueño. Las rutinas pre y post sueño son tan importantes como el tiempo que pasamos durmiendo, porque lo que hacemos antes de irnos a la cama tiene consecuencias directas en la calidad y la duraci��n del sueño. También lo que hacemos después de despertarnos tiene un impacto importante en el resto del día, e incluso en la noche siguiente. Idealmente, tendremos cada día un periodo de 90 minutos de presueño y otro de otros 90 de post sueño. "Lo ideal es empezar el día con poco estrés y poca tecnología todo el tiempo que se pueda, como mínimo, 15 minutos".
5. Redefinir la siesta: En su opinión, no se trata de la gran siesta tradicional, sino de lo que en el deporte se llama 'periodos de recuperación controlados' (PRC). La siesta ideal es la de 30 minutos. Algunos estudios han demostrado que incluso siestas muy breves mejoran el proceso de memoria.
6. La importancia del colchón: No siempre lo más caro es lo mejor y él, como experto en la materia dada su dilatada experiencia laboral en el sector, recomienda fijarse en el perfil corporal del comprador. Por ello, defiende que el colchón debe probarse en posición fetal, con una pequen*a flexión de rodillas. Éste debe aceptar bien la forma del cuerpo y el peso, distribuyendolo por su superficie de forma equilibrada (ni muy duro, ni demasiado blando). En cuanto al ancho dice que para una pareja debe de tener un colchón de 1,80 metros de ancho. La posición ideal para dormir: de lado. Pero con un matiz importante: Si se es diestro se dormirá sobre el lado izquierdo, y viceversa.
7. El entorno para el sueño. Vaciar los dormitorios de todo lo superfluo, dejando también fuera toda la tecnología, pintar las paredes de blanco y no poner nada en ellas, e instalar persianas si no las hay, con el fin de lograr una total oscuridad. Finalmente, temperatura de unos 16-18 grados, o la que funcione en cada caso, y aislar la habitación del ruido, instalando ventanas dobles si es necesario.
En este libro “Dormir” el autor nos comparte varios tips que en lo personal me fascinaron, ahora será cuestión de práctica e incorporación al día a día, mis conclusiones son:
- Tu hora fija de despertarse es el ancla de la técnica R90: elige una y cíñete a ella.
- Piensa en dormir en ciclos de noventa minutos, no en horas.
- Tu hora de acostarte es flexible, perno está determinada por una cuenta atrás en períodos de noventa minutos a partir de tu hora de despertarte.
- Observa el sueño como un periodo de tiempo más amplio para eliminar la presión. Una mala noche de sueño no te matará: piensa en ciclos por semana.
- Intenta evitar tres noches seguidas de menos ciclos que el que es tu ideal.
- No se trata de calidad contra cantidad. Determinar cuánto necesitas. Para la persona media, el ideal son 35 por semana. Entre 28 (6 horas cada noche) y treinta está bien. Si duermes menos de lo que has previsto, puede que no lo estés haciendo bien.
- Intenta alcanzar tu cantidad ideal al menos 4 veces por semana.
- Toma ventaja de los Periodos de Recuperación Controlados (PRC) durante la ventana del mediodía (13:00 - 15:00) son la forma perfecta de complementar los ciclos nocturnos en armonía con los ritmos circadianos. Una segunda oportunidad es a media tarde (17:00 - 19:00) surge la siguiente mejor oportunidad, ya que la necesidad es alta, pero con el límite máximo de 30 minutos para no afectar al sueño nocturno.
- Si no puedes dormir de día, igualmente pasa 30 minutos desconectado del mundo.
- Si no puedes escaparte, manipula tu día para no hacer nada demasiado exigente durante el bajón de la tarde.
En este libro descubrimos una serie de tips valiosos para optimizar los momentos de descanso y recuperación, y darle la debida importancia al sueño, tomarse la oportunidad de debatir los conceptos conocidos sobre el sueño, y obtener como resultados una mejora continua en el rendimiento personal al igual que los grandes del deporte como el equipo de fútbol Manchester United, y celebridades de talla mundial como Cristiano Ronaldo, Beckham, al equipo Sky en el Tour de Francia, entre otros.
Si eres una persona que se preocupa por incorporar las mejores prácticas para el desarrollo personal y así dar lo mejor de tí en todas las esferas posibles te lo recomiendo, a continuación, comparto un resumen corto con las principales lecciones que aprendí del libro.
LAS SIETE CLAVES PARA DORMIR BIEN
Así, Nick Littlehales presenta siete indicadores clave de la recuperación mediante el sueño, que son los fundamentos del programa 'R90'.
1. Conocer nuestro ritmo circadiano.
2. El Cronotipo.
3. Dormir por ciclos, no por horas.
4. Rutinas pre y post sueño.
5. Redefinir la siesta.
6. La importancia del colchón.
7. El entorno para el sueño.
1. Conocer nuestro ritmo circadiano. Es un ciclo interno de 24 horas que evolucionó para adaptarse a la rotación de la Tierra. Está gestionado por nuestro reloj biológico, que regula los patrones de sueño y alimentación, la producción de hormonas, o la temperatura, por ejemplo, y que se ajusta a estímulos externos como la luz.
2. El Cronotipo. Describe si somos una persona de mañanas o de tardes. Esto influye en nuestro ritmo de vida y rendimiento. "Las personas de tarde, por ejemplo, consumen generalmente elevadas cantidades de cafeína, lo que puede provocar agitación y ansiedad. Es más eficaz recurrir a la luz natural".
3. Dormir por ciclos, no por horas. 8 horas de sueño es lo que tradicionalmente se ha venido recomendando para lograr un buen descanso. Pero la realidad es que éstas no son necesarias para todo el mundo. "Incluso se pueden llegar a convertir en una presión contraproducente, ya que cada persona es diferente", avisa. "En eso se basa el método 'R90', en la recuperación en 90 minutos".
A su juicio, no se trata de un número cualquiera, sino de la cantidad de minutos que una persona necesita (en condiciones de laboratorio clínico) para realizar todas las fases del sueño que constituyen un ciclo. En este tiempo pasamos por 4, y a veces por 5, fases distintas de sueño, aunque se perciban como una noche de sueño continúa. En ésta hay todo tipo de obstáculos (ronquidos, llanto del niño, ruidos, entre otros), que originan patrones de sueño ligero, y con ello el cansancio del día siguiente. "El enfoque 'R90' identifica y bloquea los obstáculos para conseguir un sueño reparador".
Aquí destaca que una cosa fundamental es fijar una hora de despertarse. Esta debe ser la más temprana a la que se tenga uno que levantar (si hay diferencia entre unos días y otros), y levantarse siempre a esa hora, incluso los fines de semana. Lo ideal es que esa hora sea al menos 90 minutos antes de la hora de entrada al trabajo. Partiendo de esta hora, hay que contar hacia atrás en ciclos de 90 minutos para establecer la hora de ir a dormir. "Se puede ir probando según las necesidades de sueño, periodos de 4 o 5 ciclos, los que sienten bien. En poco tiempo nos despertaremos sin necesidad de despertador y sintiéndonos descansados".
Eso sí, Littlehales aclara que todo esto no significa que haya que llevar una vida rígida y llena de renuncias, ya que si se sale a cenar con los amigos habrá que levantarse a la misma hora, pero se contará con intervalos de 90 minutos para ir a dormir. "No importa que esa noche no durmamos lo acostumbrado. Lo importante es que a lo largo de la semana se cumpla 'el calendario de sueño': al menos cuatro noches a la semana de rutina ideal en nuestro horario".
4. Rutinas pre y post sueño. Las rutinas pre y post sueño son tan importantes como el tiempo que pasamos durmiendo, porque lo que hacemos antes de irnos a la cama tiene consecuencias directas en la calidad y la duraci��n del sueño. También lo que hacemos después de despertarnos tiene un impacto importante en el resto del día, e incluso en la noche siguiente. Idealmente, tendremos cada día un periodo de 90 minutos de presueño y otro de otros 90 de post sueño. "Lo ideal es empezar el día con poco estrés y poca tecnología todo el tiempo que se pueda, como mínimo, 15 minutos".
5. Redefinir la siesta: En su opinión, no se trata de la gran siesta tradicional, sino de lo que en el deporte se llama 'periodos de recuperación controlados' (PRC). La siesta ideal es la de 30 minutos. Algunos estudios han demostrado que incluso siestas muy breves mejoran el proceso de memoria.
6. La importancia del colchón: No siempre lo más caro es lo mejor y él, como experto en la materia dada su dilatada experiencia laboral en el sector, recomienda fijarse en el perfil corporal del comprador. Por ello, defiende que el colchón debe probarse en posición fetal, con una pequen*a flexión de rodillas. Éste debe aceptar bien la forma del cuerpo y el peso, distribuyendolo por su superficie de forma equilibrada (ni muy duro, ni demasiado blando). En cuanto al ancho dice que para una pareja debe de tener un colchón de 1,80 metros de ancho. La posición ideal para dormir: de lado. Pero con un matiz importante: Si se es diestro se dormirá sobre el lado izquierdo, y viceversa.
7. El entorno para el sueño. Vaciar los dormitorios de todo lo superfluo, dejando también fuera toda la tecnología, pintar las paredes de blanco y no poner nada en ellas, e instalar persianas si no las hay, con el fin de lograr una total oscuridad. Finalmente, temperatura de unos 16-18 grados, o la que funcione en cada caso, y aislar la habitación del ruido, instalando ventanas dobles si es necesario.
En este libro “Dormir” el autor nos comparte varios tips que en lo personal me fascinaron, ahora será cuestión de práctica e incorporación al día a día, mis conclusiones son:
- Tu hora fija de despertarse es el ancla de la técnica R90: elige una y cíñete a ella.
- Piensa en dormir en ciclos de noventa minutos, no en horas.
- Tu hora de acostarte es flexible, perno está determinada por una cuenta atrás en períodos de noventa minutos a partir de tu hora de despertarte.
- Observa el sueño como un periodo de tiempo más amplio para eliminar la presión. Una mala noche de sueño no te matará: piensa en ciclos por semana.
- Intenta evitar tres noches seguidas de menos ciclos que el que es tu ideal.
- No se trata de calidad contra cantidad. Determinar cuánto necesitas. Para la persona media, el ideal son 35 por semana. Entre 28 (6 horas cada noche) y treinta está bien. Si duermes menos de lo que has previsto, puede que no lo estés haciendo bien.
- Intenta alcanzar tu cantidad ideal al menos 4 veces por semana.
- Toma ventaja de los Periodos de Recuperación Controlados (PRC) durante la ventana del mediodía (13:00 - 15:00) son la forma perfecta de complementar los ciclos nocturnos en armonía con los ritmos circadianos. Una segunda oportunidad es a media tarde (17:00 - 19:00) surge la siguiente mejor oportunidad, ya que la necesidad es alta, pero con el límite máximo de 30 minutos para no afectar al sueño nocturno.
- Si no puedes dormir de día, igualmente pasa 30 minutos desconectado del mundo.
- Si no puedes escaparte, manipula tu día para no hacer nada demasiado exigente durante el bajón de la tarde.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 3, 2021
Currently dnf at 50-60% might eventually read the rest just to be done with it.
If you want to learn more about sleep, how to improve your seeping habits, and why you should do so, go read something like "why We sleep" by Matthew Walker instead.
One good thing I can say about this book is about the multiple small changes top athletes do in order to improve, such as how they work with changing their sleep cycles around big events. The author should have stuck to writing about that.
He quotes a study thst says that "The average adult needs between seven and nine [hours of sleep].". Then he goes on explaining how only having 5 (7.5H), og even 4 (6H) cycles of sleep at night is completely fine. What?
I had to stop reading this when he got to talk about mattresses. He says it's better to buy a cheap mattress every 1-3 years instead of one expensive one every 10. One reason he spends time on is that the mattress will have stains. A few minutes/pages later, he talks about his own wonderful solution, which includes a washable cover for the mattress. No shit? Just using a mattress cover (as a normal person would) invalidates his argument.
"They had the confidence to know that, after 200 kilometres in the mountains and their bodies spent, they could go upstairs, climb into their sleep kit in the foetal position, breathe softly through their nose and drift away into their cycles of sleep.
If you get your own home sleep kit right you can know this confidence too." (roughly p. 97)
You're a sales person? Really, I would not have guessed.
(if you were to pick up this book, please do yourself a favor and avoid the audiobook narrated by the author. It's not his field of expertise, and it shows. He will pause after every 4-6 words, which is chopping up his sentences in a very jarring way. )
If you want to learn more about sleep, how to improve your seeping habits, and why you should do so, go read something like "why We sleep" by Matthew Walker instead.
One good thing I can say about this book is about the multiple small changes top athletes do in order to improve, such as how they work with changing their sleep cycles around big events. The author should have stuck to writing about that.
He quotes a study thst says that "The average adult needs between seven and nine [hours of sleep].". Then he goes on explaining how only having 5 (7.5H), og even 4 (6H) cycles of sleep at night is completely fine. What?
I had to stop reading this when he got to talk about mattresses. He says it's better to buy a cheap mattress every 1-3 years instead of one expensive one every 10. One reason he spends time on is that the mattress will have stains. A few minutes/pages later, he talks about his own wonderful solution, which includes a washable cover for the mattress. No shit? Just using a mattress cover (as a normal person would) invalidates his argument.
"They had the confidence to know that, after 200 kilometres in the mountains and their bodies spent, they could go upstairs, climb into their sleep kit in the foetal position, breathe softly through their nose and drift away into their cycles of sleep.
If you get your own home sleep kit right you can know this confidence too." (roughly p. 97)
You're a sales person? Really, I would not have guessed.
(if you were to pick up this book, please do yourself a favor and avoid the audiobook narrated by the author. It's not his field of expertise, and it shows. He will pause after every 4-6 words, which is chopping up his sentences in a very jarring way. )
March 28, 2023
看起来很快，和 Why We Sleep 的写法完全不一样。这篇更偏向于解决办法，开头讲了非常少的远离之后就直接进入告诉读者 how to do 的阶段。
不过这篇里采用的方法更多样，比 WWS 书里提到的更有实操性，适用的人群也更广阔。我觉得这可能和作者的出身有关，WWS 的作者明显是个科学家，而本篇作者是营销出身，之后担当了运动员们的 sleep coach（而且好像是他自己创造的职位），所以造成了文风和倾向性上的区别。
Takeaways 有一些，整理如下：
Good to know
- 以周为单位计算睡眠周期，不要太在意一天一夜的得失，每周保证35个睡眠周期、避免连续三个晚上缺失睡眠周期。能减少一些焦虑（大概）
- 一个人在傍晚时血压最高，而运动会让血压升高（真的吗我觉得需要fact check）
- 除了口呼吸贴还有帮助鼻子呼吸的Breathe Right Nasal Strips，确实不便宜，而且很难拿胶带捏一个的样子。和口呼吸贴加在一起好像能提高睡眠质量的样子。
- Power nap 不要在床上，最好是在沙发和扶手椅上，把床留给90分钟的完整周期。
- 检测床垫是否合适的方法：侧睡，看脊柱能否在上面躺成一条直线。如果头想要往下坠，说明床垫太硬了；如果屁股往下坠，说明床垫太软了。拓展阅读：How to buy a new mattress without a PhD in chemistry
- 不喜欢运动可以尝试多种不同的运动。户外运动有助于我们接触更多日光。经常锻炼的好处除了被说烂的那些还有一个是能休息一下脑子并且远离电子设备。所以游泳很好。
I might try this!
- [作为百灵鸟]下午做事没有头绪，不如把事情留到明天脑子更清醒的时候做。
- 睡前吃东西影响昼夜节律（maybe via hormones?），影响睡眠质量。（进食障碍者的睡眠问题又是另一个讨论话题了……）
- 睡前整理一天的思绪，方便大脑在睡觉时整理归档消化。早起 15 分钟先不要看手机，做一些简单的活慢慢fads大脑。
- 如果想补觉，还是在同一时刻醒来，过完morning routine（约90分钟）再睡。有助于养成circadian rhythm。——对我来说比较难的是在醒来之后去睡觉……
That's interesting!
- 运动员会更关注这些小细节上的改变/提升，因为假以时日积少成多，就能拥有比竞争对手更好的表现。但非运动员收到lifestyle的影响更大，可能没法保持（这么做的收获也不如运动员来得大）。
- 公司想要提高员工工作效率：早上让晚睡型坐在窗边帮助清醒，下午让早起型坐在窗边帮助培养睡意。——这不论是公司还是员工都会不愿意搬来搬去吧！好麻烦！你不如找个两边落地窗的地方分开坐呢。
- 人的体型分为外胚、中胚、内胚型（听名字是按照胚胎期发育先后？）外胚型瘦高模特身材；内胚型身材魁梧肩膀臀部宽；身高、体重都不会影响体型。
- 最好的睡眠姿势：侧睡，躺向相对不太重要的身体一侧，也是使用较少不敏感的一侧。也可以说是遭到攻击时下意识反击/防御的那只手放在外面，「安全措施」「让我们能在开放式的、有潜在危险的环境中安然入睡」。
- Hypoallergenic的床品，防止螨虫滋生blabla。同时也应该是透气的，这样就不会受到温度变化的打扰，能保持被子里凉爽宜人。（是不是你们加州人都这样……还有冬天开得起暖气的英国人……）
- [大脑用来识别外界是通过各种sensor，所以不一定要睁眼看到光，重要的是让light sensors知道有光就行。] 所以有了Human Charger，给耳道带来强光，方便调整时差（……）
Some random thoughts
- 「设置固定时间是能采取的最有效的说法」——一开始想谁不是说没有闹钟更好，能更好地检查自己是不是睡够了，alarm也太容易激起fight or flight对身体不好。想了想觉得它应该是说要align起床时间。
- 写法：「如果我们说不能xxx, xxx, 和xxx，你可能会想：那我还能做什么呢？」
不过这篇里采用的方法更多样，比 WWS 书里提到的更有实操性，适用的人群也更广阔。我觉得这可能和作者的出身有关，WWS 的作者明显是个科学家，而本篇作者是营销出身，之后担当了运动员们的 sleep coach（而且好像是他自己创造的职位），所以造成了文风和倾向性上的区别。
Takeaways 有一些，整理如下：
Good to know
- 以周为单位计算睡眠周期，不要太在意一天一夜的得失，每周保证35个睡眠周期、避免连续三个晚上缺失睡眠周期。能减少一些焦虑（大概）
- 一个人在傍晚时血压最高，而运动会让血压升高（真的吗我觉得需要fact check）
- 除了口呼吸贴还有帮助鼻子呼吸的Breathe Right Nasal Strips，确实不便宜，而且很难拿胶带捏一个的样子。和口呼吸贴加在一起好像能提高睡眠质量的样子。
- Power nap 不要在床上，最好是在沙发和扶手椅上，把床留给90分钟的完整周期。
- 检测床垫是否合适的方法：侧睡，看脊柱能否在上面躺成一条直线。如果头想要往下坠，说明床垫太硬了；如果屁股往下坠，说明床垫太软了。拓展阅读：How to buy a new mattress without a PhD in chemistry
- 不喜欢运动可以尝试多种不同的运动。户外运动有助于我们接触更多日光。经常锻炼的好处除了被说烂的那些还有一个是能休息一下脑子并且远离电子设备。所以游泳很好。
I might try this!
- [作为百灵鸟]下午做事没有头绪，不如把事情留到明天脑子更清醒的时候做。
- 睡前吃东西影响昼夜节律（maybe via hormones?），影响睡眠质量。（进食障碍者的睡眠问题又是另一个讨论话题了……）
- 睡前整理一天的思绪，方便大脑在睡觉时整理归档消化。早起 15 分钟先不要看手机，做一些简单的活慢慢fads大脑。
- 如果想补觉，还是在同一时刻醒来，过完morning routine（约90分钟）再睡。有助于养成circadian rhythm。——对我来说比较难的是在醒来之后去睡觉……
That's interesting!
- 运动员会更关注这些小细节上的改变/提升，因为假以时日积少成多，就能拥有比竞争对手更好的表现。但非运动员收到lifestyle的影响更大，可能没法保持（这么做的收获也不如运动员来得大）。
- 公司想要提高员工工作效率：早上让晚睡型坐在窗边帮助清醒，下午让早起型坐在窗边帮助培养睡意。——这不论是公司还是员工都会不愿意搬来搬去吧！好麻烦！你不如找个两边落地窗的地方分开坐呢。
- 人的体型分为外胚、中胚、内胚型（听名字是按照胚胎期发育先后？）外胚型瘦高模特身材；内胚型身材魁梧肩膀臀部宽；身高、体重都不会影响体型。
- 最好的睡眠姿势：侧睡，躺向相对不太重要的身体一侧，也是使用较少不敏感的一侧。也可以说是遭到攻击时下意识反击/防御的那只手放在外面，「安全措施」「让我们能在开放式的、有潜在危险的环境中安然入睡」。
- Hypoallergenic的床品，防止螨虫滋生blabla。同时也应该是透气的，这样就不会受到温度变化的打扰，能保持被子里凉爽宜人。（是不是你们加州人都这样……还有冬天开得起暖气的英国人……）
- [大脑用来识别外界是通过各种sensor，所以不一定要睁眼看到光，重要的是让light sensors知道有光就行。] 所以有了Human Charger，给耳道带来强光，方便调整时差（……）
Some random thoughts
- 「设置固定时间是能采取的最有效的说法」——一开始想谁不是说没有闹钟更好，能更好地检查自己是不是睡够了，alarm也太容易激起fight or flight对身体不好。想了想觉得它应该是说要align起床时间。
- 写法：「如果我们说不能xxx, xxx, 和xxx，你可能会想：那我还能做什么呢？」
November 4, 2019
Mało co mogłoby mnie bardziej zniechęcić do książki niż przywołanie w opisie okładkowym nazwiska Cristiano Ronaldo, ale stanęłam pod ścianą z moją bezsennością. Sięgnęłam więc po poradnik napisany przez 'trenera snu' (czego to ludzie nie wymyślą!), który doradza piłkarzom, kolarzom, rugbystom a nawet ludziom biznesu w tym, jak się dobrze wysypiać, co ma się przekładać na małe ale zauważalne różnice w wydolności organizmu. Ziarnko do ziarnka dobrego nawyku, a zbierze się miarka wystarczająco dobrego regenerującego snu.
Na szczęście w książce wyjątkowo mało jest elementów irytujących mnie zazwyczaj w poradnikach: upartego powtarzania tych samych treści, zachwalania produktów i usług świadczonych przez autora, zachwalania swojej 'metody' jako jedynego, idealnego, oryginalnego i przełomowego rozwiązania problemów. Nick Littlehales co prawda pisze o swoich sławnych klientach ale nie odebrałam tych fragmentów jako przechwałek. Nie lokuje też żadnych produktów - wręcz zniechęca do używania smartwatch'ów czy kupowania materacy z wyższej półki.
Jakie porady możemy więc znaleźć? Ja znalazłam kilka da siebie:
- zmniejszyłam dzienne spożycie kofeiny,
- ograniczyłam korzystanie z telefonu komórkowego wieczorem,
- nie sprawdzam maili wieczorem, zwłaszcza służbowych, nie odbywam pobudzających emocjonalnie rozmów,
- nie sprawdzam godziny kiedy w nocy się budzę,
- przestałam obsesyjnie sprawdzać ile godzin śpię,
- w weekendy nie wysypiam się na zapas.
Autor nie odkrywa Ameryki, a raczej zbiera razem różne porady wystrzegając się radykalnego podejścia zero/jedynkowego. Pozytywne zaskoczenie.
Na szczęście w książce wyjątkowo mało jest elementów irytujących mnie zazwyczaj w poradnikach: upartego powtarzania tych samych treści, zachwalania produktów i usług świadczonych przez autora, zachwalania swojej 'metody' jako jedynego, idealnego, oryginalnego i przełomowego rozwiązania problemów. Nick Littlehales co prawda pisze o swoich sławnych klientach ale nie odebrałam tych fragmentów jako przechwałek. Nie lokuje też żadnych produktów - wręcz zniechęca do używania smartwatch'ów czy kupowania materacy z wyższej półki.
Jakie porady możemy więc znaleźć? Ja znalazłam kilka da siebie:
- zmniejszyłam dzienne spożycie kofeiny,
- ograniczyłam korzystanie z telefonu komórkowego wieczorem,
- nie sprawdzam maili wieczorem, zwłaszcza służbowych, nie odbywam pobudzających emocjonalnie rozmów,
- nie sprawdzam godziny kiedy w nocy się budzę,
- przestałam obsesyjnie sprawdzać ile godzin śpię,
- w weekendy nie wysypiam się na zapas.
Autor nie odkrywa Ameryki, a raczej zbiera razem różne porady wystrzegając się radykalnego podejścia zero/jedynkowego. Pozytywne zaskoczenie.
March 25, 2022
Littlehales provides plenty of helpful tips that anyone can use, many of which are now common knowledge but we still don't do, like keeping technology out of our bedroom or sleep space, for instance. He offers other resources, too, like how to *accurately* purchase a mattress, or as he refers to it, a whole "sleep kit". But he goes even deeper to describe a new way of thinking about sleep -- in cycles.
"Eight hours is the average amount of sleep people get per night, and it somehow seems to have become a recommended amount - for everyone. The resultant pressure people put on getting this is incredibly damaging and counterproductive to getting the right amount we individually need."
"The R90 approach simply means recovery in 90 minutes...ninety minutes is the length of time it takes a person under clinical conditions to go through the stages of sleep that constitute a cycle."
"This is the key to getting the right quality of sleep: all the light sleep, deep sleep, and REM we need in a series of cycles that feels to us like one long continuous night's sleep."
"Eight hours is the average amount of sleep people get per night, and it somehow seems to have become a recommended amount - for everyone. The resultant pressure people put on getting this is incredibly damaging and counterproductive to getting the right amount we individually need."
"The R90 approach simply means recovery in 90 minutes...ninety minutes is the length of time it takes a person under clinical conditions to go through the stages of sleep that constitute a cycle."
"This is the key to getting the right quality of sleep: all the light sleep, deep sleep, and REM we need in a series of cycles that feels to us like one long continuous night's sleep."
February 28, 2023
I’ve never been a great sleeper. I don’t enjoy sleeping, and I’ve tried to get away with as little of it as possible. It’s not unusual for me to get 5.5 hours or less of poor-quality sleep. But now that I’ve hit 30 and have a pretty vigorous exercise routine in addition to work and social commitments, the lack of sleep is taking a toll. While I definitely won’t be incorporating everything he suggests into my daily life (can’t afford a new bed, and I don’t think my cat will like being told he can’t sleep with me), it was really helpful to discover my chronotype (I am a morning person after all), to get tips such as sleeping with your room a bit cooler or to get a natural light clock (which I did about a year ago, total game changer), and I like the idea of seeing your sleep cycle in 90 minute increments rather than the usual one-size-fits-all 8 hours that’s recommended. Definitely changed the way I look at sleep and I will be incorporating some of these things into my daily life.
February 1, 2022
There's definitely wisdom in this book to take away and I'll use many of the tips provided within to work towards better recovery and a healthier lifestyle. Reading the book itself was a challenge though: having a sleep coach author a book is like asking Tolstoy to teach you how to sleep; the outcome is an amateurish blob of text with no narrative cohesion (why does he jump straight from Thierry Henry silencing his team mates to sex being a great thing?) and the thousands of times he repeats (almost word for word) the advantages of the R90 program midway through a paragraph make him sound like a desperate door to door salesman.
August 1, 2023
More than just a book about sleep! The detail that has gone into the ideal sleep pattern is amazing. The preparation before sleep, and then from the moment you wake up. But also the arrangement of your ideal sleeping kit pretty much shows that it is so important to get this right, so that you have a great sleep. The reason I say it’s more then just a book about sleep, because your sleep can determine your day, ie have a bad nights sleep, can’t think properly during the day, have a bad day; have a good nights sleep, wake up fresh for the day, have a good day. But also can deal with any problems in the day better after a good nights sleep.
A recommended read, and one for the bookshelf!!
A recommended read, and one for the bookshelf!!
August 16, 2018
This book is the best book on sleep I have ever read. As a chronic horrible sleeper, there are some changes that will be made for me. This book also changed how I view sleep which has made me feel more relaxed about my weird sleep.
June 5, 2020
Some of this can be a tough pill to swallow, per say. Especially if we've gotten use to what we think of as sleep and recovery. Good to read and decide when to slowly integrate these techniques for yourself.
March 20, 2022
This is a very quick and pragmatic introduction to the importance of sleep and incorporates many strategies to improve and re-frame your approach to sleep. The author breaks down sleep in many digestible ways, and forces the reader to consider not only sleep alone but also how to optimise conditions prior to sleep and then post-sleep - it is not enough to jump into bed at your desired sleep time and expect to fall asleep!
I consider it an essential in the sense that it gave me some strong take-home messages, particularly as a shift-worker. However I would recommend following up with a more in-depth text, such as "Why we Sleep" if you are keen to know more about sleep physiology and some of the research in this area. I found reading and understanding a bit more about the science has really hammered home the messages for me.
The author does use the book to promote several of his own products, including his sleep programme, mattresses, etc., so just be wary of this.
I consider it an essential in the sense that it gave me some strong take-home messages, particularly as a shift-worker. However I would recommend following up with a more in-depth text, such as "Why we Sleep" if you are keen to know more about sleep physiology and some of the research in this area. I found reading and understanding a bit more about the science has really hammered home the messages for me.
The author does use the book to promote several of his own products, including his sleep programme, mattresses, etc., so just be wary of this.
April 25, 2022
Frankly, the most helpful book I have read in my entire life. I have struggled with many sleep problems, and the applying the tips this book approaches has increased my quality of life imensely. Some people would benefit better than others from reading it as well, but there is not a single soul I wouldn't reccommend it to.
December 8, 2017
An interesting book with some practical tips that I'll probably try to implement at some point. The rhythm of the audio narration was a little odd, as other reviewers have mentioned, but I set it to 1.6x speed and found it better.
I would recommend this book as a quick read for someone who wants to improve their sleep.
I would recommend this book as a quick read for someone who wants to improve their sleep.
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