In my last blog post, we confirmed that most of your testosterone is produced during sleep which helps wire your brain for confidence with rejuvenating powers
But that’s not all. Additional benefits come from a cancer killer called TNF (tumor necrosis factor), which also pumps through your veins when you’re asleep. Research from the National Cancer Institute has shown that people who stayed up until 3 am had one-third fewer cells containing TNF the next day and that the effectiveness of those remaining were greatly reduced.
What’s the key takeaway? If you’re a night owl, consider changing your hours to rise and set with the sun. As a wise man once said: “Early bird gets the worm!” And to that, we can now add… kills cancer and builds the Big T.
How much sleep is enough for you?
According to Charles A. Czeisler, Ph.D. MD, chairman of the board of the National Sleep Foundation, the recommended amount of sleep for your age is as follows:
- Teenagers (14-17): 8 -10 hours
- Younger adults (18-25): 7- 9 hours
- Adults (26-64): 7- 9 hours
- Older adults (65+): 7- 8 hours
Make sure you shoot for your ideal amount of sleep and consider taking a 15 – 20 minute nap during that 3-5 pm hour instead of eating carbs or drinking coffee.
But don’t nap too long! According to the National Sleep Foundation, studies show naps over 20 minutes long can produce “sleep inertia,” which is a state of grogginess and disorientation that comes from awakening from a deep sleep. Longer naps have also been proven to interfere with nighttime rest and repair functions of your body.
So if you’re going to take a nap, I recommend setting your alarm for 30-40 minutes, which will give you enough time to fall asleep and hit that 20 minute mark. This will reset your mind and body while giving you the energy and confidence to sail through the day and stack some more victories.
Question: Do you have trouble sleeping because of an overactive or unsettled mind? Do worries like deadlines, stressful relationships, finances or the security in your house keep you up at night? We talked about this earlier but it’s important to revisit so remember this one:
Confidence is the Ultimate Sleeping Pill!
If you’re not convinced or have challenges sleeping, don’t worry, we’ll shed some more light on this in the 2nd and 3rd levels of the Triad and get you sleeping like a baby.
To get a head start into the Triad and learn more about gaining confidence and self-esteem, check out the top-selling book: Get High On Confidence
