No More Exhaustion: Here's How
Did you know that sleep quality—and consistently getting enough sleep—is one of the most powerful ways to improve digestion, reduce stress, and boost focus?
If you struggle with falling asleep, waking up groggy, or feeling drained despite a full night’s rest, it may be a sign that your deep sleep and REM cycles are disrupted.
The good news? A few small changes can make a significant difference—and set the foundation for better energy, digestion, and emotional balance.
Why Deep Sleep, REM Sleep, and Consistent Sleep Matter
Deep sleep and REM sleep are two of the most important stages of your sleep cycle:
Deep sleep is when your body repairs tissues, balances hormones, strengthens immunity, and restores energy.
REM sleep supports emotional processing, learning, and memory consolidation.
Without enough deep and REM sleep, you can spend eight or nine hours in bed and still wake up feeling tired, foggy, or irritable.
Research shows that most adults need a minimum of 7 to 8 hours of sleep every night to fully support digestion, immune health, emotional balance, and cognitive performance.
Maintaining a strong circadian rhythm—the internal 24-hour clock that signals when it’s time to be awake and when it’s time to sleep—is also essential.
Exposure to natural light in the morning and limiting bright light at night both help support a healthy rhythm.
When your rhythm is disrupted, it becomes harder to achieve the deep, restorative sleep your body needs.
Why "Catching Up" on Sleep Doesn't Work
It’s a common belief that you can make up for lost sleep by sleeping in on weekends.
However, research shows that inconsistent sleep schedules further disrupt the circadian rhythm and make it even harder to sleep well during the week.
Sleeping longer on weekends cannot fully undo the effects of missed sleep during the week.
The healthiest approach is to aim for 7 to 8 hours of quality sleep every night, keeping your bedtime and wake-up time as consistent as possible—even on weekends.
Although life can be busy, creating a steady sleep rhythm is one of the most powerful ways to support your digestion, energy, focus, and overall well-being.
8 Simple Sleep Upgrades That Help
Stick to a Consistent Sleep Schedule – Going to bed and waking up at the same time every day—even on weekends—helps stabilize your circadian rhythm and promotes deeper, more restorative sleep.
Limit Screen Time in the Evening – Blue light from screens tricks the brain into thinking it’s still daytime. Powering down devices at least one hour before bed supports melatonin production and helps you fall asleep more easily.
Eat Earlier and Keep It Light – Eating heavy meals close to bedtime can interfere with deep sleep. Finishing dinner at least two hours before going to bed makes a noticeable difference.
Dim the Lights Before Bed – Bright lights can delay melatonin production. Using amber and red lights and dimming the lights throughout the evening helps your body prepare naturally for sleep.
Keep Bedrooms Cool – Keeping your bedroom around 67°F promotes deeper sleep. Lightweight, breathable bedding also helps maintain a comfortable nighttime environment.
Avoid Screens Before Bed – Reducing screen time in the final hour before sleep helps avoid blue light exposure that can disrupt circadian rhythms.
Use Calming Nighttime Activities – Gentle stretching, journaling, or reading help the body transition into rest mode without overstimulation.
Track Your Sleep Patterns – Tools like the Oura Ring can provide valuable insights into how your routines impact your deep sleep and REM cycles.
What’s Made the Biggest Difference for Me
Over time, a few consistent habits have made a major difference in my sleep:
Avoiding screens before bed helps me fall asleep more easily and sleep more soundly.
Eating earlier—finishing dinner at least two hours before bed—has made a noticeable improvement in my sleep quality.
Keeping my bedroom cool around 67°F helps me fall asleep faster and stay asleep longer.
Using amber and red lighting in the evenings and dimming the lights throughout my apartment signals to my body that it's time to wind down.
Tracking my sleep with my Oura Ring has helped me stay aware of how my habits impact my deep sleep and REM cycles. I've used the Oura Ring for years, and it’s been a valuable tool for maintaining better sleep routines.
One of the most important lessons I've learned is how much I feel the difference when I don't get enough sleep.
If I sleep less than seven hours, I notice it immediately.
And when I only get four hours of sleep, I feel exhausted and truly cannot function the way I need to the next day.
Protecting my sleep isn’t a luxury—it’s essential for my digestion, energy, mood, focus, and overall well-being.
A Quick Note About Children's Sleep
While today’s focus is on your own sleep, it’s also important to remember that children need even more sleep than adults.
A regular bedtime, limited evening screen time, and calming nighttime routines help children maintain strong circadian rhythms and support their emotional regulation, growth, and learning.
Helping children build strong sleep habits early creates a powerful foundation for long-term health and resilience.
Further Learning: Sleep Optimization Resources
If you’d like to explore more about how deep sleep, REM cycles, and circadian rhythms impact your health, I recommend this episode:
🎧 *Sleep Smarter, Live Longer* — an episode of *The Human Upgrade* podcast featuring Matthew Walker and sleep experts, published October 1, 2024. You can find it on your favorite podcast platform or at daveasprey.com.
Better Sleep Starts Tonight
Sleep affects everything—from digestion and metabolism to emotional balance, mental clarity, and stress resilience.
Start by choosing one or two small changes and notice the impact over time.
Which of these sleep upgrades will you try first? Feel free to comment or reach out—I’d love to hear how it goes for you!
Want to explore how your sleep habits connect to your energy, digestion, and mood? Book a free discovery call by clicking the button below.
*This blog is for educational purposes only and is not intended to provide medical advice. Please consult a qualified healthcare professional before making any changes to your sleep habits, diet, or lifestyle.*
