Sleep Timer provides cutting-edge information on how to improve your environment and lifestyle to enhance the two decisive mechanisms that lead to healthy sleep: CIRCADIAN RHYTHMS and SLEEP DRIVE.
Personalise your lifestyle for better sleep quality
A deep dive into neuroscience and circadian biology
Analyse your sleep and opt for the right strategies
Definitely a mixed bag. Some information is good yet quite obvious like sleep on a regular schedule and avoid caffeine. Some are more unexpected and worth investigating. The author suggests that our daily activities are decisive for healthy sleep. The circadian rhythm chapter is enlightening and could be helpful for anyone with insomnia issues.
Patricia Kelly
Marketing Director
Dr Alexander Zeuke showcases in Sleep Timer the complicated process of sleep in an exciting way.
Sleep Timer should be mandatory reading for those who want to perform at their best and add more healthy years to their life.
Ion Zegra MD, PhD
Consultant for Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery
The solutions in the circadian rhythm chapter could help a lot of people. The sometimes complex scientific facts are translated into practical guidance for better sleep. I didn't know that timing plays such a vital role in the onset of sleep.
The book contains a lot of suggestions and ``hacks`` that are helpful to personalize the lifestyle for healthier sleep.
Verena Kuhn
Project Manager
I recommend reading this book. I found in it few things to improve in my daily routine and must say it changed my sleeping quality. Still working on few more... it is impossible to implement all of them at one time... at least for me. The book explained really useful knowledge about sleep and how it works. Thanks.
John Kelly
Human Resources
We spend about one-third of our life sleeping. When it comes to improving wellbeing, performance, and body composition, sleep is as important as diet and exercise. Restful sleep helps the body and mind to recover; improves memory function; and keeps us lean, happy and healthy. Without restful sleep, we don’t feel well. Lousy sleep slathers on body fat; screws up the hormones; ages us faster; and predisposes people to chronic diseases, stress and burnout.
For example, in professional sports, lack of sleep is a huge issue. An athlete with sleeping issues cannot perform at his best and is exposed to injuries, chronic pain and stress. This is why many world-class athletes and high-performers make sleep their top priority. They know that sleep is essential for recovery and regeneration.
If we want it or not, nowadays, we are all high-performers. The challenges of modern societies and working environments demand a constant focus and high-energy levels, which are impossible to maintain without healthy sleep. Whether you are a manager, doctor, nurse, shift worker or a single mother, you need restorative sleep for all your physiological functions. Unfortunately, getting enough quality sleep has become challenging.
Join physician and preventive medicine consultant Dr Alexander Zeuke as he reveals the latest groundbreaking research on the power of sleep, drawing from the fields of neuroscience, biophysics, and circadian biology to explore the nature of restorative sleep.
Designed to be more than just a self-help book, Sleep Timer offers an in-depth and scientific look at how sleep works, the factors that influence it, and practical steps that you can take to achieve better sleep.
Dr Alexander Zeuke is an author, General Surgery Consultant, and the Clinical Director of Medkore Preventive Medicine. He offers data-driven personalised health programs that help prevent the early onset of chronic degenerative disease. With innovative coaching methods and state of the art diagnostic tools, Dr Alexander Zeuke provides clients with an awareness of their current health status and potential future health risks. He develops actionable solutions based on scientific evidence.
Introduction
We spend about one-third of our life sleeping. When it comes to improving wellbeing, performance, and body composition, sleep is as important as diet and exercise. Restful sleep helps the body and mind to recover; improves memory function; and keeps us lean, happy and healthy. Without restful sleep, we don’t feel well. Lousy sleep slathers on body fat; screws up the hormones; ages us faster; and predisposes people to chronic diseases, stress and burnout.
For example, in professional sports, lack of sleep is a huge issue. An athlete with sleeping issues cannot perform at his best and is exposed to injuries, chronic pain and stress. This is why many world-class athletes and high-performers make sleep their top priority. They know that sleep is essential for recovery and regeneration.
If we want it or not, nowadays, we are all high-performers. The challenges of modern societies and working environments demand a constant focus and high-energy levels, which are impossible to maintain without healthy sleep. Whether you are a manager, doctor, nurse, shift worker or a single mother, you need restorative sleep for all your physiological functions. Unfortunately, getting enough quality sleep has become challenging.
Circadian rhythm
There are many rhythms which influence our life, for example the human-imposed seven-day week or the eight-hour workday; or nature’s rhythms, such as the earth rotating around the sun, which takes 365 days and defines the seasons with temperature changes and food availability. Life on planet Earth evolved under a 24-hour rhythm. The spinning of the planet around its axis determines darkness at night and brightness during the day, which represent the most predictable conditions for life. Circadian rhythms evolved as a response to the light cycles and are crucial for the temporal organisation of all biochemical and physiological processes in an organism.
In human beings, daylight promotes the physiological reactions involving all aspects of wakefulness. On the other hand, darkness, stimulates cellular mechanisms inducing sleep, cell repair and memory consolidation. The term ‘circadian’ comes from the Latin word ‘circa’ which means ‘approximately’, and ‘diem’ means ‘day’. Together, circadian (circa diem) means almost a day, which refers to the biological variations of circadian rhythms in a 24-hour cycle.
Definition of Circadian Rhythms
Circadian rhythms are internal timekeeping mechanisms, which regulate the timing of biochemical, physiological, and behavioural processes in a 24-hour cycle. This internal timekeeping mechanism guarantees the optimal functioning of organisms by allowing them to anticipate and adapt to changing environmental conditions. The circadian rhythms are driven by biological clocks, which oscillate within the 24-hour cycle of a day. The master clock is located in the brain and synchronises all other biological clocks in cells and organ systems. The master clock itself is set by external time cues including: light; darkness; temperature; the timing of food intake; physical activity and social interaction. The natural time cues influencing the circadian timing system are also known as Zeitgeber, a German word often used in chronobiology meaning ‘time giver’. Light represents the primal time cue for the human circadian rhythms and is subsequently influences the master clock and all other biological clocks. Circadian rhythms exist in almost all living organisms on the planet, including microbes. Mammals, such as human beings have specific timings in their activity pattern, which is necessary for the adaptation and survival in their ecological niche. Humans and many other mammals are more active during the day and rest at night. Nocturnal animals like mice have different circadian rhythms and are active at night, while sleeping during the day. Circadian rhythms profoundly influence our physiology and give us the possibility to adapt and also thrive in the rough climate conditions of all latitudes on planet Earth. If you want to improve your sleep, body composition, cognition or wellbeing; start from here.
Human Evolution and Light
For millions of years humans were only exposed to three light sources; the sun during the day; the moon and stars at night; and the light from fireplaces. All behaviour and biological rhythms were only adapted to these light sources. The predictable and periodical changes of light and darkness divided human behaviour and activities into two distinct parts: wakefulness, food intake, and physical activity throughout the day; and fasting, rest, and repair during sleep at night.
The natural light cycles in our immediate environment have changed in only 100 years, which represents a split-second in human evolution. It started with the invention of the incandescent light bulb in 1879, followed by the development of the LED light, in 1962. When you check the most recent Google Earth images, photographed from a satellite, you will notice that the light environment has profoundly changed on our planet, compared to earlier satellite images of Earth in 1972. The illumination of our cities and homes have entirely changed our way of life by providing so many evening and night activities, which were impossible in previous centuries. Most of us are working in office buildings, factories, or hospitals under artificial light, which is considerably less potent than sunlight. Our evenings are mainly spent in front of the television, or other screens without considering what damage these can cause. The constant illumination and the continuous use of modern screen technologies have created a sleep-deprived generation, predisposed to numerous chronic illnesses.
Meal Timing, Fasting, Best Foods for Sleep
There is plenty of scientific evidence about the effects of poor sleep on our food choices and how diet can impact our sleep. You probably know from your own experience that after a poor night sleep, you are craving foods high in sugar, fatty, or salty snacks. Eating and drinking play not only a fundamental role in energy metabolism but also in sleep physiology. Avoiding foods that provoke acid reflux and restricting alcohol or caffeine in the evening is not enough to maintain a healthy sleep pattern. Scientists have found a proven connection between meal timings and sleep, which demonstrates that meal timing sometimes is more important than its macronutrient composition. Clear, determined feeding-fasting windows encourage robust circadian rhythms, which have positive effects on sleep. Eating during the daylight hours and an extended overnight fasting period keep us lean, healthy and prime the body for rest and repair at night.
The timing of meals throughout the 24-hour cycle can help everyone with insomnia to return to a healthy sleep pattern. The problem is that most of us are eating and snacking in a time frame of more than 15-hours until late at night. Constant eating behaviour is a toxic habit for robust circadian rhythms and healthy sleep. It is the timing of your first and last meal that represents a critical synchronizer for the circadian timing system.
Time Restricted Eating, known as TRE, improves metabolic health and can cause weight loss as a possible side effect. Understanding the basics of TRE is another step towards healthy sleep. I am not promoting any specific diet concepts, but I am advocating the maintenance of healthy circadian rhythms with a clearly defined feeding and fasting window. You can choose whatever diet works best for you as long as it contains whole food and doesn't deprive the body of essential vitamins and minerals.
Introduction
We spend about one-third of our life sleeping. When it comes to improving wellbeing, performance, and body composition, sleep is as important as diet and exercise. Restful sleep helps the body and mind to recover; improves memory function; and keeps us lean, happy and healthy. Without restful sleep, we don’t feel well. Lousy sleep slathers on body fat; screws up the hormones; ages us faster; and predisposes people to chronic diseases, stress and burnout.
For example, in professional sports, lack of sleep is a huge issue. An athlete with sleeping issues cannot perform at his best and is exposed to injuries, chronic pain and stress. This is why many world-class athletes and high-performers make sleep their top priority. They know that sleep is essential for recovery and regeneration.
If we want it or not, nowadays, we are all high-performers. The challenges of modern societies and working environments demand a constant focus and high-energy levels, which are impossible to maintain without healthy sleep. Whether you are a manager, doctor, nurse, shift worker or a single mother, you need restorative sleep for all your physiological functions. Unfortunately, getting enough quality sleep has become challenging.
Circadian rhythm
There are many rhythms which influence our life, for example the human-imposed seven-day week or the eight-hour workday; or nature’s rhythms, such as the earth rotating around the sun, which takes 365 days and defines the seasons with temperature changes and food availability. Life on planet Earth evolved under a 24-hour rhythm. The spinning of the planet around its axis determines darkness at night and brightness during the day, which represent the most predictable conditions for life. Circadian rhythms evolved as a response to the light cycles and are crucial for the temporal organisation of all biochemical and physiological processes in an organism.
In human beings, daylight promotes the physiological reactions involving all aspects of wakefulness. On the other hand, darkness, stimulates cellular mechanisms inducing sleep, cell repair and memory consolidation. The term ‘circadian’ comes from the Latin word ‘circa’ which means ‘approximately’, and ‘diem’ means ‘day’. Together, circadian (circa diem) means almost a day, which refers to the biological variations of circadian rhythms in a 24-hour cycle.
Definition of Circadian Rhythms
Circadian rhythms are internal timekeeping mechanisms, which regulate the timing of biochemical, physiological, and behavioural processes in a 24-hour cycle. This internal timekeeping mechanism guarantees the optimal functioning of organisms by allowing them to anticipate and adapt to changing environmental conditions. The circadian rhythms are driven by biological clocks, which oscillate within the 24-hour cycle of a day. The master clock is located in the brain and synchronises all other biological clocks in cells and organ systems. The master clock itself is set by external time cues including: light; darkness; temperature; the timing of food intake; physical activity and social interaction. The natural time cues influencing the circadian timing system are also known as Zeitgeber, a German word often used in chronobiology meaning ‘time giver’. Light represents the primal time cue for the human circadian rhythms and is subsequently influences the master clock and all other biological clocks. Circadian rhythms exist in almost all living organisms on the planet, including microbes. Mammals, such as human beings have specific timings in their activity pattern, which is necessary for the adaptation and survival in their ecological niche. Humans and many other mammals are more active during the day and rest at night. Nocturnal animals like mice have different circadian rhythms and are active at night, while sleeping during the day. Circadian rhythms profoundly influence our physiology and give us the possibility to adapt and also thrive in the rough climate conditions of all latitudes on planet Earth. If you want to improve your sleep, body composition, cognition or wellbeing; start from here.
Human Evolution and Light
For millions of years humans were only exposed to three light sources; the sun during the day; the moon and stars at night; and the light from fireplaces. All behaviour and biological rhythms were only adapted to these light sources. The predictable and periodical changes of light and darkness divided human behaviour and activities into two distinct parts: wakefulness, food intake, and physical activity throughout the day; and fasting, rest, and repair during sleep at night.
The natural light cycles in our immediate environment have changed in only 100 years, which represents a split-second in human evolution. It started with the invention of the incandescent light bulb in 1879, followed by the development of the LED light, in 1962. When you check the most recent Google Earth images, photographed from a satellite, you will notice that the light environment has profoundly changed on our planet, compared to earlier satellite images of Earth in 1972. The illumination of our cities and homes have entirely changed our way of life by providing so many evening and night activities, which were impossible in previous centuries. Most of us are working in office buildings, factories, or hospitals under artificial light, which is considerably less potent than sunlight. Our evenings are mainly spent in front of the television, or other screens without considering what damage these can cause. The constant illumination and the continuous use of modern screen technologies have created a sleep-deprived generation, predisposed to numerous chronic illnesses.
Meal Timing, Fasting, Best Foods for Sleep
There is plenty of scientific evidence about the effects of poor sleep on our food choices and how diet can impact our sleep. You probably know from your own experience that after a poor night sleep, you are craving foods high in sugar, fatty, or salty snacks. Eating and drinking play not only a fundamental role in energy metabolism but also in sleep physiology. Avoiding foods that provoke acid reflux and restricting alcohol or caffeine in the evening is not enough to maintain a healthy sleep pattern. Scientists have found a proven connection between meal timings and sleep, which demonstrates that meal timing sometimes is more important than its macronutrient composition. Clear, determined feeding-fasting windows encourage robust circadian rhythms, which have positive effects on sleep. Eating during the daylight hours and an extended overnight fasting period keep us lean, healthy and prime the body for rest and repair at night.
The timing of meals throughout the 24-hour cycle can help everyone with insomnia to return to a healthy sleep pattern. The problem is that most of us are eating and snacking in a time frame of more than 15-hours until late at night. Constant eating behaviour is a toxic habit for robust circadian rhythms and healthy sleep. It is the timing of your first and last meal that represents a critical synchronizer for the circadian timing system.
Time Restricted Eating, known as TRE, improves metabolic health and can cause weight loss as a possible side effect. Understanding the basics of TRE is another step towards healthy sleep. I am not promoting any specific diet concepts, but I am advocating the maintenance of healthy circadian rhythms with a clearly defined feeding and fasting window. You can choose whatever diet works best for you as long as it contains whole food and doesn't deprive the body of essential vitamins and minerals.
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