I’m so proud that on a generational level, we're finally ditching the glorification of sleep deprivation and recognizing the importance of getting a good night’s sleep. I feel like in my college days and early twenties, I’d often hear people brag about pulling "all-nighters" and getting 4 hours of sleep.

These days, I hear more people bragging about high OURA ring scores. And thank G-d for that.

💡 Unlock your full potential with better sleep

Sleep is not just a passive state of rest. It’s a dynamic process that’s crucial for mental and physical health. Our sleep cycle consists of different stages, each playing a vital role in repair and rejuvenation. Circadian rhythms (our natural internal clocks) guide this process and influence our sleep-wake patterns.

Don’t take my word for it. Here’s what the science says about sleep: 

• It’s critical for weight management: Quality sleep helps regulate hormones like leptin and ghrelin, which control hunger and appetite. Not getting enough sleep can lead you to feel hungrier (even when you’re not actually hungry), leading to weight gain and difficulties maintaining a healthy diet.

• You need it to build muscle: During deep sleep, growth hormone is released that aids with muscle repair and growth. Sleep is your body’s time to build.

• It’s a mood-booster: Sleep reduces stress, anxiety, and depression, and improves cognitive function and emotional regulation.

I struggled with insomnia for years and I felt it. If you’re going through it, I know how frustrating it can be.

Here are some things that have helped me boost my sleep quality:

1. Leave your phone outside your bedroom. One thing that’s transformed my sleep recently is leaving my phone outside my bedroom at night to charge. I invested in a physical alarm clock, so I no longer rely on my phone to wake up. This has eliminated late-night and early-morning scrolling. I try to have a 1-hour buffer both before bed and after waking up before even looking at my phone. It’s been transformative for my sleep quality, restfulness, and mood.

2. Commit to a consistent sleep schedule: Establishing a regular sleep schedule helps regulate your body’s internal clock, making it easier to fall asleep and wake up naturally. Consistency is key, even on weekends.

3. Invest in a wearable to track your sleep: Tracking my sleep has given me amazing insights into my sleep patterns including behaviors the help (and hurt) my sleep quality. I love my OURA ring for its detailed feedback and data. It’s fascinating to see how different habits and lifestyle choices affect my sleep. Here’s a link with a discount :)

4. Move your body every day: Regular physical activity is the best thing you can do to sleep better. Move your body every day!

5. Meditate!! I feel like meditation comes up every other week here, but it really is the golden ticket to a more relaxed and grounded mind. And that, my friends, is a prerequisite to deep sleep. If you’re struggling with racing thoughts at night, try dozing off to a Sleep meditation from Headspace or Balance.

🧠 1% better

Here's a tweet that stood out to me this week:

I’ve been reflecting a lot recently on this idea that everything is energy. Atomically speaking, this is scientifically true. At the subatomic level, atoms (which make up matter) are literally all energy.

Words and thoughts have their own form of energy, which is why they have the power to determine real physical outcomes.

But more on that in a future edition.

🫶 ICYMI

The Well Path Podcast is launching on July 10 and we just announced our first guest! In this episode, we dive deep into popular fitness and recovery modalities like sauna and cold plunge, and tips and tricks to live a longer & healthier life.

Follow along @brookechapinrobbins and on @thewellpathpod to be the first to know when the episode drops!

That’s all for now. Thank you for being here.

See you next week!

Love, Brooke

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