Your sleep is extremely important for many processes in your body and is essential for maintaining peak performance. Get tips for better sleep, information on how to track your sleep, and how to optimize your sleep in this overview.
Table of contents
- Why do we sleep and why is sleep quality so important?
- Sleep quality is also important for athletes
- Sleep better: Learn about the circadian system and the sleep hormone melatonin
- Finally sleep better even as a shift worker and jetsetter
- Improve sleep quality with sleep trackers
- 6 tips to sleep better at night
- Conclusion
- Sources
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1. Why do we sleep and why is sleep quality so important?
Sleep is essential for human beings and crucial to your daily performance . Sleep gives you energy and strength to get through the day. Poor sleep quality limits your performance and can lead to a chain of health consequences .
Many people underestimate how important sleep is for their bodies and mental performance, believing they can get by on little sleep. However, this isn't the case. Even though sleep may seem like a state of rest at first glance, quite a lot actually happens during sleep.
Your brain, for example, is anything but inactive, as studies have shown. During the night, you go through four different sleep phases , during which different processes take place in your body.
For example, cells and muscles are regenerated , information is processed , and toxic substances are removed from the brain. The latter process is a kind of cleansing of the brain , known in science as the glymphatic system .
Take-home message #1 : Good sleep is crucial for your daytime performance. Therefore, pay attention to how you can finally sleep better. Even small changes can make a big difference and give your body what it needs.
BRAINEFFECT HACK : A particularly easy way to fall asleep faster is to use the natural sleep hormone melatonin. That's why we offer practical SLEEP capsules and the handy SLEEP SPRAY with melatonin.
2. Sleep quality is also important for athletes
Many athletes have now realized that sleep is one of the most important levers for improving their performance . This includes US basketball player LeBron James, for example, who sleeps 10-12 hours a night. As a professional athlete who trains extremely intensively, James requires above-average rest.
This means that how much sleep each individual needs varies and depends on how active you are during the day. On average , everyone needs about 7-8 hours of sleep per night , although the quantity is ultimately not the deciding factor.
What ultimately matters is good sleep quality . This means you can feel rested even after 6.5 hours of sleep. In Germany, many people suffer from sleep deprivation or poor sleep quality.
The consequences of a lack of sleep can be drastic: not only does the risk of injury for athletes increase , but concentration difficulties and lower energy levels are also inevitable.
Learn more about what the glymphatic system does in your body and what functions it has.
Take-home message #2 : Better sleep is also an important topic in sports. How refreshed you wake up affects athletic success and injury rates. A good coach therefore incorporates sleep into the training plan.
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3. Sleep better: Learn about the circadian system and the sleep hormone melatonin
Why do we actually sleep at night and are awake and active during the day? Apparently, the body follows an "internal clock" that tells you when it's time to sleep and when to wake up. Indeed, the human sleep rhythm is shaped by evolutionary biology and hasn't changed in thousands of years.
The sleep-wake phases are governed by a very specific system, the so-called circadian rhythm . This is an internal clock that depends on light and darkness. Certain hormones in your body rise and fall with the presence or absence of light.
In the dark, for example, the body releases the sleep hormone melatonin , which makes you tired and helps you fall asleep. Melatonin is produced in the pineal gland in the brain from the feel-good hormone serotonin , which makes you active during the day.
When it gets light , a third hormone becomes active: the stress hormone cortisol . Cortisol is released in the morning and causes you to wake up. As the evening approaches, the stress hormone gradually decreases. All three hormones together determine your day-night rhythm, or your body clock and circadian rhythm.
Take-home message #3 : Your sleep-wake cycle is regulated by hormones, among others. Melatonin makes you tired in the evening, while cortisol makes you jump out of bed full of energy in the morning. Understanding how these are triggered is the first step toward finally sleeping better.
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4. Finally sleep better even as a shift worker and jetsetter
Nowadays, it's more common for the natural day-night rhythm to be disrupted due to certain circumstances. This affects, for example, jet-setters or anyone taking a long-haul flight that crosses several time zones . The result of this change in the circadian rhythm is then called jet lag .
Jet lag typically lasts several days , as the body needs time to adjust to the time change. Symptoms of jet lag can range from exhaustion and fatigue to digestive problems , which is particularly problematic for business travelers who need to be productive on-site.
Eating healthy before and during your flight can help alleviate jet lag symptoms . Get your tips for jet lag here. You can also learn all about jet lag products in this overview ! Shift workers , who are essentially in a constant state of jet lag due to working night shifts, experience a similar situation .
Such a work schedule not only places a strain on one's social life, but can also have negative effects on one's body and mind. Anyone who has to work a night shift, for example, from 11 p.m. to 7 a.m., has to get used to sleeping during the day and being awake at night.
However, the transition isn't easy for everyone, and it can have long-term consequences. Studies have found, for example, that nurses who work irregular shifts or night shifts after just five years have an increased risk of cardiovascular disease .
Other professions where shift work is required include police officers, pilots, nurses, industrial workers, etc. If you belong to one of these professional groups, it is even more important that you follow our tips to sleep better.
5. Improve sleep quality with sleep trackers
Want to find out how much or how well you actually sleep? If you want to check your sleeping habits and sleep quality, you no longer have to visit a sleep lab. You can measure your sleep quality in other ways.
Sleep trackers now easily perform this task from home . Sleep trackers like Fitbit measure and document your sleep quality. The recordings they make allow you to identify your sleep phases, for example.
By measuring stimuli such as heart rate , breathing and movement , sleep trackers can not only record how much of the restorative REM sleep and deep sleep you get, they can also detect how often you wake up during the night , how much time it takes you to fall asleep and whether you wake up or snore during the night.
There are different sleep trackers, such as wearables, which are usually worn on the body in the form of a wristband, or smartphone apps such as Sleep Cycle, which are designed to monitor sleep.
Take-home message #4 : You can improve your sleep quality by carefully analyzing your sleep and your bedtime routines beforehand. The data will give you information about what you can do to improve your deep sleep, for example.
6. Six tips for better sleep
Do you want to improve your sleep quality so you can be more productive and tackle your projects with more energy? With a few hacks, you can easily optimize your sleep. These tips for better sleep should definitely be taken to heart.
1. Avoid blue light in the evening
Blue light is now considered the number one sleep killer . This refers to the artificial light emitted by things like smartphones, televisions, or your laptop. This light triggers an alarm signal in your brain and keeps you awake by inhibiting your body's natural melatonin production.
This can increase the time it takes to fall asleep by up to 30 minutes, and the quality of your REM sleep decreases . Therefore, sleep researchers and scientists recommend avoiding the use of devices such as televisions, laptops, and cell phones in the evening, or installing filters that block out blue light. There are now even glasses that can be worn so that blue light can no longer affect sleep quality.
2. Avoid exercising in the evening
Especially in the work world, there's rarely time for exercise. Therefore, many people postpone their workouts until late in the evening, which is counterproductive for their own sleep quality. Exercise releases the activating hormones adrenaline and cortisol , which ultimately continue to flow through your bloodstream long after it's time for sleep.
Many professional athletes therefore have trouble falling asleep after competitions and training sessions in the evening. If possible, schedule your athletic performance in the morning and start a successful and active day.
3. No carbohydrates in the evening
Proper nutrition plays a major role in improving your sleep quality. To prevent insulin levels from skyrocketing, avoid carbohydrates in the evening . Otherwise, you risk hypoglycemia during the night and wake up .
4. Create darkness in your bedroom
The sleep hormone melatonin is released as soon as it gets dark. Therefore, it's important to darken your bedroom and/or wear a sleep mask. The darker, the better.
This causes your melatonin levels to rise naturally and stay at that level until you're ready to wake up on your own. The result: You sleep better and wake up feeling refreshed.
5. Hack your GABA filter
If you've never heard of GABA , then you're like many others, even though GABA is one of the most important neurotransmitters in the central nervous system.
Put simply, GABA is a built-in filter system in your brain that protects it from stress and sensory overload. Because of this calming and relaxing effect, GABA is extremely important for your sleep.
6. Fall asleep faster with melatonin: BRAINEFFECT SLEEP
SLEEP, with a melatonin dosage of 1 mg (= 2 capsules), is an intelligent sleep aid with various ingredients that help you recharge your batteries at night. Among other ingredients, SLEEP contains 0.5 mg of melatonin per capsule, equivalent to the amount found in 31 pistachios.
Studies have shown that supplementing with melatonin at such low doses can shorten the time it takes to fall asleep . Melatonin also helps alleviate the subjective sensation of jet lag . Magnesium is also an important ingredient in SLEEP, as it's good for your muscles and can thus ensure a restful evening.
Of course, there are many other things you can do to improve your sleep quality. For example , avoid drinking alcohol or coffee in the four hours before bedtime . Ventilate your bedroom well so the room temperature is comfortable (around 18 degrees Celsius is ideal).
Go to bed at the same time every day. Your body loves nothing more than routines. They make it easier to function. If you follow all these tips and integrate them into your daily routine, you'll quickly notice that you sleep better at night.
Take-home message #5 : How can I finally sleep better? Stop watching TV late at night before going to bed, exercise early in the morning rather than in the evening, and sleep in a completely quiet and dark room. If all of these things don't help, you can also take supplements containing the natural sleep hormone to help you fall asleep faster.
7. Conclusion
Your sleep is one of the most important factors influencing your performance during the day. Only those who sleep well can regenerate and be ready for the next challenge.
The right combination of regular relaxation and full-throttle phases is the key to getting the most out of yourself. Want to stay up to date on how to sleep better? Then subscribe to our newsletter here and don't miss any essential hacks!
Nutrition plays a crucial role in your performance. Want to get even more out of yourself and always go one step further in every challenge? Our coaches will help you boost your performance and find the right products for your goals. Just try our Performance Coach.
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8. Sources
[1] Jessen NA, Finmann AS, Lundgaard I, Nedergaard M (2016) University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, NY, USA. Neurochemical Research. The Glymphatic System – A Beginner's Guide. [https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4636982/]
[2] WGBH Educational Foundation. (2007) Division of Sleep Medicine at Harvard Medical School. The Characteristics of Sleep. [http://healthysleep.med.harvard.edu/healthy/science/what/characteristics]
[3] Dinges D. F, Pack F, Williams K, Gillen K. A, Powell J. W, Ott G. E, Aptowicz C, Pack A. I (1997) University of Pennyslvania School of Medicine, Philadelphia, USA. Sleep. Cumulative sleepiness, mood disturbance, and psychomotor vigilance performance decrements during a week of sleep restricted to 4-5 hours per night. [https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/9231952]
[4] Williamson A, Feyer, A (2000) University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia. Occupational and Environmental Medicine. Moderate sleep deprivation produces impairments in cognitive and motor performance equivalent to legally prescribed levels of alcohol intoxication. [https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1739867//]
[5] Milewski MD, Skaggs DL, Bishop GA, Pace JL, Ibrahim DA, Wren TA, Barzdukas A (2014) Elite Sports Medicine, Connecticut Children's Medical Center, Farmington, CT, USA. Journal of pediatric orthopedics. Chronic lack of sleep is associated with increased sports injuries in adolescent athletes. [https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25028798%20]
[6] Simpson NS, Gibbs EL, Matheson GO (2017) Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA. Scandinavian Journal of Medicine & Science in Sports. Optimizing sleep to maximize performance: implications and recommendations for elite athletes. [https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27367265%20]
[7] Harvard Health Publishing (2009) Harvard Mental Health Letter. Sleep and mental health. [https://www.health.harvard.edu/newsletter_article/Sleep-and-mental-health]
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