Let it be what it will be. Give up trying to manipulate. This is freedom.

There’s a famous segment on SportsCenter entitled “Why We Love Sports.” It consists of inspiring and memorable highlights like an incredible catch, a big come-from-behind victory, or an athlete making the wish of his #1 fan come true. Today I want to address the same question–why we love sports–but from a different angle. In this post I address a reason behind the popularity of sports that may surprise you.

Over the years, I’ve cut out many activities in the interest of becoming the best version of myself, but sports is not one of them. Sometimes I’ll watch sports with my friends or in a foreign language for added benefit, but I’m not against watching sports by myself. People say that watching sports or other repetitive TV adds little measurable value to one’s life. After all, the inventory of sports is infinite–you can never “catch up” or “be ahead of the game.” It’s easy to spend an entire today absorbed in matches that quickly become irrelevant. And if you were raised around sports, you can already converse about them with little time spent actually watching the game. However, there’s a benefit to watching sports that transcends the highlight reel and the pop culture savvy, and it is has to do with human psychology.

Life is a delicate balance between order and chaos. Chaos is the natural state that everyone is born into and that exists apart from human institutions. It’s a state of discomfort, insecurity, and fear. Chaos is the absence of order. Bringing order to the world is the goal of every progressive activity. Order creates comfort, security, and confidence–order is ultimately what people are after.

Let me illustrate the difference. Chaos is sleeping outside in a tent in a predator-rich environment not knowing what your next meal is. Order is having a roof over your head with AC and a pantry full of delicious food. Chaos is the first day of a new job in a new city with unfamiliar people and technology. Order is day 250 of that same job. Order is going out with friends and family. Chaos is going out with total strangers. Order is being married to someone for 10 years. Chaos is when that someone passes away or the relationship stops working. You get the point.

Not all chaos is bad. We need a measure or chaos to progress. Too much order and you may get complacent. When someone tells you “get out of your comfort zone,” what they mean is you need a little more chaos in your life. Chaos that can stretch you and grow you into a better person. The problem is that some of us are way beyond the chaos threshold for growth. Too much chaos has become an obstacle to growth and leaves us feeling uncomfortable and insecure. What we need in life is more order.

What does any of this have to do with sports? Sports, simply, are a source of order in the world (in other cultures, family, society, and religion play an outsized role). Sports are highly predictable despite some uncertainty over the outcome. We know how much time each game lasts; we know how many players are on each team; we know how the mechanics of the game work; we know the rules and violations; we know how players are expected to perform; and we know how players and spectators are expected to behave. “Why We Love Sports” is all about chaos. But the majority of games ending in chaos, and the entirety of games ending predictably, are defined by the order of the sport itself. There is no room for chaos in sports outside the confines of the game.

Sports add order to people’s lives. Sports give people a space where their expectations about what is going to happen can be met. And the more professional the competition, the more this is so. To be sure, order isn’t the only reason people love sports. There’s community and connection; there’s the fond memories of playing the game recreationally or as a child; there’s the knowledge that “anything can happen”; there’s the big money and real life drama; and there’s the sheer amazement of seeing the product of talent and countless hours of hard work on display.

Order, however, is the one benefit that people experience but do not rationalize. And that’s the gap I’ve hoped to bridge in this article.

I talk a lot about sleep on this site because sleep is vital for human health and well-being. As a result, making sleep a priority is one of the wisest things anyone can do. Fortunately, there are a number of ways to improve sleep quality short of prescription drugs. My insomnia is what initially led me to research and experiment with different solutions. What you find below is the result of that process several years later. In fact, today I almost always fall asleep within a few minutes of going to bed.

The natural techniques below have worked for me and countless others. I’ve linked to several other articles I have written on sleep quality so you can have them all in one place.

1. Exercise

In 2018, researchers conducted a systematic review and meta analysis of data on exercise and sleep quality that included 9 studies and 557 participants. They concluded, “Our findings suggest that exercise can improve sleep quality without notable adverse effects.” But you probably already knew that. Exercises tires you out. It releases happy chemicals. It makes you feel better about life. And it reduces stress, which leads me to item #2.

2. Reduce Stress

Stress kills. And I’m not just talking about the stress of external responsibilities. I’m talking about the internal stress that people carry around, whether they work stressful jobs or are retired and living in a vacation home. Emotional stress will not let people’s mind rest during the day or at night. For help processing emotions that interfere with sleep quality, check out When Emotions Are High, Wisdom Is Low and Radical Forgiveness Will Change Your Life.

3. Get Light Exposure During the Day

Researchers discovered that those exposed to sunlight before 12 PM or other bright indoor lights slept better at night and tended to feel less stressed and depressed (here). Sunlight exposure is the preferred option due to Vitamin D synthesis, but may not be possible in the winter or if you work a day job. In any case, bright light early in the day helps regulate your body’s circadian rhythm (internal clock) so that you have high energy early in the day and feel tired close to bedtime.

4. Eliminate Blue Light Exposure At Night

Blue light from our cellphones impairs the release of melatonin, a hormone that tells our body when it’s time to go to sleep. When the sun is its hottest, melatonin levels plummet, and they gradually increase as the intensity of sunlight decreases. Our brain simply can’t distinguish between light from our phones and light from the sun that has dictated waking and sleeping patterns since time immemorial. Check out Blue Light From Your Phone May Be Keeping You Awake at Night for the science behind light exposure and sleep quality as well as an easy fix for iOS users (there’s a special setting Apple installed called Night Shift).

5. Install Blackout Shades

Light from our phones is not the only culprit. Street lights, porch lights, and sunlight can all leak into a room and substantially reduce sleep quality. Blackout shades work by adding an extra layer of window coverage that keeps this from happening. They’re cheap and easy to install, and I couldn’t recommend them more. For more, check out How to Darken Your Room and Get a Better Night’s Sleep.

6. Use White Noise To Drown out Sound Pollution

Quoting from my article Free White Noise Tracks to Help You Fall Asleep and Stay Asleep:

Environmental noise happens when people talk, watch TV, play party music, or snore within earshot of somebody trying to catch some shut-eye. Environmental noise has been scientifically demonstrated to decrease sleep intensity, increase stress hormone secretion, reduce cognitive performance, increase tiredness, and may be a long-term risk factor of high blood pressure and heart disease. . . White noise refers to sound that contains frequencies with equal intensities. In layman’s term, white noise produces an even, consistent sound that is effective at drowning out disruptive noises that interfere with the quality of sleep. People who rely on the sound emitted by their fan or essential oil diffuser to fall asleep at night are utilizing white noise.

I have utilized white noise for years. It’s free and works brilliantly. No more hating on your housemates and neighbors for being loud and obnoxious at night.

7. Practice Meditation Before Bed

Meditation is a proven way to relax the mind and reduce stress. In fact, the old prescription of counting sheep is a form of meditation. Guided visualizations are another popular type that involve written or audio material designed to get the minds imaginative faculties working. They’re commonly used to heal emotions, forgive, relax, or simply to enjoy the brain’s natural ability to create reality. Check out Weightless (Guided Visualization to Promote Relaxation). If you’re like me, meditation of some kind before bed will work wonders.

8. Take a Zinc or Magnesium Supplement

Zinc and Magnesium are great natural alternatives to prescription medication. Studies have found that subjects who took Zinc or Magnesium slept deeper, longer, and experienced fewer disruptions. For the research and more on Zinc and Magnesium, see Four Researched Benefits of Supplementing Zinc and Four Researched Benefits of Supplementing Magnesium. A supplement called ZMA containing Zinc, Magnesium, and Vitamin B-6 is commonly taken before bed to improve sleep quality. The most high-value ZMA product I have found is MET-Rx ZMA Supplement 90 Capsules. It’s very affordable and works wonders for a lot of people’s sleep.

Conclusion:

Sleep is both an art and a science. A myriad of factors influence its quality. And its quality, in turn, greatly influences life outcomes. Before your throw in the towel or reach for a prescription, consider one of the 8 natural methods above proven to help you fall asleep faster and stay asleep longer.

There are few things in daily life I resent more than trying to fall asleep to the sound of environmental noise. Environmental noise happens when people talk, watch TV, play party music, or snore within earshot of somebody trying to catch some shut-eye. Environmental noise has been scientifically demonstrated to decrease sleep intensity, increase stress hormone secretion, reduce cognitive performance, increase tiredness, and may be a long-term risk factor of high blood pressure and heart disease (link). What’s the best way to combat environmental noise before bed? Noise of a different variety. Enter the sound therapy known as white noise. White noise refers to sound that contains frequencies with equal intensities. In layman’s term, white noise produces an even, consistent sound that is effective at drowning out disruptive noises that interfere with the quality of sleep. People who rely on the sound emitted by their fan or essential oil diffuser to fall asleep at night are utilizing white noise. In my experience, white noise is the easiest and cheapest method (it’s free) to fall asleep faster and stay asleep longer. And its benefits are backed by science.

In this study, broadband sound (a type of white noise) was administered to 18 healthy subjects. Researchers found that sleep onset latency (the time it takes to fall asleep) decreased by 38%, as well as the frequency of arousals from sleep during the night. Participants were also asked to rate their subjective sleep quality and they affirmed having slept better with the white noise. the authors of the study concluded, “These findings suggest that broadband sound administration might be helpful to minimize insomnia symptoms in selected individuals. “

Another study tested the effect of white noise on patients admitted to a coronary care (a hospital unit specializing in the care of patients with heart problems). The researchers discovered that patients for whom white noise was administered got more total sleep and stayed asleep longer than the control group. They concluded, “The use of white noise is recommended as a method for masking environmental noises, improving sleep, and maintaining sleep in the coronary care unit.”

One beautiful thing about white noise therapy is the great variety of options available to the user. iOS and Android applications enable the user to download free and premium white noise tracks while YouTube is a gold mine of white noise publications. Here I present you my two favorite white noise tracks, free to use on this website or download on your phone. The first track emits the sound of a smooth fan, ideal for the majority of people seeking to get a better night’s sleep. The second track is a little deeper and rougher but is equally effective at drowning out environmental noise. It is a personal favorite and I used it to fall asleep for years before switching to the smooth fan.

“Smooth Fan” White Noise Track:

“Deep Sounds” White Noise Track:

Conclusion:

Sometimes before bed I play white noise in the background due to sheer force of habit even in the absence of environmental noise. White noise has helped me sleep faster and deeper wherever I am in the world.

Music is the quickest way to induce feelings of happiness, sadness, anger, or excitement. Today I want to share two of my all-time favorite tracks for promoting healing and well-being. These songs are in the language of the Lakota, a Native American tribe inhabiting North and South Dakota. FYI, there are transcripts and translations you can check out in the comments.

Light is one of the most important factors in the sleep quality equation. Our body naturally regulates the sleep-inducing hormone melatonin according to the environmental light present. At noonday when the sun is its hottest, the body’s melatonin levels plummet, and they gradually increase as the evening wears on. The innovation of light has worked wonders for human civilization, but one negative byproduct is a reduction in sleep quality. The streets where I live up are lit up throughout the night, and light from my housemates regularly seeps into my bedroom. In another article, I discussed how blue light from your phone may be keeping you awake at night. Getting better sleep improves health, brain function, mood, energy levels, and hormones (like testosterone) vital to overall performance and well-being. In addition to managing screen settings, there is another simple step you can take to create a natural dark environment that will have you drooling in no time.

The sun has not caught me in bed in fifty years.

Thomas Jefferson

Where I live the sun rises a little after 6 during the fall months. Unlike Thomas Jefferson, the sun catches me in bed almost every day. Powerful sunlight seeps through the shades into the room, reduces the release of melatonin and other sleep chemicals, and the end result is shallower, less rejuvenating sleep.

Fortunately, I discovered blackout shades a few years ago, and I’ve had them installed everywhere I’ve lived ever since. Blackout shades function as an extra layer of protection from outside light entering through the windows. They block sunlight, streetlight, and porch light leading to deeper, more relaxing sleep.

I recommend the following Amazon product because it’s the only one I’ve ever used: Original Blackout Pleated Paper Shade Black, 36” x 72”. You cut out the thick paper to the dimensions of your windows (takes no more than 10 minutes and is easy to do), and then attach them to the window with a sticky substance already present on the paper. After that, you can pull your ordinary shades down over them like you normally would and, voila(!), your room just got a lot darker. The shades come with clips so you can put the shades up as normal during the day to let in light. I haven’t had to replace my shades in 3 years, and there is enough product in the package for at least two rooms.

Below are pictures of my 3-year old, slightly worn blackout shades. When I put down the outer layer of shades at night, my room instantly turns pitch black. It’s a huge improvement on the system I had in place before. I recommend this product to my friends & family because it’s logical, cheap, effective, and it starts working right away.

After Photos:

Sound is another big factor that influences sleep quality. Stay tuned for a fun post about how to solve the problem of environmental noise using free white noise tracks available online.

It seems like every month a new challenge makes its waves across the internet. Some of these challenges have been harmless (mannequin challenge), some have been painful (push up challenge), while yet others have been downright stupid (Tide pod challenge). All of these challenges consist of the participant taking radical action in a manner far out of the ordinary.

The challenge I propose can be understood in the same terms but with a twist: taking radical inaction in a manner far out of the ordinary.

HOW TO PARTICIPATE:

• Find a quiet space free from distractions.
• Refrain from all activity, including eating, watching TV, scrolling on your smartphone, making weird noises to your pet, and socializing with other human beings.
• Do not speak, sing, or hum (just be quiet).
• No lying down. You can stand or sit, although most people would prefer to sit for 60 minutes.
• You can focus on your breath or any other stimuli in your immediate environment. This includes parakeets singing outside, your air conditioner blowing, and the motor of your essential oils diffuser.
• Man or woman up by waiting out the duration of the hour.

Document your experience with the meditation challenge in the comment section below or on social media using the hashtag #meditationchallenge

I bet most of you can’t do it. if you need motivation, here is a quote to get you going (or better yet, to slow you down).

All of humanity’s problems stem from man’s inability to sit quietly in a room alone.

-Blaise Pascal

Note: Science has discovered that our brains on silence are constantly process information and making us more intelligent (study).

Suppose you are in the desert, and you only have one glass of muddy water. You have to transform the muddy water into clear water to drink, you cannot just throw it away. So you let it settle for a while, and clear water will appear. In the same way, we have to convert anger into some kind of energy that is more constructive, because anger is you. Without anger you have nothing left. That is the work of meditation.

Visualization is the Swiss-army knife of the self-help industry. Performers use it to hone their craft. Trauma victims use it to heal. And people interested in becoming the best version of themselves use it to gain social confidence, change deep-seated beliefs, and improve health outcomes. Guided visualizations help stoke the creative power inherent to this process. This particular guided visualization focuses on freedom from stress featuring themes of oxygen, deep breathing, and detachment. Shallow breathing is one the first physical manifestations of stress. And deep, mindful breathing is one of the quickest ways to reverse it.

This is the first guided meditation I have ever written and possibly the last. I admittedly felt out of element in the process, but I got enough out of it myself that I wanted to share it with you all. The thematic inspiration came from an audio track entitled Weightless. Weightless was tailor-made to reduce blood pressure, anxiety, and heart rate. I like one author’s description: [Weightless] is filled with dreamy, mellow synths, soothing melodies and instrumentation composed of piano, guitar and electronic samples of natural soundscapes (link). In one study, listening to the song resulted in a 65% reduction in overall anxiety and a 35% reduction in physiological resting rates (link).

Below you can find the YouTube audio track to Weightless and a recording of the visualization supplied by my friend Elizabeth. Enjoy.

I Am Weightless (Guided Visualization to Promote Relaxation)

Imagine yourself from a distance standing outside your home. You look around you, mindful of the sounds, shapes, and textures of the neighborhood. Memories from childhood insinuate themselves. You are in a familiar place.

Again visualize yourself from a distance. Weightless, like a shadow, in that same location. All of your internal organs and systems are intact, but together they weigh less than a gram. You take a deep breath. As you breathe in, your entire body fills with air.

You take another deep breath. As you breathe in this second time, your feet slowly leave the ground. As the embodied you rises, your mental plane rises with it. You watch yourself ascend like a balloon until you are floating thousands of feet in the air. You remain elevated with deep breaths at natural intervals.

To your left and right, you can see ethereal clouds gliding through the atmosphere. Some slightly beneath you, others on your side. You feel a gentle wind lightly grace your body. With quiet focus, you can hear the still penetrating sound of nature.

Above you lies empty blue space, impenetrable and encompassing. Like an ocean devoid of all living things.

Beneath you lies the world you inhabited until this point. Once familiar in appearance, now barely visible to the eye. The home you grew up in is a deck of cards. The culdesac you used to ride your bike in is a horseshoe. And the city you love is a canvas you scribbled on in elementary.

In the present moment, you experience freedom. Freedom from physical weight. Freedom from environmental triggers. Freedom from the worries of a grounded existence. You breathe in deeply once more. You can feel oxygen circulating in the innermost part of your being.

Now you are in the place you want to be.

If you’re anything like me, you enjoy spending the last waking moments of the day surfing the web and chatting with friends on WhatsApp. We can debate whether or not this is a healthy use of time, but one thing we cannot debate is the effect this habit has on sleep quality. Harvard researchers discovered that blue light suppressed the release of melatonin (link). Melatonin is a hormone that signals to the body that it is time to go to sleep at night. One of the ways it does this is by monitoring light in the environment. The sun used to be the primary guide in this process. Melatonin levels would plummet during midday when the sun was its hottest, and they would gradually rise after sunset. By suppressing the release of melatonin, our smart phones interfere with the body’s natural circadian rhythm. This is the body’s internal clock that dictates when we feel tired and when we feel wide awake. Being on your phone late at night can affect the time it takes for you to fall asleep and the quality of your sleep. Other studies have confirmed the detrimental effect of light exposure on sleep quality (here and here).

Fortunately, there’s an easy fix for iOS users. Apple developers aware of the potential sleep damage caused by blue light developed a special setting called Night Shift. Night Shift modifies the amount of blue light being emitted by your smartphone. The app enables you to program the time of day your phone’s light becomes warmer (warm light is closer to red on the spectrum). Red light, unlike blue light, has no negative effect on sleep quality. Studies have, in fact, demonstrated that red light exposure improves sleep quality (here). To access the Night Shift app, go to Settings –> Display & Brightness –> Night Shift. As you can see in the graphic to your right, I have my phone programmed to emit warm light from sunset to sunrise. You can also modify the “color temperature” of the light. As the circle moves closer on the spectrum to “more warm,” the light emitted by your phone becomes redder. I find this effect cool and sometimes turn the setting on during the day.

For Android users, there is a similar fix available. A quick Google search found me this article explaining how to reduce blue light on Android devices.

I’ve shared this knowledge with my friends and family, and they’re already sleeping better. Don’t be mastered by your smartphone. Be the master instead.