4 Hour Sleep Training – Day 19

I downloaded a demo copy of Neuro-Programmer 2 to try out and last night was the first night. Seemed to work really well and I didn’t really have a problem with the headphones because when you sleep deeper, you don’t really move. Truth is that I don’t really know how much of an impact the sounds had, but today was awesome and I still think that everything adds up.

This is such a fascinating concept to me and I’ve been using it everywhere I can, including reading and even waking up. There are sound patterns for most types of focus scenarios. Try it for yourself.

At this point it really seems to be coming together and going surprisingly well. So now it’s all about fine tuning the process. A big part of that is dialing in the environment and prep. I have an air filter that makes some very soft but irregular noises so I turn it off. Try to control the temperature, (which has been hard because of the wicked weather we’ve had for over 2 months now), sleep with socks on. Prep includes journaling, reading, meditation and visualization. Specifically visualizing waking up feeling awake and refreshed, believe it or not, it makes all the difference. The morning is the key, it makes or breaks it and is all about a decision to start the momentum.

And on a theoretically related note, I have been kicked into a high gear learning state of mind. I have been more hungry for growth, knowledge, adventure, etc than the usual high level. ie. learning Spanish, human behavior and psychology, teaching myself to do most things like write, eat, computer mouse with my left (non dominate) hand. The best way I can explain it is that it seems to build on itself. The more I adapt, the more I want to adapt more. It’s so interesting.

Here are 29 other tips to a good night sleep from Dr. Mercola.

• Listen to White Noise or Relaxation CDs. Some people find the sound of white noise or nature sounds, such as the ocean or forest, to be soothing for sleep. An excellent relaxation/meditation option to listen to before bed is the Insight audio CD.
• Avoid before-bed snacks, particularly grains and sugars. This will raise blood sugar and inhibit sleep. Later, when blood sugar drops too low (hypoglycemia), you might wake up and not be able to fall back asleep.
• Sleep in complete darkness or as close as possible. If there is even the tiniest bit of light in the room it can disrupt your circadian rhythm and your pineal gland’s production of melatonin and seratonin. There also should be as little light in the bathroom as possible if you get up in the middle of the night. Please whatever you do, keep the light off when you go to the bathroom at night. As soon as you turn on that light you will for that night immediately cease all production of the important sleep aid melatonin.
• No TV right before bed. Even better, get the TV out of the bedroom or even out of the house, completely. It is too stimulating to the brain and it will take longer to fall asleep. Also disruptive of pineal gland function for the same reason as above.
• Wear socks to bed. Due to the fact that they have the poorest circulation, the feet often feel cold before the rest of the body. A study has shown that this reduces night wakings (Click Here).
• Read something spiritual or religious. This will help to relax. Don’t read anything stimulating, such as a mystery or suspense novel, as this may have the opposite effect. In addition, if you are really enjoying a suspenseful book, you might wind up unintentionally reading for hours, instead of going to sleep.
• Avoid using loud alarm clocks. It is very stressful on the body to be awoken suddenly. If you are regularly getting enough sleep, they should be unnecessary. I gave up my alarm clock years ago and now use a sun alarm clock. The Sun Alarm™ SA-2002
• provides an ideal way to wake up each morning if you can’t wake up with the REAL sun. Combining the features of a traditional alarm clock (digital display, AM/FM radio, beeper, snooze button, etc) with a special built-in light that gradually increases in intensity, this amazing clock simulates a natural sunrise. It also includes a sunset feature where the light fades to darkness over time – ideal for anyone who has trouble falling asleep.
• Journaling. If you often lay in bed with your mind racing, it might be helpful keep a journal and write down your thoughts before bed. Personally, I have been doing this for 15 years, but prefer to do it in the morning when my brain is functioning at its peak and my coritsol levels are high (CLICK HERE)
• Melatonin and its precursors. If behavioral changes do not work, it may be possible to improve sleep by supplementing with the hormone melatonin. However, I would exercise extreme caution in using it, and only as a last resort, as it is a powerful hormone. Ideally it is best to increase levels naturally with exposure to bright sunlight in the daytime (along with full spectrum fluorescent bulbs in the winter) and absolute complete darkness at night. One should get blackout drapes so no light is coming in from the outside. One can also use one of melatonin’s precursors, L-tryptophan or 5-hydroxytryptophan (5-HTP). L-tryptophan is the safest and my preference, but must be obtained by prescription only. However, don’t be afraid or intimidated by its prescription status. It is just a simple amino acid.
• Get to bed as early as possible. Our systems, particularly the adrenals, do a majority of their recharging or recovering during the hours of 11PM and 1AM. In addition, your gallbladder dumps toxins during this same period. If you are awake, the toxins back up into the liver which then secondarily back up into your entire system and cause further disruption of your health. Prior to the widespread use of electricity, people would go to bed shortly after sundown, as most animals do, and which nature intended for humans as well.
• Check your bedroom for electro-magnetic fields (EMFs). These can disrupt the pineal gland and the production of melatonin and seratonin, and may have other negative effects as well. To purchase a gauss meter to measure EMFs try Cutcat at 800-497-9516. They have a model for around $40. One doctor even recommends that people pull their circuit breaker before bed to kill all power in the house (Dr. Herbert Ross, author of “Sleep Disorders”).
• Keep the temperature in the bedroom no higher than 70 degrees F. Many people keep their homes and particularly the upstairs bedrooms too hot.
• Eat a high-protein snack several hours before bed. This can provide the L-tryptophan need to produce melatonin and serotonin.
• Also eat a small piece of fruit. This can help the tryptophan cross the blood-brain barrier.
• Reduce or avoid as many drugs as possible. Many medications, both prescription and over-the-counter may have effects on sleep. In most cases, the condition, which caused the drugs to be taken in the first place, can be addressed by following the guidelines elsewhere on this web site.
• Avoid caffeine. A recent study showed that in some people, caffeine is not metabolized efficiently and therefore they can feel the effects long after consuming it. So an afternoon cup of coffee (or even tea) will keep some people from falling asleep. Also, some medications, particularly diet pills contain caffeine.
• Alarm clocks and other electrical devices. If these devices must be used, keep them as far away from the bed as possible, preferably at least 3 feet.
• Avoid alcohol. Although alcohol will make people drowsy, the effect is short lived and people will often wake up several hours later, unable to fall back asleep. Alcohol will also keep you from falling into the deeper stages of sleep, where the body does most of its healing.
• Lose weight. Being overweight can increase the risk of sleep apnea, which will prevent a restful nights sleep. CLICK HERE for my diet recommendations.
• Avoid foods that you may be sensitive to. This is particularly true for dairy and wheat products, as they may have effect on sleep, such as causing apnea, excess congestion, gastrointestinal upset, and gas, among others.
• Don’t drink any fluids within 2 hours of going to bed. This will reduce the likelihood of needing to get up and go to the bathroom or at least minimize the frequency.
• Take a hot bath, shower or sauna before bed. When body temperature is raised in the late evening, it will fall at bedtime, facilitating sleep,
• Remove the clock from view. It will only add to your worry when constantly staring at it… 2 AM…3 AM… 4:30 AM…
• Keep Your Bed For Sleeping. If you are used to watching TV or doing work in bed, you may find it harder to relax and to think of the bed as a place to sleep.
• Have your adrenals checked by a good natural medicine clinician. Scientists have found that Insomnia may be caused by adrenal stress (Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism, August 2001; 86:3787-3794)?
• If you are menopausal or perimenopausal, get checked out by a good natural medicine physician. The hormonal changes at this time may cause problems if not properly addressed.
• Don’t Change Your Bedtime. You should go to bed, and wake up, at the same times each day, even on the weekends. This will help your body to get into a sleep rhythm and make it easier to fall asleep and get up in the morning.
• Make certain you are exercising regularly. Exercising for at least 30 minutes everyday can help you fall asleep. However, don’t exercise too close to bedtime or it may keep you awake. Studies show exercising in the morning is the best if you can do it.

About my 4 Hour Sleep Project

4 Hour Sleep Training – Test 1

Drumroll please….
Results are in and ended up sleeping right around 6:45, which is so incredible to me. Even though it’s a little more than the 6 hrs I was hoping for, this is still coming down from being an 8 hr a night sleeper, then going on low sleep through the last week and still ending up with this makes me really excited. Keep in mind this was au natural, no alarm, just pure, uninterrupted, restful, deep sleep. I woke up feeling like a Million Bucks! Quality over quantity for sure.

It’s truly amazing the ability of the human body and mind to adapt when given a direction, purpose and mission. With 3 weeks to go, I’m hoping that I can continue to make progress.

About my 4 Hour Sleep Project

4 Hour Sleep Training – Week 1

Well, one week down. I have to say that the last couple days have been tough. Really tough. I think I’m starting to get a rhythm down though and have had to take some short power naps to recharge. Which I love by the way! Taking a nap is fantastic, and after 20-30 min I still wake up feeling juiced, like a shot in the arm of adrenaline. And I hope this supercharge after the nap is because I’m starting to get into a deeper sleep faster and able to recharge faster.

So with one week down it’s time to test it out and see the progress. So I won’t set an alarm tonight and instead see when my body wakes up. I’m hoping in the range of about 6 hours which would be great after only a week and should mean that I’m getting better rest in the shorter period. Stay tuned!

The most amazing part so far is this:
Despite the times when I feel really tired and dragging, it still becomes a choice. In other words, I can ALWAYS find as much energy and focus as I need, when I really want it. That has become one of the most fun parts about the challenge. Since I’ll find myself dragging and I end up having to check myself. I think something along the lines of, “I know I feel tired, but am I really tired?” “Could I feel energized right now?” and almost always I will just by asking myself the question. Obviously it still takes work to change my physiology and create action, movement and momentum.

This is absolutely incredible to me, because I’ve been here before. When I lost 50 lbs, and got in shape in only 2.5 months. I realized there is a huge difference between the feeling (sensation) that I would get when blood sugar levels were low and the way my mind would take it and interpret it to mean “I’m hungry, I should eat”. In other words a shift happened in my mind.

where before: I would interpret that sensation to mean it’s time to eat (and eat a lot) so that it goes away because I was conditioned to see that hungry feeling as very uncomfortable;

To: if I could give my body what it needs for nutrients, vitamins and necessary ingredients to build and maintain health, I could eat only what I needed for health & fitness. And not so much to “make the feeling go away.” Which would mean that I would often still feel like I needed to eat more, or well… gorge. And once I saw the bigger picture I could make the better choice. That’s the key to all weight loss. It’s so easy. Much easier than popping pills which never works, I tried that before also.

I absolutely believe that everything I’m doing is enhanced by meditation, and interestingly as I mentioned before, meditating itself has been enhanced. I think that my state of mind can enter into a flow state much easier. Any anxiety has really been reduced.

Don’t get me wrong though, it still feels like I’m running a marathon, low on sleep, low on food, and in the dark (at least early in the morning). It takes a ton of concentration and focus on my intention and goal to not feel totally drained, grogy and grumpy. My going is for me is to push the limits of potential and see what I can train my mind/body to do. Just like racing, I some how find the desire to endure the pain in the process because I link so much more pleasure with pushing, testing, and developing training, abilities, potential and performance. As my close friend Matt says, “Hey, I’m trying to get enlightened here!”

About the 4 Hour Sleep Project

4 Hour Sleep Training – Day 6

Note to self: drink less water. Yep, lesson of the day is this. If I going to try and optimize and get the most restful sleep in 4 hours, I need to make sure that I’m not getting up to squirt. That’s a technical term. I didn’t end up sleeping that well because of it. I did still wake up ok after preparing myself to do that (like I talked about yesterday).

But this whole morning I was dragging. Then came mistake #2, drinking coffee. I decided to make up a cup of joe before heading up the mountains to watch the sunrise. Drinking the coffee was fine at first but a few hours later when the caffeine wore off, I was comatose. I couldn’t peel my eyelids open. So I had to take a 30 min nap which really hit the spot. Interesting how little I needed also, because I set my alarm to wake up after 1 hour but got up early. I think I need to get a book on sleeping to have a better idea of what’s going on because it’s so amazing.

Thanks Travis for the support and inspiration on watching the sunrise:

You’ll get used to it, just remember that 55% of the people in the world don’t watch the sun rise daily, what a waste of one of the worlds most beautiful creations and it takes no money, no traveling just an open window and an open eye. Thinkin of you bro.

I couldn’t argue:Moon over the Boulder Flatirons

Boulder Sunrise – overlooking Boulder from Flagstaff Rd.

About My 4 Hour Sleep Training Project