Summary

The article discusses the importance of a regular sleep pattern for overall wellness, emphasizing the personal journey of the author in overcoming sleep disruptions and the subsequent health benefits experienced.

Abstract

The author shares a personal transformation from a disorganized sleep schedule in early adulthood, attempting to minimize sleep's role, to recognizing the critical importance of a regulated biological clock. Initially inspired by historical figures like Leonardo Da Vinci and the concept of polyphasic sleep, the author later faced health issues due to chronic sleep deprivation. The article outlines the negative impacts of an irregular sleep cycle, including low energy, health problems, and reduced self-esteem. It then highlights the benefits of proper sleep, such as improved calorie regulation, heart health, hormonal balance, immune system strength, cognitive function, athletic performance, memory, and energy levels. The author advocates for a consistent sleep routine aligned with the body's natural regeneration periods and suggests practical habits to support this, including avoiding late caffeine intake, establishing an evening routine, proper meal timing, and creating a sleep-conducive environment. The article concludes with a reflection on the transformation brought by a disciplined sleep schedule, asserting that the real issue was not the lack of time but poor organization and lifestyle choices.

Opinions

The author initially viewed sleep as a waste of time and attempted to cheat the body's need for rest.
Adopting a polyphasic sleep pattern, specifically the Uberman cycle, was a short-lived solution that eventually led to health complications.
Awareness of the importance of sleep was a turning point in improving the author's overall well-being.
The article emphasizes that a consistent sleep schedule is key to regulating the body's cycle, especially for those with flexible work hours, like freelancers.
The author believes that self-discipline in sleep habits is a form of self-care.
There is a critique of the notion that one can function optimally on minimal sleep, with the author arguing that the body needs adequate rest.
The author suggests that many people's sleep problems stem from poor lifestyle choices rather than a genuine lack of time.

Personal Growth

How to Fix Biological Clock, and Why It’s Crucial to Wellness

I have come a long way to learn that

I was very disorganized in my early twenties, and I tried to trick the sleep because it only “wasted my time.” The need for sleep was never the problem, but I guess I had to get that life lesson to humble the rebel version of me.

One day I read about Leonardo Da Vinci, who slept 20 minutes every 4 hours. I learned that the system of sleeping multiple times is called polyphasic sleep in general, and the exact Da Vinci was using is “the uberman.”

I decided to try that, and it was working great only because I was young and healthy, although back then, I thought I outsmart the system.

Later, I had to take care of various health problems caused by the chronic lack of sleep, and it cost me a lot of self-work to fix my biological clock to proper function.

Awareness is the first step

I didn’t care about sleep benefits up to 22 years old. One day I slept 3 hours, another day 10 hours, once at night, once during the day — it didn’t matter at all because anyway I had lots of energy.

But then, I became a barely living zombie with shaking hands from too much caffeine and sugar (two spoons each) every day.

The lack of sleep weakened me through few years. I remember the feeling of disconnection from the world which enormously lowers confidence and negatively impact nearly all life areas.

Obviously, as a result, I had several health problems, including an unregulated thyroid gland. That manifested by the lack of energy despite the normal amount of sleep and the body’s general weakness.

Awareness that low energy level, low self-esteem, health problems, and things like that may result from an unregulated biological clock is crucial to developing good habits.

List of sleep benefits

The next step to make a change in how we sleep is to be conscious of its benefits. When we understand the positive gain, it’s way easier to go through often unpleasant change.

So, what are the benefits of proper sleep?

Better calorie regulation, lower weight gain risk
Lower risk of heart disease
Better regulation of hormones, stress reduction
Stronger immune system
Improved concentration and productivity
Better athletic performance and regeneration
Improved memory
More energy

What it even mean to sleep properly?

According to Harvard Medical School, adults from 18 to 64 should sleep seven to nine hours. Golden periods where the body regeneration is the highest are between 10 PM and 2 AM and between 7 AM and 9 AM — it’s best to sleep deeply in at least one of those periods.

It is crucial to understand that the world is a cycle, and we are part of it. I was a rebel kid who tried to fight that, and now I know it’s impossible. Nevertheless, we can still use the proper hours to our advantage and develop a lifestyle that will support, instead of demolishing, us.

Choose the lifestyle and stick to it

Those two “golden periods” of sleeping allow you to be both an early riser and a night owl.

There is no necessity to wake up at 5 AM to be successful in life. Some people tend to be more productive in the morning, while others are waking to life in the evening. Observe yourself and pick what fits you.

Whatever “golden period” you picked, the key to fix the biological clock is sleeping and waking up every day at the same time.

That is crucial in regulating our body’s cycle, and it’s especially important in independent freelance work, where you don’t have to wake up and go to work at a specific time. It’s easy to get lost, wake up one day at 7 AM, and another 11 AM because the new Netflix series suddenly came out.

So, just set the alarm calendar and stick to it. Believe me that after some time (a week or two), you will become naturally exhausted close to the sleeping hour and maybe even start waking up well-rested before the alarm — that will be the sign that your body adapted to its new cycle.

Self-discipline is self-caring.

— M. Scott Peck

Few useful habits

Awareness of sleep benefits and the proper lifestyle are crucial steps, but it’s good to develop a few habits that support the process.

Don’t drink coffee before sleep. Caffeine stays in our bodies for up to 8 hours, which means afternoon coffee should be the last one if we don’t want to deregulate our biological clock.
Evening routine. I suggest using the last 30 minutes of the day to do all self-care activities and planning the next day or journaling (use paper, you should avoid blue lights just before sleep).
Set a good, loud alarm and place the phone far from the bed — so that you have to get up to turn off the alarm. That is a well-known, tested habit that will help wake up without hitting the bed’s snooze button.
Don’t eat before 3–4 hours before sleep. Our metabolism slows when we are sleeping, so it’s best not to digest during sleep but be “empty.”
Prepare a bed to sleep 30 minutes before sleep, and open the windows in the room to make your bedding and whole room cold a bit. The best temperature for sleep is around 18 degrees (celsius), which will help you fall asleep faster and sleep is better.
Exercise during the day to make yourself exhausted and fall asleep at the proper time. But if you can’t, use, e.g., melatonin to support the sleep process. It could be especially useful in the first few days to support a change in sleep hours, but treat it as an emergency option to develop a good habit.

The Takeaway

Don’t listen to those folks saying that you need just 4 hours of sleep. Your body deserves more, and you have time for it. Lao Tzu once said:

Time is a created thing. To say ‘I don’t have time’ is like saying, ‘I don’t want to.’

The real problem of the unregulated biological clock, at least in my case, was bad organization and lifestyle in general. Looking at listed sleep benefits, it’s worth sacrificing a bit of hustle for proper sleep.

After a few years of a healthy lifestyle, I can say that I have way more energy than the dumb, 20 years old version of me. I feel way better in all life areas and have more time than ever despite sleeping up to 9 hours daily. It all boils to the organization — don’t blame the need for sleep but use its advantages.

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