Hint, not in a tree.

Nick Littlehales was a former golf pro and a bedding industry marketer until he launched a very interesting career path in the late 1990s. With his unique background in athletics and bedding, he realized the power of managing one of our most basic needs: sleep.

Most top-tier sports teams keep an iron fist on what players eat and how they train. But once players get home or hit the town at night, monitoring habits goes out the window.

Nick was able to push the entire sleep-coaching industry into the spotlight with his work. Now, as the sleep coach for athletes like Cristiano Ronaldo, he is providing all of us some extremely helpful tips and tricks used by the pros.

YOUR MATTRESS

When is the last time you purchased a new mattress, or even flipped your current one? Mattress technology has come a long way, with cooling and heating pads, different levels of firmness, and foam interiors over the classic springs.

Finally, a model depicting real life; no sheets, keeps weird oranges by her bed, and precariously drinks coffee over her brand new mattress and laptop.

You spend a third of your life laying down on this thing. It’s a big investment, but it lasts for a long time. Companies like Leesa now offer a lower-cost, shipped-to-your-door experience you might want to check out.

BLACKING OUT

No, not like that bachelor’s party that one time. With street lights, screens, and even LEDs on your bedroom fans, you are constantly exposing yourself to artificial light. This is an extreme hinderance to a good night’s sleep. Get blackout curtains, put tape over your LEDs, and keep your phone far, far away from you.

Click the image to shop blackout curtains on Amazon.

For those that enjoy sunlight to wake up, there are many alarm clocks that will gradually increase the light in your room until they sound off at the right time to hop out of bed.

OUR PHONES

Most of the people we talk to know they are addicted. Measuring how much time you spend on your phone can be a depressing experience. Not many things can keep us laying in bed without sleeping until 2AM, except for that embarrassing thing in high-school you can’t stop thinking about. (Here’s how to get rid of cringey memories, by the way.)

Woah, that’s deep.

Every sleep article you read these days will tell you to keep your phone away from the bed. We recommend putting your alarm on high and keeping it in the adjoining bathroom. When you wake up, you’ll have to walk right over to the shower to turn your alarm off. Might as well get started with your day!

The earlier you put your phone away in the evening, the healthier you will feel. Give yourself a few hours before bed without worrying about email or likes.

TEMPERATURE AND AIR

Nick recommends the optimal temperature of your sleeping quarters to be just 60-65 degrees F (16-18 C)! That can be pretty frigid for many people, but the point is that colder bedrooms help you sleep better.

Click the image to get this great air purifier for the bedroom.

Clean air may seem like an overlooked luxury, but it can really make a difference. Make sure your air-conditioning filters are all replaced, try nasal strips to open your airways, and even purchase an air filtration system.

ROUTINE

Sleep benefits from routine just as much as the rest of your life. The research has changed over the years; we are all are genetically morning people or night owls, and each individual needs different hours and sleep cycles.

If you’re really into getting a good night’s sleep, you can do a sleep study. This can benefit you for the rest of your life, so it might be worth it! Find the optimal routine for when you’re ready to wind down, wake up, and even take a quick nap.

PARTNERS

In Nick Littlehales’ ideal scenario, athletes would be sleeping in a seperate room from their partners before big games. With a partner, you have to consider many more factors like their sleep preferences, space, and sound.

Is this the future you want, Nick?

Since this isn’t a feasible lifestyle for many couples, you can focus on the size of the bed, using sleep masks and white noise machines, and different blankets to avoid the all-night war.

We are always looking for that hack that will bring us a little closer to comfort, success, and happiness. We try different productivity systems, vitamins, and exercises. But don’t ignore the importance of sleep optimization.

It’s not just about the time you wake up or the hours you get. Every part of your bedroom and sleeping environment can be customized so you stay refreshed, alert, and powerful all day long.

What’s Next? Waking up well. If you haven’t grabbed it already, the 15-minute Spartan Monk Morning Routine is the best possible way to start your day. With six simple exercises, you will fly out the front door feeling more focused, energized, and powerful than ever before. Download the FREE Spartan Monk Morning Routine by Conquer Today below: