Episode #192: Develop Your Sleep Skills With Mollie Eastman

Ever grappled with sleeplessness or tossed and turned all night, cursing your 'bad sleeper' status? Well, you're not alone. 

 

In this episode of the Biohacking Superhuman Performance podcast, our guest Mollie Eastman shares her techniques of adopting a growth mindset towards sleep and talks about the various factors that can affect our sleep cycle. She stresses on the importance of understanding our individual relationship with sleep and how it can be worked upon, just like any other skill.

 

Our conversation further delves into the long-term impacts of poor sleep and the correlation it has with various health disorders. Particularly for those working late-night shifts or struggling with time zone changes, the episode offers comprehensive resources to help mitigate the impacts. We discuss the use of various sleep tracking tools, the relevance of meal timings, and the effects of blue light exposure. We also touch upon the negotiation tactics that can be used with employers to minimize the negative impacts of shift work. Finally, we explore sleep apnea - its symptoms, treatments, and the significance of seeking professional help. 

 

Mollie Eastman is the creator of Sleep Is A Skill, and the host of The Sleep Is A Skill Podcast. Sleep Is A Skill is a company that optimizes people’s sleep through a unique blend of technology, accountability, and behavioral change.  She has created the #2 sleep podcast, written a popular weekly sleep newsletter for over five years, partnered with luxury hotels & lifestyle brands, coached the world’s top poker players, and has appeared on over 150 podcasts. 

 

Thank you to our sponsors for making this episode possible:

BiOptimizers: Visit magbreakthrough.com/bionat and order now.

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Find more from Nathalie:

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCmholC48MqRC50UffIZOMOQ 

Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/biohackingsuperhumanperformance 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nathalieniddam/ 

Website: NatNiddam.com  

Join Nat’s Membership Community: https://www.natniddam.com/bsp-community 

Work with Nat: Book Your 20 Minute Optimization Consult: https://calendly.com/nniddam/intro-call?month=2021-08

 

Find more from Mollie:

 

Website: https://www.sleepisaskill.com/

Sleep Is A Skill Podcast: https://www.sleepisaskill.com/podcasts

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mollie.eastman

What we discuss:

 

(0:00:03) - Importance of Sleep as a Skill

(0:10:04) - Shift Work's Impact on Sleep

(0:22:30) - Improving Sleep for Shift Workers

(0:28:26) - Importance of Sleep Professionals in Sleep Apnea

(0:35:39) - Sleep Apnea Treatment and Improving Sleep

(0:48:19) - Improving Sleep With Skill

Key takeaways:

 

• Sleep impacts every single domain of life. This means having poor sleep quality may increase your risk of cardiovascular disease, cognitive decline, weight gain, and so much more. Thus, the importance of developing the skill of becoming a better sleeper. 

• Sleep apnea can be caused by a handful of factors and is not only due to someone’s sleep positions. This could be caused by foods we eat, at what time we eat, alcohol, weight gain, and much more.

• Humans are naturally meant to sleep at night and be awake during the day. Thus, shift work may cause harm to your health. Knowing how to adapt your sleeping patterns so they fit your professional schedule will prevent you from dealing with the negative consequences of staying up at night.