# Why Establishing an Effective Evening Routine Might Top Your Morning Ritual
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Chapter 1: The Importance of Sleep Quality
Prioritizing a timely bedtime may hold more significance than waking up at dawn.
Regardless of your intentions or the effectiveness of your morning regimen, if you find yourself excessively fatigued, your productivity and creativity will likely suffer. In fact, this can lead to detrimental effects on your health. Given the ongoing concerns surrounding COVID-19, it's crucial to maintain a robust immune system and efficient body recovery. Thus, ensure that your morning practices do not come at the expense of your sleep quality or are motivated by misguided reasons.
This leads us to the question: Are you resilient enough?
My background in the military and my experiences as a parent have provided me with ample early mornings and bouts of sleep deprivation. While learning to navigate fatigue can build character, it’s alarming how a few hours of sleep has become a point of pride for some. This is a perilous mindset.
The narratives shared by entrepreneurs, politicians, and influencers, boasting about thriving on minimal sleep, only exacerbate the issue. While there’s much to learn from their routines, the science behind sleep must not be overlooked.
Section 1.1: The Cognitive Effects of Sleep Deprivation
Even a single night of inadequate rest can hinder our decision-making skills and reaction times. Notably, driving while fatigued has similar effects to operating a vehicle under the influence of alcohol (Williamson and Feyer). The cognitive decline resulting from sleep deprivation impacts all facets of our reasoning abilities. It’s a simple truth: fatigue leads to poor decision-making, and I’m sure many of us can recall personal experiences that illustrate this point!
Moreover, our creativity diminishes significantly when we lack rest. Sleep plays a vital role in enhancing creative thoughts, as the cycles of REM and NREM sleep (Drago, Foster et al.) facilitate data processing and the formation of new connections (hence those bizarre dreams!). Lucid dreaming, where one is aware of and can manipulate their dreams, can provide a substantial boost in creativity (Zink, Pietrowsky).
Learning new material or retrieving previously stored information is also hampered by fatigue. As a student, I often ignored this reality, leading to the frightening experience of late-night study sessions resulting in blank minds during exams. Late-night cramming is generally counterproductive (Curcio, Ferrara, Gennaro), and being drowsy in class won’t help you achieve your academic goals.
"Some individuals converse in their sleep; educators speak while others doze."
— Albert Camus
Subsection 1.1.1: Health Consequences of Sleep Deprivation
A consistent lack of sleep starts to compromise your immune system, and the repercussions become more severe with prolonged sleep deprivation (Bryant, Trinder, Curtis). Chronic sleep deprivation is particularly common in professions that require long shifts (Berger and Hobbs). Opting for an early morning routine without adequate rest places you at risk for developing similar chronic health issues.
Growing evidence suggests that insufficient quality sleep is linked to long-term health conditions such as Type 2 diabetes or Alzheimer’s disease (Carmen). Therefore, it’s essential for everyone to prioritize quality sleep and minimize instances of insufficient rest or sleep interruptions.
Chapter 2: Understanding Your Sleep Needs
"The average individual requires merely five more minutes of sleep."
— Playwright Wilson Mizner, quoted in The Philadelphia Inquirer
The reality is that sleep is essential for survival; without it, life cannot be sustained. While some can function on limited sleep for extended periods, this is an evolutionary trait for survival. However, very few would endorse such a lifestyle when they have the opportunity to rest properly.
Generally, experts recommend 7–9 hours of sleep each night (Chaput, Dutil, Sampasa-Kanyinga). If you believe you are an exception to this guideline, reconsider. Research has shown that only a minuscule fraction of the population may require slightly less or more sleep, and this variance can negatively impact longevity (Bushey, Tononi, Cirelli). Seeking medical advice is advisable rather than boasting about such claims.
Insufficient sleep equates to burning the candle at both ends, which ultimately shortens your life expectancy. So what steps can be taken? Establishing a solid evening routine is a great start, and that’s what we will delve into next.
Section 2.1: The Role of a Morning Routine
For clarity, I typically rise early, around 6 AM, to allow time for reflection, light exercise, and a nutritious breakfast before beginning my workday. However, this routine can often be disrupted (as any parent would understand), and the success of my mornings heavily relies on the quality of my sleep.
Consequently, a well-structured evening routine is crucial for a productive morning.
Here are some recommendations for crafting an effective nighttime ritual, as suggested by Matthew Walker in his insightful book "Why We Sleep":
- Set a bedtime alarm, not a wake-up call.
- Personally, I don’t use an alarm clock but instead monitor the time to ensure I go to bed at a reasonable hour. This allows me to wake up naturally. Alarms should be exceptions rather than a daily necessity.
- Avoid screens before bedtime.
- Once upon a time, having a television was a luxury, but now, with smartphones and tablets, distractions are ever-present. The blue light emitted by these devices disrupts sleep by inhibiting melatonin production. Instead, opt for reading, listening to calming music, or journaling.
- Don’t eat late.
- Allow your body ample time to digest meals. Ideally, I prefer to have dinner before 7 PM, ensuring a good 12-hour gap before breakfast. This serves as a mini-fasting period.
- Refrain from drinking alcohol close to bedtime.
- While a nightcap may seem inviting, it deteriorates sleep quality (Roehrs, Roth). It’s best to avoid consuming alcohol near bedtime.
- Limit caffeine intake.
- Be mindful of caffeine, especially in the afternoon. I enjoy coffee but restrict myself to two morning cups. By evening, I transition to non-caffeinated beverages.
So, should you rise early?
If you’ve had sufficient quality sleep, getting up early can be beneficial. For a productive morning, focus on creating a solid evening routine.
There's a wealth of literature on this topic. For a deep dive, I recommend "Why We Sleep" as a starting point. This book has profoundly influenced my approach to both morning and evening practices.
"There’s a time for many words, and there’s also a time for sleep."
— Homer, The Odyssey
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The first video, "Why Your Evening Routine is MORE IMPORTANT Than Your Morning Routine!" explores how prioritizing your evening habits can enhance overall productivity and well-being.
The second video, "The Perfect Evening Routine Everyone Should Do | Mel Robbins," provides insights into establishing effective evening practices to boost your daily performance.