Clayton Christensen, Thank You

On January 23, 2020 Clayton Christensen died at 67 years old. My first thought was that he wasn’t that old. By modern standards, he was young. Based on his impact, he lived an extremely full life. My heart goes out to his family who must surely feel the loss and would have welcomed many more years with such a great husband, father, and example.

As many others will, I’d like to give thanks and honor his life with a personal story. In 2015 I was searching for answers. I wanted more from my career. I wanted to change careers. No stone was left unturned. In addition to reading and studying about my options, I was considering a return to school. An MBA has helped many professionals transition to new careers. As a CPA, I was feeling trapped by my current and previous job descriptions. It was during this time that I discovered a paper published by the Clayton Christensen Institute for Disruptive Innovation. The paper co-authored by Clayton Christensen is titled “Hire Education.” The paper discusses the problems in education and the gap between traditional education and employable skills. The paper starts with concepts familiar to anyone who followed Christensen’s work—disruptive innovation and jobs to be done. From that perspective, and to Clayton’s credit, this paper took decades to write. Published in 2014, it’s an excellent summary and criticism of the state of education and what is being done about it. It references an institution I never knew existed, WGU. Western Governors University is an online only, competency-based school. Instead of sitting in a desk for credit hours to receive a diploma, students demonstrate a required level of competency to pass courses. This reference at that point in my life came as a revelation. A flash of lightning illuminated possibilities I couldn’t imagine. It is the source of inspiration for my most successful published writing to date. Pareto Guide started with a detailed learning journal of how I earned an MBA in 300 hours. This experience changed my life. Suddenly I could apply for jobs that weren’t previously open to me. Recruiters and employers looked at me differently. In less than six months I was no longer just a CPA stuck with a numbers-centric corporate view. My MBA changed the way others saw me. More importantly, it changed the way that I looked at me. If I could earn an MBA, while working long hours, in less than six months, what else could I do? What else did I already hold that I could share with the world? The answers quickly followed, and my life benefited immediately.

I’m not sure I would have found any of this without Clayton Christensen’s work. His dedication and willingness to share with the world extended to everyone. I never met him or attended any event with him. Yet his work touched my life and changed it forever. Christensen demonstrated the expertise of a master, yet the humility of a novice. He continually refined his ideas always dedicated to truth. It’s quite the statement in an era where the words ‘truth’ and ‘facts’ have been dragged through the mud. Even as a bestselling author and recognition as one of the greatest business thinkers ever, Christensen continued learning. He continued teaching and sharing his insights with anybody willing to listen. He may have solidified his position at Harvard, one of the world’s most prestigious universities, yet he made his greatest lessons and insights available to the world. He didn’t withhold these ideas for only the richest or most fortunate who could manage to attend his classes. As a result, he gave me a soft referral to a different MBA, not Harvard’s. I didn’t want to give up two years of work to incur sizable debt for an MBA. I thought if I was going to quit working for two years it had to be for an elite MBA like Harvard. I was mentally preparing myself for such an endeavor. The alternative I found thanks to Clayton Christensen was better for me and my family. In an era where student debt is ruining lives, I found a better path. It was around this time that I’d read Clayton’s book, “How Will You Measure Your Life?” He helped me see that it wasn’t prestigious pieces of paper or fancy job titles that I wanted. He helped me see that truth was my aim. Like him, I’d never be done learning and that was a good thing. Clayton gives a promise in the epilogue of that book. “Clarity about purpose will trump knowledge of activity-based costing, balanced scorecards, core competence, disruptive innovation… and other key business theories we teach at Harvard.…If you take the time to figure out your purpose in life, I promise that you will look back on it as the most important thing you will have ever learned.” Many of us may still be working on our purpose, but Clayton Christensen delivered on his. I’m confident that just as he promised, he realized his purpose and was able to look back on his life with satisfaction and gratitude for how it measured up.

10x10 Sleep Challenge - Day 30

The 10x10 Sleep Challenge is drawing to a close and it’s been a restorative experience. We’re convinced that sleeping well is a key component of living well. After a month of going to bed by 10 PM, you should have a new habit. Given the different suggestions during the challenge you might be lucky enough to have several new and helpful habits. Sleep is vital for good health. Without health, you don’t have much in life. We wish you good health and good life. To keep you going on your sleep journey, here’s a few resources to review at your leisure.

National Sleep Foundation is a comprehensive site to research sleep topics.
https://www.sleepfoundation.org/

NIH takes a more medical approach to sleep.
https://www.ninds.nih.gov/Disorders/Patient-Caregiver-Education/Understanding-Sleep

A sleep list with additional links from CNET
https://www.cnet.com/news/why-5gs-out-of-reach-for-more-people-than-you-think/

WebMD has a sleep disorders health center.
https://www.webmd.com/sleep-disorders/default.htm

Take a look at some of these or start your own search. Whatever you do, keep building on the success you’ve had this month with sleep.

Thanks for joining Pareto Guide on this challenge and sleep well.

10x10 Sleep Challenge - Day 29

With only two nights left in the sleep challenge (you get a pass for Halloween), you’ve thought about sleep for almost a month. Even better if you’ve slept more hours and deeper for close to a month. You might be experiencing some of the benefits we’re seeing here at Pareto Guide. We’re reporting more energy, resilience to sickness, improved mood, and maybe some weight loss among other benefits. I’ve seen infomercials that promise less.

It’s exciting to think about the benefits that come from sleeping well. This is what makes sleep such a great subject for Pareto Guide. Small, inputs become giant returns that affect everything in your life. 80/20 seems an insufficient ratio. The benefits of sleep feel more like a 95/5 ratio. This month we’ve proven this out together. Simple steps have helped us go to sleep consistently by 10 PM each day. Each day we’ve woken up a little stronger. It’s helped us at work. It’s prevented us from succumbing to the sickness that is spreading at this time of year. We’ve felt better mentally. That makes it easier to be kind to others and share a positive attitude with those around us. And since we’re not craving junk food to get a quick energy fix, some of us have lost weight.

Finish the month strong. Two more nights of great sleep are going to feel so good.

10x10 Sleep Challenge - Day 25

As we near the end of the sleep challenge it’s reasonable to ask about your results. An entire industry exists around measuring and analyzing sleep. You can keep a sleep journal or participate in a sleep study. Multiple options exist to answer this question. Today we’re talking about tracking sleep.

The most important and easy method to track your sleep is to pause each day and think about how you feel. This doesn’t require any extra tools, purchases, or data. You could do it now. Stop for a moment and think about your sleep during this challenge.

Have you slept better?

Have you had more energy during the day?

Is your mood improved on average?

Has your daily life felt easier to manage?

These questions can help you analyze your sleep. Sleep affects all these things as well as how you feel about these areas. If your answers have moved in a positive direction, your sleep has likely improved. This is an easy metric and one you can check anytime, anywhere.

What if you like data or technical confirmation of your sleep progress? Physical trackers do exist. From watch-like devices you strap around your wrist to sensors that lie under your mattress. A host of options are available for purchase now. We don’t have any specific recommendations for you, but here’s a list from someone who has struggled with insomnia.

https://www.nosleeplessnights.com/best-sleep-tracker/

He reviews 10 different trackers and gives his top recommendations.

Whatever method you choose to rate your sleep, take a moment to consider it. Don’t assume you’re sleeping better because you’ve spent time thinking about sleep. Be aware of your sleep so you can make adjustments when necessary to improve it.

10x10 Sleep Challenge - Day 24

Did you adjust the thermostat last night? A sleep challenge is intended to help you sleep better. If your temperature isn’t in the proper range, it may be difficult to sleep. Various sources recommend a room temperature between 60 and 72 degrees. What do you do when other people sleeping in your room have different preferences on temperature? Several devices are available to help with this.

A couple different companies make a pad that goes on your bed and regulates temperature.

You might have heard of the ChiliPad.
https://www.chilitechnology.com/collections/all

Sleep Number has similar offerings that come in a range of sizes.
https://www.sleepnumber.com/sn/en/All-Bedding/Mattress-PadsLayers/p/dualtemp3

 A different approach is to try moving air under the covers. No. Not like that. Check this out.
https://www.bedfan.com/

We’re not endorsing any of these products and we currently have no affiliation with any of these companies. These are options to consider if you are having issues with sleep temperatures.

10x10 Sleep Challenge - Day 23

Some people can sleep under any conditions. Sleep is a gift in more than one way for them. Some people struggle to sleep even in the best conditions. We’ve discussed one condition, light, extensively during the challenge. Let’s talk about another condition. Temperature. This is an important one. Everyone has individual preferences as to the temperatures they define as comfortable. Everyone has their own natural body temperature. What’s more, that natural temperature fluctuates throughout the day and night. This means your body temperature when you fall asleep differs from your temperature after several hours of sleep.

Regardless of your personal preferences, studies and experts have recommended a colder room for sleeping. This doesn’t mean you need to sleep in a freezer. However, sleeping in a room where you need a blanket to keep your body warm throughout the night appears preferable. You probably don’t need a study to know about this though. All of us have experienced waking up sweating. It’s an uncomfortable feeling to wake up covered in sweat because the air conditioner stopped, the fan died, or the blankets are too warm. Most of us have probably also had the opposite experience where we woke up shivering with cold. October is a prime month in the northern hemisphere to experience a dramatic overnight drop in temperature. For the hot sleepers out there, this could be welcome relief. We’ll talk a bit more about temperature the next few days, but take this suggestion now. Consider the temperature in your room when you sleep tonight. Is it cold enough? Whatever temperature you set, err on the side of cooler instead of warmer. See how you feel after a good night sleep in a colder room.

10x10 Sleep Challenge - Day 22

During the sleep challenge we’ve talked about reasons you can’t sleep and avoiding the physical sleep inhibitors. We also talked about how to deal with not sleeping because of unfinished business. We’re now going to talk about the remaining two reasons from the prior list.

Anger and worry are powerful emotions. Neither of these are associated with calm and relaxation. Anger is a key ingredient for news stories, drama, and action. People smash stuff, incite violence, and yell when angry. Who can sleep through that?

Worry is an incessant feeling. An idea, fear, or problem inspires such anxiety that you can’t stop thinking about it. You’re focused on an outcome that is not assured. Worry is a fear of loss. People are inherently loss averse. It’s one of the great motivators and a common sales tactic. People will make rash, emotional decisions in this state. We often feel caught by worries and can’t escape. Like anger, it’s hard to relax in this state. Worry is not a relaxed state.

We still need sleep. Sleep gives us strength to deal with life. Sleep rejuvenates the body and mind. Sleep helps everything. People who are well rested are less likely to get angry or feel worried. Sleep helps balance us. In a recurring theme during this challenge, sleep is part of the solution to all our problems, including anger and worry.

Returning to our initial question, what happens if anger or worry are preventing our sleep. It’s an interesting relationship where more of one prevents the other and the same goes for the opposite direction. More sleep reduces anger and worry. More anger or worry and you’ll probably get less sleep. In this case, prevention is the best medicine.

That’s great, you might be thinking, but I’m already worried about something. We’ve all been there. These emotions are human and natural. Life has ups and downs. Let’s quickly tackle these issues separately.

Anger is often directed at a source. Whether it’s an insult or accident, something has lit you up in a bad way. If you have anger issues, you might need professional counseling. Let’s assume that’s not your deal. Talk yourself off the ledge when trying to sleep at night. First, tell yourself that the anger is preventing your sleep. Don’t give “them” a double victory over you by taking your valuable sleep. Second, accept that you can’t do anything about it now. It’s probably a bad time to do anything about it. Compartmentalize the anger through this process. Finally, schedule a time to deal with it. If you need to, put it in your calendar to deal with at 10 AM the next day. This will signal to your brain and body that you’re not letting this injustice slide, you’re just putting it on your terms. Anger is an emotional force. Temper it by applying rational judgement. Turning to your rational brain can detach you from the emotions that make your blood boil. As you calm down, you’re already closer to sleep.

Worry is the infection made worse by scratching. The more you worry, the greater anxiety you feel. If you’re in bed at night with worry, kick her out. Stop worrying. Like Bob Marley said, “Don’t worry. Be happy.” Rational thought is your friend here as well. Worrying never solved any problem, ever. As mentioned earlier, worry is a fear of loss. It’s a scarcity mindset. This problem might cost you money. You’ll make more. You might lose your job. You’ll find a new one. Your friend might turn her back on you. You’re probably better off without her. The funniest part – you should laugh at yourself for this – is many of our worries either don’t come true or aren’t as bad we imagine. This can be enough to settle your mind to sleep. Another approach is available.

Hidden within worry is the seed of its own defeat. We worry because something hasn’t happened and often because we can’t do anything else about it. If you’re worried because you can’t do anything about it, that’s your out. Take a pass. You can’t do anything about it now, so don’t. Don’t think about it. Don’t waste time or energy on it. Sleep is an option and a beneficial one. You can do that, and it will help you deal with the challenges in your life.

10x10 Sleep Challenge - Day 19

You turned off the computer and other screens at 8 PM and dimmed the lights in the house. You didn’t take any stimulants all day. At 10 PM you laid back on your pillow and closed your eyes to sleep. Only, you didn’t sleep. Minutes and hours rolled by as thoughts began to stir around your mind. You started off right. Why can’t you sleep?

Sometimes we can’t sleep because we have too much on our minds. One example is when we have unfinished business. While it could be work related, it doesn’t have to be. Maybe you didn’t finish a work assignment or forgot to make a call. Perhaps you ran out of time on your personal list and didn’t get to a task. Maybe your family is complaining because they wanted to go mini golfing and you didn’t fit it in today. The reasons go on, but all come back to one general idea. Something didn’t happen today that you think should have happened. This is one of the great challenges of modern life. With an abundance of opportunities and options we must choose where to focus. This is one of the core tenants of Pareto Guide. Your focus plays a huge impact on how your life turns out and how you feel about it.

When you can’t sleep at night because you’re focusing on what didn’t happen, it’s a negative mindset. This isn’t an accusation. It’s important to call this what it is. One of the best ways to stop negativity is to adopt a grateful mindset. Think of the things you did accomplish. Think of the things you are grateful for in life. Ask anybody who has lost a loved one or is fighting a serious illness. Each of us can be grateful for many things each day regardless of our circumstances. Life, health, and even the ability to go to bed at 10 PM under our own power are huge gifts. Focusing on gratitude will help settle your mind. It may be enough to let you sleep.

Sometimes that feeling of not doing enough comes from minimizing how much we do. It’s a good reason to have a short list each day of tasks to accomplish. It’s weird psychology. Many of us get real satisfaction out of checking off an item. What if you’re in bed and didn’t make a list that day. Here’s a trick to play on that stubborn brain. Write down several things you did during the day then immediately cross them off. It gives you the satisfaction of completion while also reminding you of things for which you can be grateful.

If this feeling persists for multiple nights or an extended period it may require greater efforts. Don’t hold it in. Talk to someone. Do some introspection. Maybe your subconscious is trying to send you a message and you need to receive it. Sometimes not being able to sleep because of the thoughts on your mind is an opportunity for insight. That’s another reason for gratitude.

Sleep well.

10x10 Sleep Challenge - Day 18

Is something keeping you awake at night? During the sleep challenge you should be increasingly aware of how you’re sleeping. Sometimes you go to bed at night, but you don’t sleep. Here’s a few reasons that might happen:

• Didn’t prepare to sleep (too much junk light, sugar, caffeine, etc.)

• Angry about something

• Worried about something

• Exercised too late in the evening

• Didn’t do what you needed to today

• Chemical / medical issue

While other reasons exist, this small list captures a significant number of personal sleep inhibitors. Consider that last point first. If you have a medical condition that prevents you from sleeping, this challenge won’t cure that. Get professional help and don’t delay. While this challenge can benefit you, a medical condition could derail your best efforts. This is the 80/20 analysis of today’s article. If you have a medical sleep issue, focusing on that will get you the biggest return of sleep for your efforts. Prioritize that over all other sleep issues.

Excluding the medical issue, you’ve probably experienced the other sleep inhibitors at some point in your life. It’s frustrating to hurry to bed, especially when it seems early, and not sleep. Sometimes you’re not sure whether you slept. If your thoughts feel slower than usual in the morning and things just don’t work as well, you probably didn’t sleep as much. If you aren’t sleeping when you go to bed, ask yourself some critical questions. Are you truly preparing to sleep? Did you do the things we’ve talked about so far this month? Maybe you stayed on the computer a little later and tried to shut down and get to bed in less than 1 hour. Did you finish off the ice cream at 9 PM? Maybe you had a coffee or soda a little late in the day. Don’t lie in bed thinking about these things. Beating yourself up won’t help you sleep. Just take it as a learning for the future. You can avoid the things that prevent you from sleeping.

Check out prior entries from the challenge to review some of the physical tips around preparing to sleep. You’ll find lots of tips to help you prepare for bed. The next couple days you’ll get some help with the mental aspect of this topic.

10x10 Sleep Challenge - Day 17

It’s called a challenge for a reason. Disruptions to sleep happen. We talked about the stages of sleep and mentioned the benefits and consequences of disrupting certain stages of the cycle. While we love to optimize and strategize here, we acknowledge that life happens most often in the gray area.

One of these areas that either has, does, or will impact most people is children. Children and sleep is such a big topic, we’ll only scratch the surface. Children have minds of their own. They arrive preprogrammed with desires, quirks, and preferences. One of these preprogrammed areas is sleep. Some kids love sleep. Some hate it. Some say they hate it but fall asleep as soon as their heads lower toward a pillow. I wish my kids were like that. No, my kids are nighttime troublemakers.

Kids will fall asleep and wake up at different times. Sometimes they wake up in the middle of the night sick, scared, or needing to play with an important toy. Those troublemakers like to turn lights on to hunt for toys in the middle of the night. Like I said, this is where life often happens. And I feel very gray when this happens. These are disruptions that parents sign up for. These are disruptions that anyone who lives with small children could experience. It’s not a question of ‘if.’ It’s a question of when and how often.

Here’s a little insight from a veteran parent. Kids go to sleep earlier than adults. Some kids go to sleep a lot earlier than adults. Kids like to wake up during the night at any hour, but especially between 12 and 2 AM. That’s why parents often say they were up in the middle of the night. If you go to bed after 11 PM, it’s unlikely you’ll make it into deep sleep before the disruptions happen. If you go to bed earlier, you increase the odds that you’ll get more restorative sleep before the disruptions happen. This is no guarantee. Kids don’t come with those. The difference in how you feel if you get restorative sleep versus poor sleep before the disruptions during the night can be dramatic. It’s the difference between falling asleep at work as opposed to powering through the day without anyone noticing you’re not 100%. Consider this another hidden benefit of the 10x10 Sleep Challenge. When I go to sleep at 10 PM, those 2 hours before midnight do more for me than sleeping late the next morning. I can’t support this with charts or numbers, but I feel it and the feeling is real. Thanks for joining us in this challenge this month. Don’t let the disruptions get you down. Keep the real feeling going by getting your rest.

10x10 Sleep Challenge - Day 16

Everyone needs sleep. That’s the universal value of this challenge. We’re all a little different. Only, we’re not that different. While much has been made of the differences between humans, particularly regarding ethnicity and culture, all humans share strong similarities in the context of sleep. It’s easy to identify differences between people who were born in different countries, have a different gender, or wear different clothes. Despite those differences, if those people are close in age, they are likely to share the same requirements for sleep. It’s a good reminder of our humanity. Consider two people of the same age. One is the richest prince in Europe, the other an orphan in the poorest town in Africa. Both have the same need to sleep each night for roughly the same number of hours. We are all connected by this. It’s in our programming.

When you ignore the sleep you body needs you are ignoring basic needs and putting yourself at a disadvantage. It’s a strange irony that our wealth has caused so many of us to choose to sleep less. In a time when lighting was more expensive and fewer sources of entertainment were available at night, people went to sleep earlier. We may live in modern times with far more resources and knowledge than any prior civilizations, but we frequently squander that advantage in terms of sleep.

According to the National Sleep Foundation, here’s the recommended hours of sleep for you and your loved ones.

 Take note, this recommendation is solely based on age. Your IQ, income, heritage, or location aren’t reflected on the chart. While we all need a slightly different amount of sleep, it’s unlikely that you’re one of the exceptions that needs hours less sleep than average. It’s ok to be average in some areas, especially sleep. In fact, when it comes to sleep, average is best. Be average and get the hours of sleep you need. You deserve it already.

10x10 Sleep Challenge - Day 15

Welcome to Day 15 of our October sleep challenge. We’re half way through the month and the challenge. How are you sleeping? Here at Pareto Guide we’ve experienced some challenges but overall, we’re sleeping better and feeling more energized. In short, this challenge is providing the boost we hoped for. Now we’re looking to 10x our performance by turning this new pattern of sleep into a habit.

Today we’re talking about sleep cycles. We’ve mentioned this subject several times already. It’s time to get specific. The bonus is that it’s not a difficult topic to understand. We’ll keep our discussion concise.

Sleep is divided into two main parts, non-REM and REM.

Non-REM

Stage 1: Can start in the first few minutes of falling asleep and lasts up to 7 minutes. Brain produces alpha and theta waves. When dad falls asleep at church, this is probably the stage he’s in.

Stage 2: Another stage of light sleep. Sudden increases in brain wave frequency occur. This is an ideal stage to wake up after if you’re going for a power nap.

Stage 3: The start of deep sleep. This is the most difficult stage from which to wake up. You’ll feel more disoriented if you do. The body repairs muscle and tissue, stimulates development and growth, boosts immunity, and builds energy.

REM

Rapid Eye Movement Sleep: Starts about 90 minutes after falling sleep. Multiple REM cycles can occur during sleep and each can last up to an hour. Adults average 5-6 cycles per night. The brain becomes more active and dreams occur in this stage. This stage helps learning and memory as your brain processes information and stores it in long-term memory. 

That’s it. Those are the stages of sleep and define what we’ve been referring to as your sleep cycles. These stages often happen sequentially with the non-REM stages occurring earlier in the night. That’s why we often wake up from dreams. Think of this another way. Going to bed early is important to reach the most important stages of the sleep cycle. Stage 3 and REM sleep provide the most valuable benefits for your mind and body. Going to sleep early enough to maximize these stages will return the 10x benefits we’re after. If you want to heal faster, have more energy, resist illness, learn faster, and remember more, get your sleep! What else do you do that gives you all those benefits at the same time and with so little effort?

This is the gift and goal of the 10x10 Sleep Challenge this month. Go to bed by 10 PM and supercharge your life. Sleep well so you can live well. Those two acts are directly correlated. Consider it part of the design and best practice for the best version of you.

10x10 Sleep Challenge - Day 12

As part of the October sleep challenge, we’ve talked all week about how light impacts our sleep. We’ve avoided the heavy science talk, but today we’re directly referencing a medical study. If you want to read the paper in all its scientific glory, here’s the link.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3047226/

They tested 116 healthy people, 18-30 years old, by exposing them to either room light or dim light in the 8 hours before bedtime. They reported these results.

“Compared with dim light, exposure to room light before bedtime suppressed melatonin, resulting in a later melatonin onset in 99.0% of individuals and shortening melatonin duration by about 90 min. Also, exposure to room light during the usual hours of sleep suppressed melatonin by greater than 50% in most (85%) trials.”

Translation: Those exposed to room light were less likely to fall asleep as fast or sleep as long.

In their conclusions they basically said that room light makes your body think the night is shorter. They also stated this can impact sleep, body temperature regulation, blood pressure, and sugar levels. All that, from leaving the lights on.

Go back to previous days on the blog to see specific steps you can implement quickly to prevent these negative effects and sleep better.

10x10 Sleep Challenge - Day 11

Day 11 of the sleep challenge. Yesterday we mentioned covering sources of light at night. As we discussed, the color of light changes to orange and red tones as the sun sets. Blue and white light diminish naturally on a daily cycle. We can do the same indoors. In our modern, technological world, it’s difficult to control all the lights on all our devices. It would be nice if these product designers spent some time helping everyone sleep better. Until then, we can take matters into our own hands. Today we have two suggestions to help with that.

The first is a company that focuses on the issue of junk light. TrueDark makes several products including glasses that block the colors of light that ruin your sleep. One of their products is Junk Light Dots. Apply these to any small light in your house, like oven displays, digital clocks, or device status lights. Think of any blue, green, or white light in your house that is on all the time. This product targets those sources of light.

Another option comes from the world of photography. For decades, photographers have used plastic sheets to adjust the color of light in their work. They call these gels. Here’s a link on Amazon that comes up with various red and orange gels. You could cut these to size and place them where you want them.

https://www.amazon.com/red-light-gels/s?page=1&rh=i%3Aaps%2Ck%3Ared%20light%20gels

Other than prior work with gels, we haven’t used any of the specific products in these links. Given the simple concept and our understanding of the products, we feel comfortable suggesting these items for your consideration. Feel free to shop around now that you know what to look for. Unless you studied photography, you’d never have guessed a gel would be a solution to a light problem! You can thank us later, after you’re sleeping better.

10x10 Sleep Challenge - Day 10

10x10 x10? It’s the 10th day of October and we’re still going to bed at 10 PM. We’re on day 10 of the sleep challenge and loving it. Today, let’s talk about artificial light in the bedroom. LED lights are being pushed as the smart, environmentally responsible option. I admit, I got caught up in the hype. At one point I went and bought a bunch of daylight, white LED bulbs and put them everywhere in my house. The brighter rooms awed us. The new lights changed the look and feel of our rooms. I pat myself on the back for the good, albeit expensive decision I made. And then I did some research.

Of course, there’s a twist. I listened to podcasts, read books, and found articles that talked about light. All this bright, artificial light is affecting us. If you’ve ever worked in an office (that’s most of us), you’ve probably experienced the eye fatigue and other symptoms induced by the lighting that predominates in these buildings. White and blue light align with the spectrum of light you see when the sun is high in the sky at midday. So, when you stay up late with this spectrum of light surrounding you, it’s telling your brain that it’s midday. Think about the color of the sky as the sun cycles through the day. In the morning and evening, you get more of the pink, orange, and red colors of light. The light also slowly fades at the end of the day. It’s a cycle. We should mimic this. While not all of us have dimmer switches for our lights, options are available. Many options are affordable too. Here’s the option I went with. I picked up a couple of red LED lights from my local box stores. One light went in a lamp in the living room/common area and the other went in a lamp next to my bed. Neither of these light sources are nearly as bright as the LED lights in the overhead fixtures. That’s another plus.

Other sources of light include TV, charging toothbrushes, or baby monitor, to name a few. My TV has a red status light that is thankfully dim enough to go basically unnoticed. An electric toothbrush from the bathroom will blink an annoyingly bright, blue light while charging. I can “see” it with my eyes closed. While it’s charging, the door to the bathroom stays closed at night. If you have a baby monitor, you can lay it face down when you’re not looking at it. The screen on a video monitor can illuminate an entire room. We can’t cover everyone’s situation here, but let this start you on a light audit. Cover up blue or white status lights from electronics. Change to red or amber lights for evening time. In some cases, it’s easier to cover the source of light temporarily. When I sleep in hotels I routinely cover the clock with a pillow or towel. Look around your room. Are some of the lights keeping you awake at night? Could you make some quick changes, even today to help? A third of the way through this challenge, you should be sleeping better by now. If not, your lighting situation after 8 PM might be hurting you. Today is a great day for a quick win.

Sleep well.

10x10 Sleep Challenge - Day 9

Light plays a huge part in our sleep. For a quick reference, check out the prior entries in the sleep challenge. Previously, we talked about blocking all the light coming through your bedroom window. These days we have many sources of light. Many people are lucky or unlucky enough (depending on your perspective) to share a room. Because of this, you can’t always control light while you sleep. You may have a spouse that has to have a light to go to the bathroom at night. Perhaps you have a newborn that needs a special lamp to fight jaundice. Or maybe your special someone insists on watching TV in bed well after you want to go to sleep. While the goal here isn’t to solve your relationship issues, here’s a suggestion that might help.

If you can’t eliminate all the light in your room, try a sleeping mask. A comfortable sleeping mask over your eyes and earplugs in your ears can block many of the disturbances ruining your sleep. Even better, this change doesn’t require negotiation with anybody else. Just buy the mask and start using it. If someone makes fun of you, send the guilt back their way by casually mentioning you wouldn’t need it if they’d turn the TV off at night. Maybe your dedication to sleep will rub off on them. Based on their attitude, they could probably use a little better sleep.

10x10 Sleep Challenge - Day 8

We’re talking about sleep all month as part of our challenge. If you want to 10x your life, first 10x your sleep. Last week we introduced several topics including light. We’re going to dig into this concept this week. Let’s talk about light while you sleep. Specifically, let’s talk about light from the window. Unless you have an unusual arrangement, you have at least one window in the room where you usually sleep. That window should have some type of covering on it. Blinds can provide a decent amount of coverage to block light, but they don’t usually stop all of it. City dwellers likely have a street lamp or other sources of light that are abusively bright at night. Maybe you have a neighbor that won’t turn a light off at night. Whatever the source, any light coming in to your room is going to put deep sleep at risk. Curtains are the next natural step. These don’t have to be expensive either. IKEA and other inexpensive retailers have options that block enough light. If you don’t have anything, any curtain would be an improvement. Ideally, you’ll get a curtain that turns your room so dark you can’t see your own hands. By removing all light, we’re taking advantage of that hormone release we discussed last week. Blocking out all light helps the uninhibited release of melatonin in your brain and improves your sleep.

Let’s assume, for a minute, that curtains aren’t an option for you. You have other options to cover the window. Pick up some black construction paper and tape it over the window. Some large sheets of poster board would work as well, or better, and hang faster. You might be able to place a blanket or sheet over the window using thumbtacks. You could attack this from the outside too. A tarp or extra sheet of plywood could be placed in front of the window outside, if you have such items and access to do so safely. The point here is to cover your window today and get better sleep tonight. Some people take some time to pick out curtains. You have some ideas to consider that can be completed today without making a long-term design decision. Even if you buy some curtains, you can usually return them. This is probably the best choice. Once you have the curtain rod in place, you can test different curtains until settling on the one that works best for you. Do yourself a huge favor and block all the light coming through your window today. You’ll be happier you did tomorrow morning.

10x10 Sleep Challenge - Day 5

As part of the 10x10 Sleep Challenge we’re talking about melatonin. Yesterday, we talked about melatonin as a supplement. Reminder, melatonin is a naturally occurring hormone in our bodies. While it plays a part in helping us sleep in the dark, it’s impacted by light. Light is a key regulator of our sleep cycle. At a fundamental level, sunlight tells our brain to set the clock and delay the release of melatonin. As such many people recommend getting a dose of sunlight in the morning. I won’t name names, but one person recommended standing on your back porch naked every morning to harness the power of sunlight. Depending on where and with whom you live that might be a bad idea. If you covered up just a bit you could still capture the benefits of that recommendation.

It’s not just sunlight that signals this delay in melatonin. Artificial light slows melatonin production after dark. Dave Asprey talks about the effects of light at length in his book Head Strong. He also gives many more suggestions that you can consider for yourself. Here’s the basic argument and Asprey isn’t the only person championing these ideas. Blue light is everywhere now. Thanks to modern technology most of us carry a source of blue light on our person at all times of day and night. Cell phones, laptops, and any other screen are pumping blue light straight through our eyeballs and in to our brains. This concerned enough people that apps like f.lux were created to remove the blue light spectrum from displays. Apple and Microsoft have introduced features that allow you to shift to night mode which cuts the blue light on your screen.

To simplify further, limit your blue and white light exposure later in the day, especially as you get closer to sleep. Red light is great for evenings and won’t block melatonin release. Since many of us are exposed to more than enough blue and white light, I leave my phone screen and computer display in night mode all the time. I only take it off when I need color accuracy on a photo or video. These features all have timers, so this can be a set and forget exercise. However, you choose to approach this, be aware that melatonin gets regulated naturally by light. You can take simple steps that don’t cost any money but regulate your melatonin and improve your sleep cycle. Add that to the reasons for caution with supplements. Try the natural approach first and see how it helps. Speaking of which, if it’s after 9 PM you should turn this device off and get ready for bed!

10x10 Sleep Challenge - Day 4

How did you sleep last night? It’s day 4 of the 10x10 Sleep Challenge and I, for one, slept better than I have in months. Hopefully, you saw a similar improvement already. We talked the first couple of days about getting started and obstacles to the process. Today we’re talking chemistry, biology, and substances. Don’t worry, this won’t be a mind-numbing science lecture.

In the book Head Strong, Dave Asprey shares some information about sleep and melatonin. Melatonin is a hormone our bodies make by breaking down serotonin. Without enough melatonin it could be harder to fall asleep and you’re less likely to reach the deepest levels of sleep in your cycle. This means you don’t get the most valuable and restorative phase of sleep. In case that wasn’t a big enough red flag, let me approach this from a different angle. You can get more benefit by reaching the deepest phases of the sleep cycle than by increasing the number of hours you sleep. This is your 80/20 of sleep. Quality over quantity matters in sleep too.

According to the National Sleep Foundation, melatonin is the only hormone available in the U.S. without a prescription because it naturally occurs in some foods. You need to hear something, though, before you run out and buy some pills. The Sleep Foundation, National Institutes of Health, and others warn that the use of this supplement is not fully understood. It can even hurt your sleep cycle if not taken in the right amounts at the right time of day.

The good news is the body has natural systems for the release of melatonin. Hint: tomorrow we’ll shed more light on this.

10x10 Sleep Challenge - Day 3

Day 3 of the 10x10 sleep challenge brings more participant feedback.

“I’ve tried to go to bed at 10, but I have kids. They were up at all times before and after 10 p.m. I like the idea of getting ready for bed at 10, but my situation makes it difficult.”

That’s great feedback. Lots of people have kids. Anybody who has raised kids knows how inconvenient or unreliable they can be. To the parents whose kids go to bed before 8 PM and sleep for 12 hours, consider yourself extremely lucky. Some of us have kids that make every night an adventure. If you’re one of those people, you can still participate in this challenge. If you wind down and slide into bed at 10:00 only to hear your child at 10:02, you can’t ignore them. This is a challenge where the spirit of the law matters more than the strict interpretation. Doing the things that get you ready for bed and set you up for a good night sleep will still help you sleep better than if you stayed up late surfing the internet and then dealt with kids. People face their own challenges. Every situation can’t be detailed out. Do the best you can and be honest with yourself. Either you’re trying to get to bed early enough or you’re not. Do what you can, try your hardest to make it work, and don’t worry if real responsibilities require some modification on your part. The preparation and intent are part of the habit change. Remember, this isn’t just a challenge. It’s also a process.