Hey Reader,
Do you ever feel underappreciated?
Like you work so hard and no one notices? Or says “thank you”?
Parents feel like this all the time. Parenting is a thankless job.
It’s not that kids are ungrateful jerks (they can be). Kids are human. And we humans tend to take things for granted.
When was the last time you thanked God for waking up another day?
Have you ever sent your power company a “thank you” card because the last time you flipped a switch the lights came on again?
I bet you sleep feels a lot like a parent. Which is kind of weird because parents LOVE sleep. We especially fond of whenever our kids are sleeping.
Except when they’ve been awake in the car for two hours and finally pass out 5 minutes from home. Adorable little punks.
Anyway…
We usually take sleep for granted unless we’re not getting enough sleep. Or if we’re sleeping like crap.
Which, let’s be honest, is kind of a default setting for most of parenthood.
Kids cry, need diaper changes, wet the bed, have nightmares, need a drink of water, or whatever.
Kids have an endless list of excuses to disrupt our sleep.
We try to tough it out by drinking coffee or energy drinks, or saying dumb stuff like “I’ll sleep when I’m dead,” but eventually the lack of sleep catches up with us.
Like it did when I fell asleep at the wheel.
Besides avoiding a tragic accident, poor sleep can lead to:
- Fat gain
- Muscle loss
- Memory issues
- Lower sex drive
- Weakened immunity
- Decreased mental function
None of these ^^ probably surprised you because you’re almost invincible when you’re well rested.
After a good night of sleep (or several in a row) you start to feel like a superhero.
You’re a better husband, dad, and general human being.
But getting good sleep can be challenging. Between the busyness and stress of life, work, and kids, and the distractions of social media and streaming services, we go to bed too late, wake up too early, and probably get up to pee at least once.
Start sleeping better tonight
There are plenty of tactics you can try to improve your sleep quality (the book Sleep Smarter has tons), but here are 3 simple steps to get started.
Not sure where I heard about this first, but it’s a 3-2-1 system.
- 3 hours before bed, last food.
- 2 hours before bed, last drink.
- 1 hour before bed, last screen.
Why does this work?
Food
Depending on what you eat, food can stay in your stomach anywhere from 30 minutes to 2 hours. Then it’s gotta work through your bowels.
That means the complete digestion process can take 2-4 hours or longer.
If your sleep sucks and you’re eating right before bed, it’s probably because your body is trying to digest the food without the help of gravity because you’re lying down.
Now your schedule might be crazy. Well, guess what? You’re not the only one. I went to bed at 11pm and woke up at 3am for almost 8 years.
If your only option is to eat right before bed, I don’t know what to tell you. But if we were face-to-face I might challenge you and ask “is that really your ONLY option? For realz?”
Try putting more space (3-4 hours) between dinner/snack time and bedtime. See what happens.
Drink
Similar to food, liquids have to pass through your digestive system and that takes time. Less time than food, but it can still take up to an hour depending on what you’re drinking.
If I don’t pay attention and I’m drinking fluids right up to bedtime, I’ll wake up 3-4 times in the middle of the night to go to the bathroom.
That’s how sleep torture works! I’m basically torturing myself because I keep sipping from my water bottle without thinking.
It’s SO annoying.
Empty your water bottle or put your mug away about 2 hours before bed and see if that lowers your midnight potty breaks.
Screens
Most of our popular electronic devices like iPhones, iPads, laptops, and flatscreen TVs emit blue light. This blue light influences your circadian rhythm.
What the heck is a circadian rhythm?
It’s your body’s natural internal clock that regulates your sleep-wake cycle. It’s why you have energy at certain parts of the day and start getting tired at others.
Ya know, besides just being generally exhausted as a parent.
Well, scrolling Instagram on your phone or watching Netflix on your tablet late at night is shooting that blue light right through your eye and messing with your circadian rhythm.
Try putting the devices away or at least wearing blue light blocking glasses 1 hour before bed (the longer the better) and see if that makes a difference.
Results may vary
Disclaimer time. 😜
Look, I don’t know you. I don’t know your sleep situation.
But if you want to get better sleep, try this for a few days and see what happens.
WISDOM
“If you tell the truth, you don't have to remember anything.”
―Mark Twain
I'm not proud of this, but I was a compulsive liar as a kid.
And I was NOT good at it. Especially with my parents.
Honesty and integrity are simple values, but they aren't always easy to live out.
RECOMMENDED
The first quarter of 2024 is nearly over and many people started the year with a reading goal of completing X books.
A friend of mine is on track to read 100 books this year. I'll be lucky to hit 24.
Volume goals like reading 24 or 100 books is fine, but so what? So you read 100 books. Did you actually enjoy them?
If you did and you're just a reading fiend, great! More power to ya.
But if you're just plowing through books like I plow through a bag of OREO cookies, is reading more books actually better?
I recently finished the book Limitless: Upgrade Your Brain, Learn Anything Faster, and Unlock Your Exceptional Life and it immediately went on my re-read list.
One of the topics the author covers is the concepts and tactics of how to study a book and not just read it.
This resonated with me because I have read countless books on leadership, business, marketing, habits, fatherhood, and fitness.
But how many of the lessons in those books did I learn?
How many of the strategies did I implement?
Could I recite any of the frameworks or concepts on demand?
Sadly, few and fewer. 😬
Highly recommend checking out Limitless by Jim Kwik. It'll change the way you think about the way you think.
Move your body.
Clear your mind.
Repeat.
Keep up the good work!
-KC
Q: Do you know the story about the chicken that crossed the road?
A: Me neither, I couldn’t follow it.
