Upgrade Your Sleep for Peak Focus

Admittedly, some of this is a "wish I could get back to these" habit list right now with a toddler, a newborn, and Penny the Puppy going 0 for 3 on sleeping through the night this week...

What has worked in the past for my best nights of sleep?

Then I realized, wait, I have a ton of notes on this. [Checks the Event Notes Archive]. It always seems to be a topic at CEO Masterminds. Your physical health and mental clarity on a day to day basis are the key to high performance in any field. Sleep plays a major factor in both of those.

I know I've slept well before and had focused and productive days the next day, so let's get back to what works.

1. Set Bedtime, Set Wakeup Time

2. The Bedroom Bunker

3. Digital Sunset / Dark Mode

4. Signal Habit

5. Good Nutrition = Good Sleep

I am at my best when I have a set bedtime routine start: 9:00pm. When I push past it with additional screen time for a boost in dopamine, I'm in for a rough morning. One of those three will wake me up between 5:00 and 6:00am... My wake time is set by my environment; I bet your wake time is too.

Your bedroom needs to be a room where its ONE thing is setting you up for success to sleep. I haven't had a TV in my bedroom since 2016. Installed blackout curtains in every home since 2018. Haven't done any "work" activities in there since 2020. Upgraded the mattress to what they use for the US Olympic Team. Changed out the light bulbs to warmer tones to minimize blue light. All those choices have made it a peaceful place to sleep for both of us.

Digital Sunset - when do you stop your screentime for the day? I installed "AppBlock" on my phone. I've set up a routine that starts 8:00pm that blocks 39 apps. It's not total prevention, but to get to any of those I have to go through 5 clicks to unlock access. All that friction is enough to make me pause. And any apps unlocked? They're in "Dark Mode" to limit brightness and prevent blue light. If my screentime stops before 9:00pm, I'm on track.

My signal habit, as silly as it sounds, is taking off my socks. It's something so small but isn't that the point of a lead domino / signal habit? That gets me in bed and asleep by 9:30 most nights.

And as always, great sleep begins the day before: limiting caffeine to a 3pm cutoff, avoiding sugar and alcohol after dinner, making sure to walk Penny before the bedtime start... it's a virtuous cycle that only makes the next morning easier, each day better, and Mike more present.

[if you can't tell, I'm writing this as much for me this week as I am for you.]

My sleep routine has been about a decade in the making. Minor adjustments overtime that looking back look like connectable dots. I've learned to get better at choosing better. Sleep is a priority for me, I hope you find something in here that can improve yours. Sleepy time, ni-night!