SLEEP: The 3 Powerful Levers You Can Pull for Better Rest

You can improve your sleep by pulling 3 levers- optimising three neurotransmitter systems for sleep:
1. Adenosine: the longer you are awake and the more active you are, the more adenosine you'll accumulate Adenosine make you feel sleepy. Caffeine temporarily blocks adenosine.

2. Noradrenaline (called Norepinephrine in the US). The more problems/worries you have on your mind the more your mind will want you to deal with them. Your brain will help keep your mind active by increasing arousal using noradrenaline. So unpack your problems/worries - accumulated issues keep you awake. Use a technique like clear your head before bed or the four bucket technique to reduce you mental load to sleep. Meditation and sedation will just postpone the problems. Unpack the problems onto paper and decide upon a next action for each issue.

3. Melatonin. Bright days and dim nights will help you sleep. Day/night indoor lighting gives a weak signal for melatonin production. Outdoor time in bright daylight and soft evening lighting will improve the signal to produce melatonin once the lights are out.



#adenosine #noradrenaline #melatonin
Pull sleep levers to reduce Arousal and address Insomnia