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Monday Story
There is a consistent trend I’m seeing in Power Grid surveys across the country.
People are waking up tired.
You might assume the problem starts at night.
Maybe it’s a late bedtime, too much screen time, or the wrong mattress or supplement.
But when I listen to people’s stories, I notice something else.
The day never really ends.
A difficult conversation gets replayed on the drive home.
An unfinished project follows them into dinner.
A family concern shows up at 2 or 3 AM.
A to-do list starts running before their feet hit the floor.
The body is in bed, but the engine is still running.
Sleep is when critical repair and maintenance happens.
The question is whether we’ve slowed the engine enough for that work to begin.
Wednesday: Why do so many high performers wake up tired?
Wednesday Insight
The Mechanism
The above image highlights an important idea.
Better sleep doesn’t start at bedtime.
It starts with the habits and signals we create throughout the day.
Keep referring to the image while reading below to get a complete understanding.
In the morning, ACD mode helps us focus, execute, and solve problems.
As the day progresses, a different set of chemicals begins to emerge.
One of them is GABA, a brain chemical that acts like noise-canceling headphones for the mind.
GABA can enhance focus while preparing you for better sleep hours later.
In the evening, a chemical called melatonin begins to rise.
Most people recognize melatonin as a sleep hormone.
It’s also one of the most powerful antioxidants in the body.
It lowers inflammation by cooling our overheated engine.
We produce more by limiting evening screen light exposure.
The challenge is that many high performers never shift gears during the day.
They force ACD mode with more stimulation and screens.
Our dashboard is asking for a downshift in the 2nd half of the day.
As the above image illustrates, this doesn’t mean doing less work.
Instead it’s a different kind of work that calms our mind and cools our engine.
Better sleep means learning to naturally downshift during the 2nd half of the day.
If you’re still running hot in the evening, the following tool can help.
The Tool: Nightshift Handoff
The nighttime repair shift begins with a proper handoff.
One reason the mind stays active at night is due to open loops.
Unfinished tasks. Unresolved conversations. Worries. Decisions.
The brain keeps holding them because it doesn’t want to lose them.
Research shows writing down tomorrow’s tasks before bed helps people fall asleep faster.
The more specific the list, the better.
“Call Susan at 10 AM” works better than “work on project.”
This is one of the most effective sleep tools I’ve used personally and with patients.
About 30 to 60 minutes before bed, perform a Night Shift Handoff.
First, download tomorrow onto paper.
Capture your priorities, commitments, and anything you don’t want to forget.
If possible, spend a few minutes watching Headflix.
Notice which episode is playing and the emotion attached to it.
Then hand off the keys.
Close the notebook, take a slow breath, and remind yourself:
“I did my best today. It’s captured. The repair shift can begin.”
The goal isn’t to solve every problem.
The goal is to stop carrying them into bed.
Use the protocol card below as a guide.
Downloadable copy is here.
I’ve had clients print it and keep it in their bedroom as a reminder.
Friday Reflection
This week we explored a simple idea:
Better sleep doesn’t start at bedtime.
It starts with cumulation daytime activation signals.
These fuel problems and worries we carry into the night.
The Night Shift Handoff closes open loops so the repair crew can do important work.
Reflection: What is one thing you’ve been carrying into bed that might benefit from a proper handoff?
