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I am officially a mess.

What's wrong With you?

I went to bed at 2:00 a.m. watching random videos about why giraffes don't need much sleep. And guess what? My brain is on airplane mode. No, scratch that. It's on low battery mode.

I think you just described the morning routine of half our listeners. How many of you out there have ever promised yourself, "Tonight I'll sleep early," then only find yourself deep diving into cat videos, conspiracy theories, or learning about giraffe sleep cycles?

Hey, it was very educational, but yeah, I feel personally attacked.

Well, let me return the favor. Let me guess. When you woke up, your brain felt foggy, your body felt like it had been hit by a truck, and for the first 5 minutes, you couldn't even remember your own name.

Wow. Are you secretly watching me?

Nope. Just experience. Keep watching because today we're diving into uncovering hacks that can make you smarter, sharper, and more creative. These hacks will optimize your sleep and make your brain function more efficiently.

I like where this is going because if I can wake up every day feeling like a genius, I am so in.

Let's get into it.

Okay, so I know sleep is important, but let's be honest. Sometimes it feels like a waste of time. Like, why do we need so many hours just lying there unconscious? Can't we just, I don't know, take a short nap and call it a day?

Absolutely not. Sleep isn't just about resting your body. It's when your brain does some of its most important work.

Oh, you mean when my brain decides to replay every embarrassing moment from my childhood at 3:00 a.m.?

That's one function of the brain, I suppose. But I was actually talking about memory consolidation, problem-solving, and creative thinking.

Studies show that during sleep, especially in the REM stage, your brain is organizing everything you learned during the day, making connections, and even solving problems without you realizing it.

Oh, I know what REM stage is. Let me give listeners some useful information. The REM stage, or rapid eye movement stage, is an important part of sleep. When dreaming happens, the brain is very active, but the body stays still.

Completely correct. REM starts about 90 minutes after you fall asleep and happens several times a night, lasting longer in the early morning. It helps with memory, learning, and emotional health.

Informative. And yeah, I've totally experienced that. There have been times when I was stuck on a problem, then after a good night's sleep, boom, the answer just popped into my head like magic.

See, sleep is like a cheat code for your brain. It even helps you regulate emotions. That's why when you're sleep-deprived, everything feels 10 times worse.

Oh, 100%. I once stayed up for two days straight, and by the end of it, I was this close to crying over a missing sock.

I can't believe it. You need to be careful. I found crazy information from the American Heart Association. People who sleep less than 5 hours a night have three times the risk of having a stroke compared to those who get 7 hours. Moreover, adults who sleep less than 6 hours a night have a 200% higher risk of developing depression and anxiety. That statistic comes from Harvard Medical School.

That's wild. Anyway, each person has their own habits. Just telling listeners to go to sleep will not be effective. It is only effective when we really know how to make that sleep really help us have a smarter brain.

Today you really sound like a good host, Leo.

Hey, don't mock me. I officially want better sleep. But here's the thing: I feel like I've tried everything already. Warm tea, check. Counting sheep, check.

Well, that last one might not be the most effective method. But don't worry, we've got science-backed hacks that actually work.

All right, hit me with them. But if one of these involves giving up my midnight phone scrolling, I might cry.

Well, about that. You know how you stare at your phone right before bed and then somehow 2 hours disappear?

Lies. I would never. Okay, yes, I do that every night.

That's the problem. Blue light from screens tricks your brain into thinking it's still daytime, which messes up your melatonin production. That means you take longer to fall asleep, your sleep quality drops, and the next morning you feel like a zombie.

Uh, so that's why I wake up feeling like I've been hit by a truck?

Yep. Try using night mode on your devices. Or better yet, put the phone down at least 30 minutes before bed.

Put the phone down, Gwen? That's like asking me to give up oxygen.

Okay, okay, baby steps. Try blue light blocking glasses instead. At least pretend to care about your brain health.

I get it. No more staring at my phone at 2 a.m. But honestly, I need something to do before bed. I can't just lie there and wait to fall asleep.

That's fair. So what's your game plan?