I often hear older folks say “I wish I was ___ years old again”
What they fail to realize is that eating nutritious food, working out, and sleep are levers that can be pulled to slow or even reverse aging.
They are equivalent to the “fountain of youth”.
They make us feel young and vibrant.
It’s not that we should wish we were younger again but that we are much wiser with our decisions now.
These types of decisions are always in our control.
My Trailblazer runs well for being 15 years old. It has its bumps and bruises and certainly has shown some fading but If it’s washed and waxed it’s hard to tell its age from a distance.
But the outside appearance doesn’t make the car run well. It’s the consistent focus on preventative maintenance in the years I’ve had it.
Routine oil changes and tire rotations.
Trusting the recommendations of the mechanic to fix areas of concern.
Being proactive versus reactive.
Simple stuff.
Yet, things could have been overlooked or pushed off for a short-term monetary gain.
It’s really a metaphor for our lives.
When we feel sluggish, low on energy, depressed, or in a rut, it’s normally the focus inward that can be the most helpful. It’s reflecting and asking questions like…
Are we getting enough sleep?
Are we eating healthy food?
Are we exercising?
Are we getting outside?
Are our relationships going well?
Are we creating space for ourselves?
We’re going to get beat up throughout our lives but in order to feel young and vibrant as we age, we must focus consistently on the simple things that bring us energy.
Because when they lag we can start to break down and it becomes harder to maintain if it goes on for too long.
Unfortunately, we only get one model. There are no trade-ins here.
Cats and Dogs rarely play with the same toy again and again. Sure, they have their favorites they’ll pick up every now and then but they will typically bounce around to different ones or lose interest all together.
However, what do they yearn for? Sleep, Exercise, Companionship, and Belonging.
Somehow, they’ve figured out that, “Whoever dies with the most toys doesn’t win.”
Although we might be the “smartest” species in the room, we could learn something from them if we were open to it.
Discovering the power behind sleep has been one of the most important findings of my life and I wanted to share a brief breakdown of some of the things I’ve learned in recent years and how they have impacted my overall daily performance.
Back a few years ago I would sometimes struggle with getting a full night’s rest. I’d either take to long to fall asleep, wake up during the night, or not get enough rest and feel horrible the next day. I uncovered that when I get a great night’s rest I normally have a ton of energy the next day but I didn’t know where the inconsistencies were coming from. Around this time I started to add meditation to my life and found that I liked doing it more in the evening before bed as that helped me wind down and relax. All of a sudden, my sleep quality improved. I was hooked on learning and discovering more.
Shortly after, I came across the Joe Rogan Experience Podcast episode with Dr. Matthew Walker who wrote the book “Why We Sleep” and is a world-renowned sleep expert. I started to implement a few of his recommendations but it was only after purchasing his book and fully grasping all of the reasons we sleep poorly that I was able to form a new bedtime routine.
I’ve kept it simple.
Some of the keys I’ve added to this routine like going to bed at the same time each night and trying to remove devices 30-minutes prior are paramount to gearing your body up for sleep and building consistent routines into this practice. By adding this routine into my life I feel more energized in the morning and I’ve had a lot easier time falling to sleep at night. Nothing is worse than laying in bed for an hour or two and trying to fall asleep and typically those nights happen when I am off a routine like where I might be out late, had a drink, got right into bed after doing work on the computer, etc. Being mindful of the things that prevent me from a good night’s rest has been beneficial to making the right choice most of the time and setting myself up for success with my sleep.
Again, I highly recommend Dr. Walker’s book if you are interested to learn more about sleep and sleep patterns and are trying to improve your overall health and well-being. Here’s a link to find it on Amazon: “Why We Sleep” by Dr. Matthew Walker
If you’d like to hear the full audio version on this topic I recorded a One Mic Session on my Just Get Started Podcast. Click here to go to Apple Podcasts-> Benefits of a Bedtime Routine or you can listen on any major Podcasting platform. This episode originally aired on October 22nd, 2020.
