Sleep Cycle 🔁🥱 Core Sleep: Supercharge Your Focus and Sleep (feat. GEM)🛌 Deep Sleep: Creating the Future You (feat. Merve Ceylan) 💤 REM: How To Get Better At Sleeping (feat. Andrew Huberman)

Welcome to week two of The Power Five series, sponsored by GEM. This week is all about sleep and focus, two critical states that GEM has special, tasty formulas for.

We’ll read about that in the first section, then transition to a piece on focus + future planning written by my friend Merve.

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We’ll finish off with a blueprint for sleep, endorsed by the infamous Andrew Huberman. Buckle up!

I look at life in three buckets: Sleep, future planning, and action. You need focus to effectively plan and take action, and you need sleep in order to properly focus. What do you get when you optimize your sleep, increase your focus and keep your eye on the prize? You get the prize.

Supercharging Sleep + Focus (feat. GEM) 💎

Your ability (yes, it’s a skill) to sleep and focus can be honed with different exercise strategies and calming methods, but it ultimately boils down to what’s in your body at the time of trying to sleep/focus. I use sleep and focus interchangeably because the states are quite similar, from a brain-state perspective.

It’s funny, though, that they seem to conveniently oppose each other like a seesaw. When you wanna sleep, you got a million thoughts rolling through your head. You’re locked in to your goals and aspirations for the next five years with no issue. The blueprint couldn’t be clearer. Sleep, on the other hand, (the primary objective of going to bed) feels even further.

And everyone remembers the half-asleep school days, when learning faded into obscurity and napping took precedent.

Both of these states take … focus … which itself is a version of consciousness that can’t just switch on. These states must be carefully curated and nurtured with an environment of calm, stillness and mindful presence. Let’s look at a few ways to cultivate that.

Attention ⚠️

There's a lot of competition for this. The entire economy is effectively bolstered by what humans are paying attention to and believing in. What you choose to pay attention to, and focus on, is very powerful. It determines your reality in a direct way.

That’s the big point I want you to take away from this issue — what you pay attention to is EVERYTHING. It is the ONLY thing. How else can I emphasize this? Just remember that, okay? Your reality is entirely moldable, like a ball of clay. It’s what you make of it, and more specifically, what you’re paying attention to.

Research shows social media use and exposure to short-form content have trained our brains to lose focus after just 8 seconds. Quite frankly, many interactions seem to be cooked after four seconds. It’s the reason why so many people are so spaced out and zombified — they just can’t pay attention to anything outside of their addictive, algorithm-driven feeds.

If you really want to get into it, it’s the reason corporations are totally controlling what we feel, see and believe. But that’s a story for another time.

For now, I’m sharing four proven tips you can use this week to enhance your focus and get more done.

1. Wear a hoodie 🥷🏽When I’m reading, writing or studying, I wear a hoodie to literally narrow my focus. Blinders on like a racehorse. That’s why they wear those, you know.

It’s total locked-in mode.

1. Parkinson’s Law ⏰ Set yourself a deadline on a given task. Tell a colleague or partner to hold you accountable for that deadline. I bet you won’t want to let them down.
2. Box Breathing 😮‍💨 is a research-backed breathing technique that clears your mind, soothes your body, and increases your focus. Follow along a Box Breathing session for a few minutes whenever you want to focus or chill out.
3. Pomodoro Method 🍅 Is a time-management technique using 25-minute stretches of focused work, broken by 5-min breaks. Bring a timer to a bout of focused work you need to complete. When the timer goes off, get up, and try a Box Breathing session while away from your desk.

I always like to have a little something before I go to sleep. It’s funny.

Something that makes me feel like I’ve had just enough life to go to sleep peacefully.

Sometimes, a hot shower will do. Other times, it’s a stretching session or a cuppa tea.

When I’m willing to treat myself, I’ll have a lil’ snack to ease me into snooze mode.

Doesn’t have to be sweet, but that’s a preference.

We have like to reach a baseline of contentment in order to sleep peacefully, it would appear. Getting dopamine up a bit will do that. Remember, sleeping is a skill. In this case, it’s more like a task. Same goes for focused work sessions. To do any task, we sometimes like a little boost. Makes sense.

My boost of preference is popping a GEM just before sleep or working. They taste great, yes, but it’s the ingredients that are doing the trick. The nighttime bites are packed with valerian root, L-theanine, magnesium and GABA. That’s basically the avengers of healthy, natural sleep.

Having one of these a day (or night) also gives me some breathing room when it comes to my diet, which can be quite strict. I don’t typically incorporate sweet things, but since GEM’s stuff is all natural and plant-based, there’s no guilt when having one (or two) when I want that kick before bed.

I have always struggled with sleep, but never mixed well with sleeping aids or medications. When I started incorporating GEM, I felt a natural ease into supplementation. Unlike traditional sleeping pills and melatonin, GEM’s bites contain science-backed minerals like magnesium and herbs like valerian root to help you fall asleep and stay asleep without becoming dependent. I go several weeks without taking GEM sometimes, and although I notice my sleep isn’t as thorough, I’m nowhere near addicted.

Instead, GEM provides me with a healthy balance of quality, science-backed ingredients and minerals that taste great and work even better. With pre and probiotics linked to overall sleep health, my gut health is also thanking me.

With all the benefits in one tasty chocolate bite, I can rest assured that my sleep is maximized with GEM. Use code DOWNTOEARTH30 for 30% off your order, and feel the difference for yourself.

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Future Me, Future You 👩🏻‍🚀

By: Merve Ceylan

What determines who you're gonna be in a month? A year? 5 years, 10…

I’m one of those people who thinks a lot about the future. I need to have an idea of what my future looks like. I know, I know. It’s impossible to predict, but you can’t deny the power of trying to create a better future.

If you don't dream and take action at some point, you aren’t likely to pursue something you actually want.

It's not about being obsessed with achieving certain things. In my experience, satisfaction rarely arrives at the exact point I dreamed. Instead, it often arrives when I am at a place that is more suitable FOR ME. I think most would agree that we rarely know what will make us happy in the long run, but trying can help us get closer.

Most people dream, but not most do not write about these dreams. I believe a list could help to create a truly desirable 'future you'. Writing or voice recording helps articulate this and allows you to track your progress on your journey. It can be easy to forget what we truly value, as it's easier to act on autopilot.

To prevent this, I created a list called ‘future me’ because I was having a hard time understanding if I was progressing on what I really value. I wanted to make sure I’m not pursuing something just because it’s desirable or acceptable to most people.

I’m not reading the list all the time, and I definitely do not recommend you to obsess over it. The list is to look back when you feel lost, to remember what you value — what you truly want.

For when you’re lost, there is always North.

My list is mostly about values, not goals. So it’s not a to-do list. A few examples from my list for you:

• I’m someone who can hold space and is comfortable with acting slowly, not rushing thoughts and actions.

• I don’t try to manage other people's thoughts and opinions around me. I want to be loved for who I am, and I accept and love my people for who they are.

• I’m someone who loves being creative. I create and share.

These seem so simple, but daily life can blur the picture. For example, I may not spend time writing just for fun, or to be creative. It can begin to feel like work. I sometimes act in a certain way to please someone. And it's not rare I rush decisions for the sake of not dreading for a long time.  When I look over the list from time to time, I find it easier to realign my thoughts and redirect actions toward the life I truly want.

I recommend you to give a ‘future me’ list a try. At worst, you’ll have some record of your thoughts to look back on.

Hi, I'm Merve, a dietitian and freelance writer who creates content around health, nutrition, wellness, and travel. I enjoy creating content that is real, unique, useful, and easy to follow. When I'm not writing, you'll find me cycling, traveling, and simply enjoying life.

Linktree: https://linktr.ee/merveceylan Website: https://mcnutritive.com/

How to Get Better At Sleep (feat. Andrew Huberman) 👨‍🔬

Sleep is THE foundation of our mental and physical health and performance in all endeavors. No one is perfect about sleep, but it’s one of those things you want to strive for perfection with. Reach for the stars, and you’ll land on the moon.

Physically, sleep allows the body to repair itself.Muscle growth, tissue repair, and hormone regulation all happens during sleep. Dreams help regulate emotions. Your weight and blood sugar are managed during deep sleep.

Wanna try out one of these revitalization chambers? Go to bed.

Mentally, sleep is just as vital. It supports neurological functions such as memory consolidation, cognitive abilities, and emotional regulation. Big brain stuff. Without sleep, everything suffers and falls apart. It’s like the glue holding our bodies, emotions and brain function together.

Did you get that? Sleep is good for pretty much everything.

I’ve devised a blueprint for sleep Inspired by Andrew Huberman, a popular neuroscientist and podcaster.

His breakdown is sure to … put you to sleep. Let’s dive in.

​🔄 Regularity is key! Wake up at the same time each day and go to sleep when you first start to feel sleepy. Pushing through the sleepy late evening feeling and going to sleep too late is one reason people wake at 3 am and can’t fall back asleep.

☕️ Avoid caffeine within 8-10 hours of bedtime. Some experts say 12-14 hours. I’ve noticed caffeine totally disrupts my sleep, so I avoid it entirely.

⏰ Limit daytime naps to LESS THAN 90 min, or don’t nap at all. Naps are like the little cousins of sleep. Like Scrappy Doo to Scooby. I highly encourage them, but as any experienced napper will tell you, they can be unpredictable. There’s no telling if you’ll wake up in a funk (or totally disoriented and psychotic) from sleeping too long.

🌞 Within 30-60 minutes of waking up, go outside and view sunlight. Do that again in the late afternoon, prior to sunset. This will set your circadian clock correctly, and release the appropriate wakefulness and sleep hormones at the times you want them.

• On bright, cloudless days: view morning and afternoon sun for 10 min; on cloudy days: 20 min; very overcast days 30-60 min. You need more sun and outdoor time when there’s less sun. If you live someplace with very minimal light, consider an artificial daytime simulator source. I use this SAD lamp.
• Don’t wear sunglasses for this practice. Contact lenses and eyeglasses are fine.
• No, you don’t have to look directly at the sun, and never look at ANY light so bright it is painful to view! That said, you can’t wear a brimmed hat, sunglasses and remain in the shade and expect to “wake up” your circadian clock. Bask in those rays!

🧘🏾‍♀️ If you have sleep disturbances, insomnia, or anxiety about sleep, try doing Yoga Nidra or NSDR protocols.

🌠 If you wake up in the middle of the night (which is normal to do once or so each night) but you can’t fall back asleep, consider doing an NSDR protocol when you wake up.

🚨 Avoid viewing bright lights between 10 pm and 4 am. Dim the lights in your home! Viewing bright lights of all colors are a problem for your circadian system. Set the mood of sleep by creating a dark an environment. Blue blockers can help a bit at night but still dim the lights. Candlelight and moonlight are fine.

😳 Expect to feel really alert ~1 hour before your natural bedtime. This is a naturally occurring spike in wakefulness that sleep researchers have observed.

Don’t freak out if it happens. It will pass!

❄️ Keep the room you sleep in cool and dark.

Your body needs to drop in temperature by 1-3 degrees to fall and stay asleep effectively. Body temperature increases are one reason you wake up. Thus, keep your room cool and remove blankets as needed. If it’s too hot you would have to use a cooling device and that’s harder than simply tossing off blankets if you get too warm.

💊 Supplements: You might consider taking (30-60 min before bed):

• 145mg Magnesium Threonate or 200mg Magnesium Bisglycinate
• 50mg Apigenin
• 100-400mg Theanine
• (3-4 nights per week I also take 2g of Glycine and 100mg GABA.)

*I would start with one supplement (or none!) and then add one at a time as needed. Some people do not need any supplements, and some people like theanine but not magnesium, etc. so you have to determine what is best for you.

**Don’t take theanine if you have overly intense dreams, sleep-walk, or have night terrors.

🥃 Drinking alcohol messes up your sleep, as do most sleep medications.

The occasional night out or missing sunlight viewing here and there is not a big deal, so don’t obsess about that. However, if any of us drift from these and the other behaviors for too long, we start to suffer. So whatever your life and goals and schedule, master your sleep.

You’ll be so happy you did!

Check out Matt Walker’s social media for sleep tips and insights. He’s the sleep scientist you never knew you needed in your life.

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