I’ve made a huge effort to get the best sleep possible this season. I tried to eliminate coffee for several weeks but found it produced no change in sleep quality or score. I was still waking up multiple times a night. I had heard the popular 3-2-1 combo that’s been advertised by many and I’ve been using it for a few months, with some slight variations. I think I have found what produces the highest quality sleep for me and hopefully you! Give it a try and let me know if it works for you.
Sleep hygiene all starts as soon as you wake up. How active are you throughout the day? How late are you drinking coffee? I’ve made an effort to stop drinking coffee by noon. I’ve also made sure that I am constantly moving. Even with a desk job I use a walking desk or take mini breaks and do some push-ups. You want to be tired when your head hits the pillow. Sleep is critical to training because it’s the only time that our body recovers from hard efforts.
The ultimate routine to get the best sleep
3 – hours before bed – NO Hard workouts, eating, drinking, or alcohol.
This should be obvious, but you would be surprised how often you might drink too much water, or grab a little snack before bedtime. I noticed that if I ate or drank anything it affected my sleep quality. If you touch alcohol kiss your sleep score goodbye.
2 – hours before bed – no screens, intense mental stimulation, or TV.
Blue light from screens affects our sleep because it can interfere with our circadian rhythm, which is our body’s natural sleep-wake cycle. The circadian rhythm is influenced by external cues, especially light, which helps to regulate the production of melatonin, a hormone that promotes sleep.
This is going to be tough for a lot of people, but I am in bed and normally asleep by 9:30. I focus more on the workout that’s going to happen the next day with my clothes laid out and ready to go. It will set the tone for the entire day. Reading a book starts to put me to sleep and winds down my mind.
1 – hour before bed – Find a dark room and practice EASY meditation.
The lights should be low, you should use the bathroom in the last hour, and you should try the EASY meditation to clear all the crazy thoughts going through your mind. This prepares the sympathetic nervous system to RELAX so it can stay asleep. I use the “E.A.S.Y.” method by Light Watkins, which is basically just sitting in a quiet, dark room for 20 minutes. You can look at the clock, but just close your eyes and try to relax. Let the thoughts come, acknowledge them, but don’t dwell on them, and just focus on breathing.
JUMP IN BED! You should be tired, and hopefully, you get the best sleep of your life!
Try this routine for 22 days and let me know your results! It’s made a huge difference in my sleep quality. I wake up refreshed, ready to work out, and feeling great. This is how you avoid injury and get in MORE miles to make you a better runner/ultrarunner. This is no replacement for great sleep and you need to realize what habits or routines you have that might no longer serve you.
**Update**
Since writing this post, I’ve added two things to my sleep protocol: mouth tape and Breathe Right: Nasal Strips. Why? Ask your partner and you might be a mouth breather. If you are then you will not get into as deep a sleep. The Breathe Right strip increases nasal air flow and makes the transition easier. You might not need it every night as I know these can be expensive.
**Update X2**
It’s almost 2 years since this post, and things have changed. While the mouth tape I do think helped, it was too annoying long term. I now use a cheaper Breathe Right https://amzn.to/46McDax. The two key items I’ve found after 2 years are active ALL DAY, close to 15,000 steps is my sweet spot, not just a single workout. You have to stop fueling early, repair can’t happen when insulin is present, STOP EATING after 5PM! Food provides energy and why would you need it as you head to bed? The body can’t get the repair it needs if you are fueling. Staying away from bright lights like Gizmo from Gremlins. Artificial light sends the wrong signal. I can’t play games or watch TV late and expect good sleep. I’ve noticed the nights I toss and turn I was staring at a screen. I kept the meditation, that has helped me process the day, my actions, and do a review of the day. I also had better success when the routine starts at the same time. (This is the hardest part of sleep hygiene, so don’t expect a social life. I have young kids so this isn’t a problem.)
I’ve added a night time tea that’s enjoyable to drink, and while it has zero calories, its just calming. Yes, it does make me get up and pee, but if I have it early enough I normally use the bathroom and I’m good through the night. Compared to my first graph, I have a higher average sleep score than 2 years ago. CRAZY! There’s also more research coming out on being in a fasted state promotes healing for the body. I am trying to stretch that every day, except on the days I work out over 2 hours. Sleep is still the key factor in body repair needed after workouts, and a stressful day. If you don’t have excellent sleep everything suffers, even insulin resistance is affected after the following day after one night of poor sleep. The graph speaks for itself, but I’ve seen and felt the improvements. Do I have a social life? Hell no! It normally revolves around meeting people on the trail at 5AM, but that’s the phase of life I am in right now, and I’m OK with that! 😆😆😆
Patrick is an ultrarunner and coach from Philadelphia who loves documenting his running career. His mission is to provide useful tips and tricks to assist others along their ultra journey. You can find his coaching services at https://ultraruncoach.com.
