OUT-SLEEP YOUR 30 YEAR OLD SELF.
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Sala at Little Ongava Resort
Out-sleeping your 30 year old self may sound ridiculous….you no longer stay out waaaaayyyy too late and get up super early or work 14 hour days. But, there is some definite research indicating that getting more than 5-6 hours a night is achievable.
We need look no farther than to the East for sleep inspiration. The Asian world appears to have it all figured out. The average adult sleeps just 6 hours a night, yet lives longer and is slimmer than other cultures.
We’ve been raised to believe that sleeping 8 hours a night is mandatory. Anything less is simply dangerous to our health.
So how do they do it? How do they sleep less, avoid obesity, and still come in first place for life expectancy?
It’s not genetics or Apple watches, but a culture that has refined the art of quality sleep.
Based on research, Asians sleep, on average, 6 hours a night which is far less than the Western suggested 8 hours per night.
General life expectancy in this country is 87.1 years for females and 81.1 years for men, the highest in the world. Their obesity rate is an impressive 4-6% while the US stands at 40%. This is the opposite of every assumption the Western world holds regarding sleep and health.
Sleep in Asia is not about numbers, it’s about depth. Studies show Asian adults enter deeper-nonREM cycles faster due to their pre-sleep rituals. For example, Asians tend toward much stiffer or firmer sleep surfaces. This keeps them more “neutral” and less likely to awaken during the night. They sleep in cooler rooms around 60-65 degrees and enjoy warm baths before bedtime.
If you were to walk in any of their cities, you will notice constant movement. People are walking, cycling, or walking to and from school or shopping. They are often carrying bags or boxes. Metabolically speaking, the constant daily movement maintains high insulin sensitivity and active mitochondria, two of the main reasons they have no obesity concerns.
Asia is also very comfortable with napping. This helps with optimizing their recovery systems around modern lifestyle. They are proving to the US that balanced meals, naps, good sleep, hygiene, daily movement, and low obesity is possible with shorter sleep cycles.
So, what are we missing? Our 8 hour rule is too general and not supported by healthy lifestyle routines. We are all different, and as such, require different routines/schedules. THERE IS NO MAGIC NUMBER FOR HOURS OF SLEEP. We live less routine lives in the West. We eat at irregular times / Have late-night screen sessions / sit for too long / are metabolically unhealthy.
Is there anything we can do that would encourage better sleep patterns?
Cool your room to 65 degrees / enjoy a warm bath before bed / sleep on a firm mattress/surface / turn off lighting / try to time your meals to your circadian rhythm.
Everyone is different in their lifestyle and needs. Give more sleep a shot and let me know what you learn.
