And here it is, the final week of The 5am Club book summary!
Let’s delve into what it says about sleep, rest and relaxation…
EMBRACING SLEEP AND THE “TWIN-CYCLE OF ELITE PERFORMANCE”
Studies show that sleep is a key factor when it comes to predicting one’s life expectancy. And how you spend the last hour of your day is almost as important as the first when it comes to peak performance.
You may have heard about the negative effects the blue light from our technology has on our eyes and our body. Research reveals that the blue light our devices emit reduces melatonin levels– the chemical that induces sleep. So, being in front of a screen before sleeping will prevent you from resting properly, affecting the important stages of sleep, so turn your technology off no later than 8 p.m. Spend the rest of your evening chatting with loved ones, meditating, in a relaxing bath or reading and then go to bed no later than 10 p.m. This way, you can positively maximize the value of your 5 a.m. time.
Sleep isn’t the only major way to rejuvenate though! A key to top performance over time is to switch between periods of passionate, focused work at the highest levels and periods of time for deep refuelling through relaxation, recovery, and fun. This is a process referred to in the book as the twin-cycle of elite performance.
Some of us don’t like embracing the “rest” portion of the twin-cycle but balance is essential. So don’t just work: embrace rest, relaxation and fun, comfortable in the knowledge that it’s all a key part of elite performance.
The first hours of the day are where heroes are created. If you want to truly master your life, begin by owning your mornings. Freedom from distraction at 5 a.m. will enable you to increase your creativity, maximize fitness and protect your serenity in this age of complexity.
Actionable advice: Set your alarm clock half an hour ahead to trick yourself into waking up at 5 a.m.
First, purchase an alarm clock: technology is distracting and shouldn’t be in the bedroom. Once you have an old fashioned clock, set it 30 minutes fast and then set an alarm for 5.30 a.m. That way, when you wake up, you’re fooling yourself into believing you’re getting up later. When the alarm goes off, get out of bed immediately, before the weaker components of your character come up with reasons to stay under the duvet.
In past newsletters we’ve spoken about the importance of massage. The book also stresses the importance of this with The 2 Massage Protocol (which I’ve also adopted the last few weeks). The book suggests booking yourself in for at least an hour and a half massage twice a week and to schedule it in on your calendar or diary. Not only are massages hugely beneficial for your mental and physical wellbeing in countless ways (search ‘Massage Miracles’ & ‘The Power of Pressure Points’ in my older newsletters) but, as the book states “it releases oxytocin, which makes you feel relaxed. You think more quickly. You’re a lot more creative. You’re less reactive. You feel strong. There’s just a fire in the belly. And it just goes on and on.” You might be thinking “yeah sounds amazing but also sounds expensive.” Let me ask you this then, can you put a price on investing in your health and wellbeing? Personally, I think it’s worth it and there’s no greater investment than investing in your own mental, physical and spiritual health.
So that does it! If you have missed any of the prior newsletters in this epic 4 part series of summaries of the 5am club, let me know and I will send you the one’s you’ve missed so you’re up to date OR search my blog posts on my website www.elev8lifeholistic.com and find them there, plus allll the other older newsletters like ‘Massage Miracles’ and ‘The Importance of Sleep’.
I hope it’s inspired you to start your own world-class morning routine as much as it did with me! I highly recommend reading this book in full, as it’s a great story and a fun, yet educational read. Reach out to me if you want some extra help with your morning rituals. I’m here, cheering you on as always!
Again, enjoy some of my fav quotes from The 5am Club – Own Your Morning, Elevate Your Life
- Technology – weapons of mass distraction
- Remember, every professional was once an amateur and every master started as a beginner.
- Leadership is about making a difference.
- Nothing works for those who don’t do work.
- Victims love entertainment, Victors adore education.
- Looks really do not reveal the quality of a person.
- If you want to be like the top 5%, you need to stop acting like the top 95%
- All change is hard at first, messy in middle and gorgeous at the end.
- Each of you carries a quiet genius and a triumphant hero within your hearts.