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((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((
(Table of Contents)

Introduction

Chapter 1: Demystifying Our Sleep Patterns

The Internal Body Clock

Natures Circadian Rhythm

Why Melatonin Is Magical

Chapter 2: Optimize Your Environment

The Best $20 Youll Ever Spend

Adjust Your Thermostat

Remove Electronics

Humidity

Your Centerpiece For Comfort

The Bedroom Is Meant For Two Things

Sleeping With Pets

Involving Your Partner

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7
9
10
10
13
15
16
17

Chapter 3: Stimulants

Caffeine

Alcohol

Nicotine

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19
19
20

Chapter 4: Create Tiny Habits to Success

Create Your Bedtime Routine

Accountability

Two Tools to Guarantee Sleep Success

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22
23
27

Conclusion
Sources

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32

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4
5
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((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((
(Introduction)

Hi, Im Eric Conley, and I wrote this book to help you:

Avoid hitting the snooze button and wake up with ease

Have consistently high energy to perform at your best
Gain the mental strength to take on challenges
Decrease risk of depression, Alzheimers, and cancer

Or if youre just looking to optimize your sleep routine, this e-book

will show you how to do exactly that.
As someone who used to suffer from sleep deprivation, I know
the frustrations. People used to tell meas if it were as simple as
snapping my fingersto just get more sleep or sleep at least 8
hours every night.
I know its not that simple. But after years of experimentation, I finally found the cure to my sleeping
problems, and I want to share it with you so you too can experience the many benefits of sleeping
well.
Here is just a sample of the benefits Ive received:

Consistently wake up at 5:00 AM for CrossFitIm in the best shape of my life

Avoid rush hour traffic by going to/leaving from work earliersaving me an hour each day
Be super-productive at the officeaccomplishing more with less time
Have energy that lasts throughout the dayallowing me to take part in evening activities

Having a restful nights sleep literally adds years to your life leading to a healthier, happier
you.
In addition to teaching you How to Fall Asleep in Minutes, this e-book will change the way you
view sleep and improve your daily habitsbeginning today.

Lets jump right in.

((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((
(Chapter 1)

Demystifying Our Need For Sleep

If you want to kill someone quickly, take

away their sleep.
Robb Wolf, NY Times bestselling author of The Paleo Solution.

The Internal Body Clock

In 1962, geologist Michael Siffre intended to spend 15 days underground as part of a glacier
expedition. What ensued was a 63-day experiment not on glaciers, but on the study of time.
In Siffres words, ...[F]ifteen days was not enough. So, I decided to stay two months. And
then this idea came to methis idea that became the idea of my life. I decided to live like an
animal, without a watch, in the dark, without knowing the time.
Siffre was determined to understand how the body would adapt to the environment that
didnt provide any external clues of time like sunlight and darkness.
He lived in harsh conditions, including freezing temperatures and 98% humidity. He
communicated only with his support team, stationed at the entrance of the cave. Each day,
he reported to the team when he woke up, ate, and went to sleep.
While in the cave, Siffre performed two tests. He measured his pulse to gauge his health,
and he counted to 120 to gauge his psychological state. He discovered it took him five
minutes to count to 120 instead of the normal two. Put another way, he experienced five
minutes as two.
An unknown benefit of this experiment was the quality of sleep Siffre received. In his own
words, ...[W]e proved that there was an internal clock independent of the natural terrestrial
day/night cycle. In fact, within just a few days, Siffre declared that he slept perfectly!
After Siffre, others chose to study time and sleep by living in caves.
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They analyzed sleep stagesRapid Eye Movement (REM) and Slow Waveand made a
major discovery. They found a correlation between how long people stay up and how much
they dream the next night. Roughly speaking, for every ten extra minutes of activity each
day, people receive one extra minute of REM sleep.

What Can We Learn From This?

Even without the external triggers of sleep, our bodies can determine when we need to sleep
and how much. Listen to your body, and dont deprive it of the nourishment it receives from
sleep.

Natures Circadian Rhythm

The circadian rhythm works hand-in-hand with the bodys internal clock and the natural day/
night environment we live in. This explains why people are awake when it is light out and
asleep when it is dark.
The chart below illustrates our circadian rhythm over the span of 24 hours:

Circadian clock in humans by Yassine Mrabet

Lets look at the times relevant to sleep:

09:00 (9:00 AM), when melatonin secretion stops, and

21:00 (9:00 PM), when melatonin secretion starts.
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Why Melatonin Is Magical

Melatonin is a hormone released by your body at night, around 21:00 (9:00 PM). When
melatonin is released into your bloodstream, it causes you to feel relaxed, tired, and ready
for bed. For the following 12 hours, until roughly 9:00 (9:00 AM), melatonin levels remain
high to help you stay asleep.
Once youre exposed to daylight, melatonin levels decrease to negligible amounts, leaving
you feeling alert and prepared to start your day.

Ive Seen Melatonin At The Drug Store. Should I Buy It?

In a word, no. I never advocate for supplements when a natural option is available.
If youre not able to get outside in the morning, I recommend using the Philips goLITE.
According to the products description on Amazon, this lamp produces a particular kind of
pure blue light that occurs naturally on very sunny, clear days. Special receptors in the eyes
absorb this blue light, which makes you feel energetic through the day and relaxed in the
evening.
You could set the goLITE in front of you while eating breakfast, drinking coffee, or reading
the newspaper. Just 15 minutes of exposure to this light would put your circadian rhythm in
order.
If youre a geek like me, check out this video that provides all the scientific background on
the circadian rhythms: http://youtu.be/UbQ0RxQu2gM

((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((
(Chapter 2)

Optimize Your Environment

Readingits the third best thing

to do in bed.
Jarod Kintz, The Book Title is Invisible

The Best $20 Youll Ever Spend

The best $20 you can spend on your sleep is purchasing blackout curtains.
As you already know, your body releases melatonin to help you fall and stay asleep. The
release of melatonin occurs naturally as the sun goes down. Having blackout curtains will
help your brain perceive the darkness and assist your body to relax further.
In addition, blackout curtains put you in control of your daylight/nighttime cycle. If you work
a nightshift, once you get home and are ready for bed, you can trick your mind into thinking
that it is nighttime at 8 AM. Trying to sleep in the daylight is counterproductive. It will not
only delay the onset of your asleep, but it will also have a negative effect on the quality of
your sleep.
Blackout curtains also muffle external sounds and preserve the temperature in your
bedroom (more on the optimal room temperature later). Without knowing it, you may
experience an interruption in your REM sleep because of light, noise, and temperature
fluctuations. Blackout curtains help you minimize the impact of these sleep-interrupting
factors.

Action Step
Make the first investment in your optimal sleep environment with blackout curtains. I
encourage you to purchase the wrap-around curtain rod. This curtain rod extends by an
additional three inches on either side of your window and blocks light that would normally
peek through on the sides.
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Eclipse Thermaback Blackout Panel, Curtains

Eclipse Room Darkening Wrap Rod

If you prefer to shop in store, Eclipse offers its products at Wal-Mart, Target, Kohls, and
other stores. Check out Eclipses Where to Buy page here.
Pro Tip: When on the road, bring a sleep mask to achieve the effect of having blackout
curtains.

Adjust Your Thermostat

When I go to bed, I turn my thermostat down from 76F to 72F. This mild drop in temperature
induces my sleep. Sleeping in a cooler environment is more comfortable to me when I
snuggle (yes, guys can say snuggle) under the sheets next to my girlfriend.
Experts agree that the temperature of your sleeping area affects your comfort, which, in
turn, affects how well and how long you snooze.
Dr. H. Craig Heller, professor of Biological Sciences and Human Biology at Stanford
University, explains:
When you go to sleep, your set point for body temperature the temperature your brain is
trying to achieve goes down. Think of it as the internal thermostat.
Thats why at night, you need to turn your thermostat down too.
Its important to note that you should avoid extreme temperatures in your bedroom.
Temperatures that are either aggressively cold or hot negatively impact your sleep quality
and cause you to wake up.b

Whats Your Temperature?

The optimal temperature is highly individual. Living in Houston, Texas, I find 72F to be cool,
whereas in other parts of the world this temperature would be considered too warm. My
suggestion is to set the room temperature between 65F and 72F. According to sleep experts,
its the optimal interval.

Burn Fat While You Sleepc

A recent study suggests that you can increase your metabolism as you sleep. According to
the NY Times article Lets Cool It in the Bedroom, Cooler bedrooms could subtly transform
a persons stores of brown fat what has lately come to be thought of as good fat and
consequently alter energy expenditure and metabolic health, even into daylight hours.
Pro Tip: At bedtime, set your room temperature 5 degrees below your daytime room
temperature. Wear a pair of light socks as cold feet in particular can be very disruptive to
your sleep.

Remove Electronics
The end goal is for your bedroom to resemble the environment of a (comfortable) cave
dark and cool.Thats why you need to remove ALL lights. This includes alarm clocks, TV LED
lights, computers, and any electronic device that has a glowing light. Exposure to room light
during usual hours of sleep suppresses melatonin levels by more than 50%. This significant
fluctuation in melatonin levels has the ability to dramatically decrease your sleep quality.
Exposure to room light before bedtime also shortens melatonin excretion duration by about
90 minutes compared to dim light exposure.d

Action Steps
Remove all electronics from the bedroom TVs, computers, stereos, etc. The only
exception is an alarm clock.
Removing light-emitting devices will not only eliminate light but also preserve your bedroom
as a place of holy sleep versus a room for work or entertainment (more on this later).
Although I promote the use of your iPhone as an alarm clock, if you prefer to keep a standalone alarm clock, you need to:

1) cover the light display with electrical tape, and

2) put it as far away from your bed as possible.

By keeping your room 100% dark and preventing yourself from seeing the time, you promote
the quality of your sleep, which is more important than quantity.
Having your alarm clock out of your reach, you force yourself to get out of bed each
morning, instead of slapping the snooze button countless times while still lying down.

Humidity
The struggle with humidity in Houston is real. Moving from rural Ohio to Houston, I got my
first taste of humidity when my sunglasses began fogging up whenever I stepped outside of
an air-conditioned environment (A/C is a must-have in the city).
High humidity, however, has some benefits such as better skin and a reduction in sinus
congestion. But having too much or too little humidity in the bedroom will certainly reduce
your sleep quality.
Most importantly, having the optimal humidity will reduce (perhaps eliminate) snoring by
opening your nasal passages. Combine a low-humid environment with dust, pollen, and
other allergens, and youve got a recipe for disaster.
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Action Steps
Measure
A humidity range between 30-50% is considered acceptable,
with 45% humidity being ideal. Anything below 30%, and
youre susceptible to colds and dry, cracked skin. Humidity
levels above 50%, although rare, can occur and will have you
feeling uncomfortable and cause excess perspiration.
Luckily, you can buy an indoor humidity monitor for the price
of a take-out lunch.

Humidifier

My recommendation is the
AcuRite00613A1,
which has a four-star rating (out of
five) and can be set up in minutes.

If you find your humidity too low, consider using a humidifier.

You have hundreds of options with most products catering
to multi-room or whole-house use. Since were interested in the bedroom, lets focus on a
single room humidifier.

The Ultrasonic 360 Humidifier is a

perfect fit for nurseries or a
bedroom.

If you travel often, I HIGHLY

recommend the Air-O-Swiss Travel
Humidifier. All you need is a water
bottle.

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Dehumidifier
Most people purchase dehumidifiers for their basement
areas. If you happen to sleep in the basement of a house
(lucky you), you may want to consider a dehumidifier.
These machines are more expensive and typically
purchased as an investment towards your home (versus
your sleep). If youre making the purchase, I encourage you
to splurge on a product that helps you with both goals.

Amazons best-selling dehumidifier.

Air Filters
Air filters provide the most efficient protection against dust, mold, and other allergens.
Once every three months, you need to invest $5 and 5 minutes to replace your air filter. I
especially recommend replacing your air filters if you have pets.
If you order your filters with a recurring auto-delivery option, youll be reminded to replace
them on a regular basis. Plus, youll save your mental energy for things that matter work,
your kids homework, etc.
Fortunately, there is a website that provides auto-delivery on air filters for you.

Check out http://ontimeairfilters.com and put this process on autopilot.

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Open the Windows, And Dust Often

When temperatures outside are comfortable, everyone loves to open the windows. Good
weather brings good vibes whether youre inside or out.
Similarly, people love the feeling of a clean house/apartment/room. I encourage the use of
Febreeze Fabric Refresher Allergen Reducer to keep your house smelling amazing and to
remove inanimate allergens.
Open the windows, and dust often so you can appreciate each breath you take inside your
home.

Clean Ducts
Homeowners unknowingly collect inches of pet hair and dust in their ductwork. They might
as well be breathing in Fidos lovely hair 24/7.
For about $300, you can have your ducts cleaned. A professional will come in with a giant
vacuum for your furnace and dislodge and remove the nastiest dust and gunk from your
home.
Do it especially if you live in a home where the previous owner had pets and didnt bother to
have the ducts cleaned.
The incentive for you to invest in cleaning the air ducts is the reduction in your heating and
cooling bills.

Your Centerpiece For Comfort

If youve ever splurged on a luxury hotel stay, you know the comfort of hotels beds. The
pillows are cool and plush; the sheets are soft and endless; and the comforter feels like a
fluffy cloud you never want to unwrap yourself from.
Before I even take off my shoes, I love jumping on a super-comfy bed and letting out
an exhaustive sigh. Staying at high-end hotels is a rare luxury, and I fully embrace the
experience.
Being relaxed and ready for bed is good, but falling asleep in a super-comfortable
centerpiece is great.

Pillows
To determine what type of a pillow suits you best, its important to understand what kind of
a sleeper you are. Your sleeping position will dictate your preference for your ideal pillow.
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Courtesy of Huffington Post

According to a 2012 survey conducted by the home decor company Annas Linens, 74% of
us sleep on our sides, 16% sleep on our stomachs, and 14% sleep on our backs.
If you are a side sleeper, you need a firmer pillow to fill in the distance between your ear and
your shoulder.
If you are a stomach sleeper, you probably prefer a very thin, almost flat, pillow. You may
not even need a pillow for your head, but consider tucking one under your stomach to avoid
lower back pain.
If you are a back sleeper, thinner pillows with an extra loft in the bottom third of the pillow to
cradle your neck might be your best choice.

My Personal Recommmendation
When I stayed at the Royal Sonesta in Houston (a 4-star hotel), I fell in love with the hotels
bed. I was so comfortable that I preferred its general, public bed over my personal, private
bed. Knowing how happy I was to sleep there, I decided to invest in my own 4-star bed by
purchasing firm Hotel Collection pillows. Every night, Im grateful for this purchase.
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Although I recommend Hotel Collection, pillows are a personal choice. To determine which
pillow is right for you, I encourage you to do one of the following:
1) Go to your local Macys (or large department store with a bedding department) and
physically lay your head down on the pillows until you find the most comfortable one.
2) During your next stay at a hotel, pay attention to the bedding. If you love it, you
can purchase it as most hotels offer their bedding for purchase (albeit at a premium
price). For instance, the W Hotel has its entire bedding collection for sale.

Why The Investment Is Worth It

Experts recommend you recycle your pillows every 18 months. So, if you decide to spend a
modest $50 on a pillow, youre spending less than $0.10 per day. If you splurge on a W Hotel
pillow at $100, youre looking at $0.19 per day. Bottom line: its worth it.

The Bedroom Is Meant For Two Things

If youve ever splurged on a luxury hotel stay, you know the comfort of hotels beds. The
pillows are cool and plush; the sheets are soft and endless; and the comforter feels like a
fluffy cloud you never want to unwrap yourself from.
I love my bedroom. Im there for one of two reasons snoozing or sex.
Not coincidentally, these are two of my favorite things to do in the world.
If I had to guess, sleeping and having sex would be two of the most popular activities for
all species known to man. At our core, I believe we desire the feeling of relaxation and
attraction to one another.
To promote these activities in the bedroom, you have removed all extraneous items from it.
This means removing electronics, exercise equipment, and other items that might distract
you from what you deeply desire in the bedroom.
Stripping the bedroom to its core also has a placebo effect. You condition yourself to seeing
your bedroom as your retreat. No more working from bed, watching The Walking Dead until
the Sleep Timer goes off, or (worst of all) eating in bed.

Inherent Benefits Of A Distraction-Free Bedroom

Bonding
In todays busy world, it is common for couples to be exhausted after attending to their
children, careers, and daily errands. They get so tired they neglect the relationship that
brought them together.

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Winding down together with your partner, in the bedroom with no distractions, will promote
connection and bring you closer to your partner. Checking your iPhone for the latest email
will no longer be a priority. Bonding with your partner will be.

Reflection
The modern world offers us so many activities, meaningful or not, that we forget about the
act and power of reflection.
A few months ago, I bought the Five-Minute Journal. The simple act of writing every
morning and evening has dramatically improved my mood and overall happiness. When I
start my day, I capture three things Im grateful for, three things to accomplish, and a daily
affirmation. Then, at the end of the day, I write down three amazing things that happened
that day and one thing that I couldve done better.
Me telling you to be more grateful is not going to help you unless you take action. Buy the
Five-Minute Journal or write in a notebook as part of your daily reflection. Within weeks,
youll start to realize just how great your life is and recognize the small tweaks you can
make to make it even better.

Your Time Away From The World

Think about how accessible you are. People can communicate with you through Facebook,
Twitter, LinkedIn, email, text, phone, post, and even a good old-fashioned knock on the door.
Take time away from all the busyness and commitments and make the bedroom off limits
to anyone but you and your family. You will give your mind a deserved break.

Sleeping With Pets

If you share your bed with your pet, you might have an emotional reaction to this section. If
your pet indeed helps you sleep, then you can skip this topic. But if you feel that your sleep
might be improved if your pet slept in its own bed, give these ideas some serious thought.
As a pet owner, I know how much unconditional love and affection pets give us. The
emotional comfort we receive by having a pet in our bed is invaluable to many people.

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Having a pet in your bedroom, however, has its downsides:

Pets disrupt your sleep with their own snoring and kicking.
When pets are awake (especially cats who are nocturnal), they want you to be awake too,
so you get less sleep than you need.
Pets are not as clean as humans. They might drag dirt and fleas to you as they cuddle up
to you.
Your pets may cause allergies you dont know you have. When they shed hair in your bed,
you get more exposure to the allergens than when you are in other areas of the house.
Being allergic to your pet will certainly pose sleeping problems.
They interrupt intimacy time between you and your partner. Remember, the bedroom is
for sleep and sex. Do not deprive yourself of either for your pets comfort.
My girlfriend and I have a 13-year-old male dachshund. Ill be completely honest. He has
slept with us in our bed. I know this is calling the kettle black, but trust when I say has
slept. Naked, our dog (yes, Im serious, that is his name), is allowed to cuddle with us
on every piece of furniture except the bed. On rare occasions, well bring his bed into the
bedroom, but thats as close as he gets to snuggling next to us in the evening.
I know it will be difficult for you and your pet if youve let it sleep with you for years. But if
you struggle with sleep, you have to take measures to help you sleep better.
My suggestion is to take small steps. First, you can purchase a pet bed and have your pet
sleep on the floor next to you. Eventually, youll want your beloved animal to sleep on its
own, in another room, while you get the alone time you deserve.

Involving Your Partner

Im not ashamed to admit that my girlfriend tells me Im the girl in the relationship. One of
the reasons I get this comment is because I insist on us going to bed at the same time.
Many studies have found married people achieve healthier sleep than single people.
Additionally, researchers have found that spouses who go to bed at different times report
significantly less relationship satisfaction than those on the same schedule. Couples who
go to bed at different times have more conflict, spend less time in shared activities and
serious conversation, and worst of all, have less sex.e
Every night around 9 PM, I remind my girlfriend that its getting close to bedtime and that its
time to turn off The Real Housewives. By now, shes realized the benefits of going to bed at
the same time with me and no longer begs to watch just fifteen more minutes.
A side benefit to our earlier and synchronized sleep schedule is our health. Since weve
adopted this practice, weve gotten into the best shape of our lives by consistently attending
CrossFit at 5:30 AM.
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How to Talk Your Spouse into Making Sleep a Priority: A Wordfor-Word Script
It did take a bit of time to get my girlfriend onboard. The transition was tough for her as
shed often stay up till midnight doing her schoolwork and/or watching trash TV.
But everyone is capable of change if presented with the right reasons. Here is a script I
recommend you use when speaking to your spouse:
You: Hey babe, I read today that couples who go to bed at the same time together are happier,
sleep better, and have more sex.
Spouse: Really? What are you trying to say?
You: As you know, Ive had a difficult time sleeping lately, and I think part of the reason may be
our differing bedtimes. This is something Id like to try, and if it worksgreat! If not, no big deal.
Plus, the benefits are out there for the BOTH of us.
Spouse: Well, Ive been looking forward to this TV show all week. How about at the next
commercial?
You: Sure thing.
Note: Take small steps here. You may end up getting more than better sleep by taking this
advice ;)

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((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((
(Chapter 3)
Stimulants

Drinking is a way of ending the day.

-Ernest Hemingway

Caffeine
Its well-known that caffeine influences your sleep. Whats not well-known is the degree of
its impact.
A new studyf at the Henry Ford Sleep Disorders and Research Center reveals that caffeine
consumption even six hours before bedtime has significant, disruptive effects on your sleep:
Results of the study show that 400mg of caffeine (about 2-3 cups of coffee) taken at
bedtime, three and even six hours prior to bedtime significantly disrupts sleep. Even when
caffeine was consumed six hours before going to bed, objectively measured total sleep time
was dramatically reduced (more than one hour).
In laymans terms, that afternoon latte or caffeinated soda can have just as much impact on
your sleep as an evening nightcap.
Whats the simplest way to prevent caffeine from impacting your sleep?
No caffeinated drinks (coffee, soda, red bull, etc.) after lunch time.

Alcohol
When flying, I prefer to snooze on the plane. I admit that I have at least one Jack Daniels to
help me fall asleep. The payoff is wonderful fewer things are sweeter than falling asleep
as the plane takes off and waking up as it lands.
However, that cocktail you enjoy sipping has adverse effects.

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When you consume alcohol just before bedtime, you do fall asleep faster and even achieve a
deeper sleep for the first half of the night. But in the latter half of your night, your sleep will
be lighter and punctuated by frequent waking periods. If, after an eventful Saturday night,
youve woken up and gone back to sleep every thirty minutes on a Sunday morning, this
might explain why.
The dichotomy of alcohol is fascinating. One minute it puts you in a comatose state, and the
next it disrupts your sleep.
Researchers have classified this contrast as the rebound effectg:
The idea is that the body initially adjusts for alcohols effects in order to maintain sleep
during the first half of the night. During the second half of the night, however even after
elimination the body stubbornly continues to adjust, ultimately overcompensating and
resulting in sleep disruption.
For those of us that enjoy a nightcap, the question is: what level of alcohol is acceptable
in order to get a restful sleep? Its obvious that binge drinking is unacceptable, but what if
were just interested in a drink or two?
An average body is able to metabolize 0.25 oz of alcohol per hour. This translates to 2.4
drinks and debunks the rule of thumb for consuming one drink per hour. No need for me
to be a buzzkill. If you want to savor a drink in the evening, go ahead! Just make sure you
finish your drink roughly two and half hours prior to bedtime.

Nicotine
In short, smoking will counteract any positive sleeping habits you might develop.
Recently, I read a Quora thread started by a student who struggled with sleep. He cited the
loud dormitory and high stress environment as the causes for his poor sleep. Poor sleep
resulted in a vicious cycle of waking up tired and consuming copious amounts of coffee so
he could focus on his studies through the day.
His question to the readers was: What is the best coffee drinking strategy for effective
studying without sacrificing sleep quality? Then he revealed the kicker. Hes a smoker.
His story reminds me of people who get a Big Mac Value Meal and pair it with a Diet Coke.
You cant overcome the 1000+ calorie meal with a 0 calorie soda. Its the same with smoking
and sleep.
If you smoke, you will never sleep peacefully. It doesnt matter if you have the best coffee
drinking strategy or implement any number of sleep-promoting habits.
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Take care of the obvious, and give up smoking. Getting a full nights rest is just one of the
many health benefits you will receive.

How My Father Quit Smoking

Growing up, I used to be embarrassed to ride in the car with my dad. It wasnt because he
drove a less-than-stellar vehicle, but because he smoked while driving. No matter how clean
my clothes were, after I left his truck, they always smelled disgusting.
As I got older and better understood the negative impacts of smoking, I naively asked him
why he did it. He never had a good answer.
When I was in high school, I gave my dad a book with instructions on how to quit smoking.
The instructions themselves didnt inspire him. What did move him was the note on the
sleeve that read, Please follow what this book has to say. I want you to be alive to meet
your grandkids one day.
These emotional words proved to be powerful enough for my dad to try to quit smoking.
After years of on-again-off-again attempts, he succeeded, and I could not be more proud.

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((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((
(Chapter 4)

Create Tiny Habits To Success

If you wouldnt wake up early to do

something, you probably shouldnt stay up
late for it either.
-Reddit user SmellsLikeUpFoo

Create Your Bedtime Routine

Your perfect day starts with getting restful sleep from the night before. To get a full nights
rest, you need to incorporate the Stop and Snooze routine that helps you fall asleep in
minutes.
Implementing your Stop and Snooze routine begins with a simple, but profound idea an
evening alarm on your alarm clock.
You are probably using your alarm clock to wake you up in the morning, but you havent
considered using your alarm to help you go to sleep.
To ensure you get the right amount of sleep, work out what time you need to go to bed first.
For example, if you want to have seven hours of sleep and need to be awake by 6 AM, then
youd better be asleep by 11 PM the night before. To be asleep by 11 PM, youll need to set
your evening alarm to 10 PM to trigger your Stop and Snooze routine an hour before sleep.

Your Stop And Snooze Routine

Ninety percent of the time, Im asleep by 10 PM during the week. I get at least seven hours
of sleep before I wake up at 5 AM for CrossFit.

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To help me get to sleep by 10 PM, I have my evening alarm clock prompt me to begin my
nightly routine at 9 PM:
1) Pack gym bag with office clothes
2) Set workout clothes and shoes out in the living room
3) Have boiled eggs (peeled), oatmeal with blueberries, and protein shake ready in the
fridge
4) Drink Sleepy Time tea
5) Read until I fall asleep
As mundane as this routine might seem, I get excited anticipating my 9 PM alarm. Even if
Im working on my laptop, I know that when 9 PM comes around, itll be time to quit. The
rest of the evening is on my time, and I get to cap it off with reading something I always
claimed to never have time for.
When my 5 AM alarm goes off, Im out of my bed and out the door in less than 15 minutes
because I had set everything up for myself (I even peeled my eggs), leaving me with zero
excuses to miss a workout.

Action Steps
To set up your Stop and Snooze routine:
1) Determine what time you want to wake up in the morning. Count backwards the
number of hours you wish to sleep plus one. This provides you with your desired
amount of sleep and one hour of whatever-you-want-to-do prior to bed.
2) Before you do whatever you want before bed, take care of all the items you would
normally put off till the morning and get them done now. Even as someone who
preaches good sleep habits, Im never motivated first thing in the morning. Why fight
against yourself in the morning when you can get your morning tasks out of the way
at night?
3) Now it is officially your time. Enjoy it reading, meditating, taking a warm shower,
talking to your spouse whatever! This is your guilt-free time, and you can choose to
do whatever you like with the exception of using electronics, of course.

Accountability
We all know most New Years resolutions fail.
Nevertheless, every January, gym memberships spike as people find new motivation to get
in shape.
Resolutions may remain strong for the first few weeks, but they rarely last. Im not here to
poke fun at people who wish to get in shape. Quite the contrary, Ill show you how you can
help yourself achieve anything you set your mind to in the following section.

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You Cant Do It Alone

Its often said you are the representation of the five people with whom you spend most of
your time. It goes for sleep too.
If your partner stays up till midnight, watching Rick Grimes eradicate zombies in The
Walking Dead while you try to sleep, youll undoubtedly be affected. Sure, you can go to bed
early without your partner, but ultimately youll want her in bed next to you. If she doesnt
come to bed, you might be tempted to join her on the couch and compromise your sleep.
Temptation to stay up late and miss out on sleep is everywhere. As a workaholic, you
probably use the evenings as your time to do whatever you please. Its not fair to work all
day only to go to bed when you get home, right?
This is where you need an Accountability Partner to steer you in the right direction.

How An Accountability Partner Guarantees Success

If you ever watched any post-game interviews with winning athletes, you probably noticed
they ALWAYS credit others for their success.
To be successful in getting more and better sleep, you need the same thing someone
to hold you accountable for your actions. The next time you want to veer from your winddown routine, youll have to answer to your Accountability Partner.
Youll want to work alongside someone who has similar goals and knows where youre
coming from. You want empathy, not sympathy, in order to better yourself.
Ive had an Accountability Partner for years. Hes helped me prioritize my life to improve my
work-life balance, which consequently improved my sleep. In addition, he offers advice in
areas where he has experience.

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A back-n-forth dialogue with how Ryan and I got started as Accountability Partners.

Where To Find An Accountability Partner

Initially, you might think to ask a friend to be your Accountability Partner, but I advise
against that. Friends are great, but sometimes they can have a little too much sympathy for
you and wont push you to be the best you can be.
Instead, find someone who has the same goals and desires that you do to improve your
sleep. And believe me, there are plenty of people just like you who want to live a healthier
life by normalizing their sleep.
You can find the ideal Accountability Partner online. This is exactly how I found my
Accountability Partner, Ryan Stephens, who I keep in touch with week after week. Heres
how to do it.

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Make An Accountability Partner Request

1) Go to Reddits GetMotivatedBuddies Forum
2) Click Submit a New Text Post.
3) Copy and paste the following:
Subject: Age/sex, seeking text/email only accountability to ensure I go to bed at [X] PM for
the next two weeks.
Hi,
Im looking for a text/email only Accountability Partner to keep me on track with going
to bed at [X] PM for the next two weeks. This is going to kick-start my healthy sleeping
habits.
In return, Id like to help you achieve your goals related to sleep. Along with going
to bed earlier, there are numerous other tactics (http://www.reddit.com/r/insomnia/
comments/2515xk/27_easy_ways_to_sleep_better_tonight/) that can be tackled to achieve
better sleep.
Respond below or shoot me a private message if youre interested.
Note: The first step I recommend to getting better sleep is having a disciplined bedtime. You
can opt for a different tactic mentioned in this e-book if you already go to bed at a regular
time each night.
Not every accountability relationship is going to be successful. This is why I recommend
having a trial period of two weeks to find out if you found a good fit. If its not a good fit, you
can simply email that person, thank him for his time, and repost your request on Reddit.
Discuss this trial period with your potential Accountability Partner. Hell certainly
understand where youre coming from as he may be hesitant to commit himself.
Additionally, limiting the relationship to text and email only may solicit better responses.
Sometimes, talking on the phone may be intimidating to people and may steer them away
from responding to your Accountability Partner request.

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How To Start Off Successfully With Your Accountability Partner

Once you have an Accountability Partner, write this word-for-word script to them:
Hi,
First, I want to thank you for accepting my accountability request. Its incredibly important
to me that I get better sleep. Its certainly nice to know Im not alone in this struggle, and I
look forward to us holding each other accountable to this goal.
Right now, Im focusing on setting an alarm clock and going to bed every night by [X] PM.
I would like you to check in with me two or three times a week to see if I indeed went to bed
at [X] PM. This, to me, is just the first step in getting better sleep. I have subsequent goals I
would like to accomplish once I establish my regular going to bedtime.
Please let me know how I can help you. Here are loads of tactics on Reddit that help with
sleep (http://www.reddit.com/r/insomnia/comments/2515xk/27_easy_ways_to_sleep_
better_tonight/).
But as we know, tactics alone will not prove results. This is where I want to help you.
Please let me know how specifically I can assist with your goals to hold you accountable. I
look forward to hearing from you.
-[Your Name]
[Your Phone Number]
This initiative puts the focus on the process, not the goals.
Saying you want to get eight hours of sleep every night is great in theory, but how you do it
is much more important. This is why I want you to focus on one change at a time.
In due time, you can build upon your success by introducing the Habits Tracker (talked
about in the next section) with your Accountability Partner. The Habits Tracker will help you
develop a chain of habits to facilitate better sleep.

Two Tools To Guarantee Sleep Success

James Clear is a habits mastermind. Using his expertise in developing and sustaining
positive habits, James has helped people:
Get strong, reverse injury, and cure disease
Improve their work productivity and health at the same time
Be happier, achieve their goals, and live a fulfilling life
That, my friends, is a prolific resume.
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Recently, he wrote a detailed how-to guide to overcoming sleep deprivation, How to Get
Better Sleep: The Beginners Guide to Overcoming Sleep Deprivation.
I conducted a seven-day experiment to test his advice.
James recommends several of the methods discussed in this e-book. To find out whether
or not his methods work, I tracked my sleep using Sleep Cycle and my Habits Tracker
spreadsheet.

Sleep Cycle
Sleep Cycle is an iPhone or Android app that measures the quality of your sleep and keeps
a history of it. Within Sleep Cycle, you can create tags to see which habits increase or
decrease sleep quality.
The app allowed me to see trends and analyze my habits to determine which ones had the
most impact on achieving high quality sleep.

Habits Tracker
The Habits Tracker is a form of a Seinfeld Strategy that I learned from James:
Brad Isaac was a young comedian starting out on the comedy circuit. One fateful night, he
found himself in a club where Jerry Seinfeld was performing. In an interview on Lifehacker,
Isaac shared what happened when he caught Seinfeld backstage and asked if he had any
tips for a young comic.
Heres how Isaac described the interaction with Seinfeld:
He said the way to be a better comic was to create better jokes and the way to create
better jokes was to write every day.
He told me to get a big wall calendar that has a whole year on one page and hang it on a
prominent wall. The next step was to get a big red magic marker. He said for each day that
I do my task of writing, I get to put a big red X over that day.
After a few days youll have a chain. Just keep at it and the chain will grow longer every
day. Youll like seeing that chain, especially when you get a few weeks under your belt. Your
only job is to not break the chain.
The Habits Tracker spreadsheet is something I highly recommend you mention to your
Accountability Partner during your first week (download here).
Its important to start small. As Jim Collins, management guru, writes in Good to Great, if
you have more than three priorities, you dont have any. Therefore, you should complete one
habit at a time before moving on to the next.
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The first, and only, goal I recommend you start with is going to bed at [X] PM. Having a
consistent bedtime is the most critical aspect of falling asleep in minutes.
I started with setting my evening alarm for 9:00 PM. Having done this for nearly 18 months
now, I am able to fall asleep within minutes, if not seconds, between 9:30 and 10:00 PM.
Once youve gone to bed at the same time five days straight Monday through Friday, you
can move on to your next habit.
The first, and only, goal I recommend you start with is going to bed at [X] PM. Having a
consistent bedtime is the most critical aspect of falling asleep in minutes.
I started with setting my evening alarm for 9:00 PM. Having done this for nearly 18 months
now, I am able to fall asleep within minutes, if not seconds, between 9:30 and 10:00 PM.
Once youve gone to bed at the same time five days straight Monday through Friday, you
can move on to your next habit.
Note: I am lenient with staying up late and sleeping in on the weekends. We all have social
lives, and to expect you in bed by 10:00 PM on a Saturday night is unrealistic. My only
recommendation is to stay within a three-hour window of your normal sleep time.
The underlying, and most profound, realization from James Clears experiment was that
tracking my sleep forced me to be consistent with and mindful of my habits. My experience
closely follows Robert Cialdinis Commitment and Consistency principle:
Commitment and Consistency If people commit, orally or in writing, to an idea or goal, they
are more likely to honor that commitment because of establishing that idea or goal as being
congruent with their self-image. Even if the original incentive or motivation is removed after they
have already agreed, they will continue to honor the agreement.
Combine the Habits Tracker with an Accountability Partner, and you can guarantee success.
One final note: dont chase perfection. If you do, youll find yourself running for a long time.
Instead, focus on incremental improvements and building a system of bulletproof habits.
If you read my case study, you know that I did not develop every positive sleeping habit I
wished to, but I was able to determine what worked for me and how to maintain those good
habits.

29

Action Steps
Sleep Cycle App
1) Download Sleep Cycle.
2) Create the following sleep tag: Sleep before [X] PM.
3) When going to bed, set the alarm for your desired wake-up time, and select the
Sleep before [X] PM tag (if you indeed went to bed at the proper time).

4) Plug in your phone.

5) Place your phone face down on the same side of the bed you sleep on, between
your mattress and bed sheets.

Habits Tracker
1) Download the Habits Tracker.
2) Insert your evening bedtime within Sleep before [X] PM.
3) Each day, mark an X under the day that you went to bed at the appropriate time.
4) Once youve done this for five days straight (Monday through Friday), create
another tab and add another tactic you wish to perfect.

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((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((
(Conclusion)

Congratulations on finishing this e-book! You are now in a much better position to conquer
your sleepless nights and wake up feeling rested and ready to take on the world.
Now you know that:
your body has its own internal clock
to help you fall asleep, your body releases melatonin at sundown
your environment either helps or hinders your sleep
certain substances, such as alcohol and nicotine, interfere with your sleep
you can create good sleep habits if you start with one simple step and ask for help
It took me years of research and experimentation to overcome my sleep deprivation. You
can do it in days if you implement all the advice I shared with you.

And if you have friends who struggle with sleep, send them to http://ericconley.com, where
theyll have free access to this guide along with other actionable content to help.
Heres a word-for-word email you can send them:
Hi [Name],
Youve mentioned your struggle with sleep before. I just finished reading an e-book that I
know will help How to Fall Asleep in Minutes.
You can download it for free here: http://ericconley.com/
- [Your Name]
Thanks again for reading.
To happy ZZZs!

Eric Conley

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((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((
(Sources)

http://bit.ly/1y2WmF8
b
http://bit.ly/1x6r1D0
c
http://nyti.ms/1qKI4Vc
d
http://bit.ly/1xIBfcJ
e
http://on.wsj.com/1sTR8ae
f
http://bit.ly/1xCAv7W
g
http://bit.ly/119Fq4M
a

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