Sleep Hack#5: Learn the art of meditation.

What always amazes me us how many high powered executives use this tool daily and credit a lot of their success to this practice. In Fact in Tim Ferriss book and podcasts over 80% of the high achievers he interviews use some form of meditation practice.

There is also more science and research into meditation proving the benefits- of course the benefits extend beyond a good night’s sleep- they stretch into razor sharp focus, clarity of mind and being able to handle stressful situations. Studies have shown that meditation releases endorphins, lowers stress hormones like cortisol and can actually lower inflammation in the body.

We often see clients setting themselves up for failure with meditation- they jump into committing to a 30 minute or an hour practice daily. Start by doing less than you can so your practice doesn’t become a burden. If you can only sit still for 3 minutes – do just that until you can slowly work up to longer windows. I usually ask clients to try a 3-5 minute practice in the morning and evening, or even just one or the other. What is important to start, is consistency.

We strongly advise learning to meditate through a center or an online course. At the very least apps like Headspace and Insight can really help get you started. The more you do it the more benefit you will get, but have patience with it.

The effects of meditation are cumulative and your body eventually learns to associate closing your eyes and focusing on the breath as a time to calm and slow down- you can reach this state in a few minutes which is a wonderful tool to have to use, even sitting at your desk.