Forget the mundane, let’s dive into the untamed world of sleep regularity and how it might just be the key to survival in this circus of life.

😴 A Wild Journey into Sleep

You’ve been told time and again that sleep duration is the holy grail of a good night’s rest.

Too little, and you’re a zombie; too much, and you’re a sloth…

….But what if I told you there’s a new player in town? Enter the enigmatic realm of sleep regularity!

Recent research (1), conducted on a cohort of more than 60,000 participants, has turned our understanding of sleep on its head. We’re talking about the day-to-day consistency of your sleep-wake timing.

And guess what? It might just be a bigger deal than how long you count sheep at night!

🤯 The Mind-Bending Findings

Hold on to your hats because this is where it gets freaky.

Those who managed to keep their sleep schedules rock-solid experienced a jaw-dropping reduction in the risk of all-cause mortality, cancer mortality, and cardiometabolic mortality.

We’re talking about life and death, my friends, and sleep regularity seems to hold the keys to the kingdom.

🤗 5 Steps to Better Sleep Regularity

You’re probably wondering, “Hey uber nerd, how can I dive headfirst into this rabbit hole of sleep regularity?” Well, fear not, for I’ve got some mind-bending action steps for you:

  1. Embrace the Madness: Set a consistent bedtime and wake-up time, even on the wildest of weekends. This will help align your internal clock with the chaos of the outside world.
  2. Ditch the Screens: The evil blue light from screens can disrupt your sleep patterns. So, before you embark on your nightly odyssey, put those screens away for at least an hour or put on your “mole glasses,” as my wife and I call them from the “Mr Mole Goes to Sleep” book.
  3. Summon the Rituals: Develop a nightly ritual that sends you off into the dreamland. Read some twisted tales, stretch like a contortionist, or meditate like a Zen master.
  4. Watch Your Eats: Avoid guzzling caffeine at night, which can turn your dreams into nightmares of laying awake counting endless sheep.
  5. Fuel Your Inner Beast: Regular exercise can help, but save the ferocious workouts for daylight hours. Nighttime is for howling at the moon and other “night maneuvers.”

🧐 The Numbers Don’t Lie

Small changes in your daily circus can lead to monumental improvements in your sleep regularity and, who knows, maybe even a longer and crazier life!

Here are the cold, hard numbers:

Sleep Regularity Matters: Your sleep regularity can be more important than how many hours you sleep. Consistency in your sleep schedule is crucial for good health.

Reduced Mortality Risk: Those with higher sleep regularity scores had a 20% to 48% lower risk of all-cause mortality, a 16% to 39% lower risk of cancer mortality, and a 22% to 57% lower risk of cardiometabolic mortality.

Simple and Effective: Improving your sleep regularity can be a simple and effective way to boost your overall health and increase your chances of a longer life.

So, my fellow fitness friend, let’s make a pact to put sleep regularity on our map. It’s a wild ride, and we’re here for the adventure!

That’s all for now, folks. Until the next bizarre revelation, stay weird!

Much love,
Dr. Mike

PS – if you are looking for a guide to better sleep, check out our kid’s book titled “Mr. Mole Goes To Sleep.”

1) Daniel P Windred, Samuel E Jones, Alex Russell, Angus C Burns, Philip Chan, Michael N Weedon, Martin K Rutter, Patrick Olivier, Céline Vetter, Richa Saxena, Jacqueline M Lane, Sean W Cain, Andrew J K Phillips, Objective assessment of sleep regularity in 60 000 UK Biobank participants using an open-source package, Sleep, Volume 44, Issue 12, December 2021, zsab254,​​