FIX YOUR SLEEP
You’ve dialed in the diet. You’re eating clean, tracking your macros, and training with the intensity of a man half your age. But there is a leak in your engine.
If your sleep sucks, your progress will eventually stall. You treat your workouts with respect, but you treat your rest like an afterthought. You stay up late, ignore the schedule, and hit the pillow snoring like an F1 engine—a clear sign that your recovery is compromised.
Here is the hard truth for the 50-plus athlete: You cannot out-diet or out-train poor sleep.
Sleep is the biological foundation of everything we are trying to build. It’s when your testosterone resets, your muscles repair from those lunges and wall balls, and your brain flushes out the toxins of the day. Without it, you aren’t a savage; you’re just a tired man running on fumes.
The Protocol:
• Respect the Schedule: Your body craves rhythm. In bed by 10 PM, every night.
• Quiet the Engine: Address the snoring. Whether it's weight management, side-sleeping, or breathwork, an "F1 engine" in the bedroom means you aren't getting deep, oxygenated rest.
• The Foundation First: Before you buy another supplement, buy a blackout curtain.
My 80/20 Approach to Sleep
I’ll be the first to admit: I’m not a 100% disciplined sleep monk. Life happens. But from Sunday to Thursday, I run a tight ship. I’m up at 5:20 AM from Monday to Friday, which means my evening routine prior is non-negotiable.
My sweet spot? 7 to 7.5 hours of sleep. Six hours leaves me depraved; eight feels like overkill. I don’t just watch the clock; I measure by how I feel—my energy levels, mental alertness, and how my muscles are recovering from the day’s load. Everyone’s "magic number" is different. Find yours and protect it.
The Countdown (Sundays – Thursdays)
• 1930 HRS: First alarm. I knock back 500ml of water. This is the strategic window—it hydrates the engine for the night but gives me enough time to flush the excess before lights out.
• 2000 HRS: Second alarm. The environment shifts. I crank the AC down to 22°C. A cool room is the signal for deep recovery. Screens go off; if I’m lucky, I’ll flip through a few pages of a real book.
The Sleep Cocktail
I don’t just "go to bed." I supplement with intent.
• With Dinner: 100mg Magnesium Glycinate.
• 15 to 20 minutes before bed time: A small 200ml glass of water with electrolytes to wash down the heavy hitters: 500mg Magnesium Glycinate, 3g Glycine, and 200mg L-Theanine. This isn't just about sleeping; it’s about nervous system repair.
The Gear
• Grounding: I use a grounding sheet. It’s simple—it plugs into the wall’s grounding pin. I make sure my feet are touching the sheet directly. It might sound "woo-woo" to some, but I’m looking for every edge in recovery.
• Mouth Taping: I use thin surgical tape to keep the mouth mostly shut. It’s not a total seal—I need a "safety valve" in case I cough—but it forces nasal breathing.
• Nasal Strips: I’m currently experimenting here. It might be a placebo, it might be real progress. I’ll give it a few more nights before I call it a permanent part of the kit.
The Reality Check
Is this 100% perfect? No. But doing this 5 days a week means I’m winning 80% of the time. On the weekends, I let go and live a little. I can’t imagine myself constantly stressed about the blueprints.
Commit to the 80%. Protect the foundation.
Stop negotiating with your recovery. Head down. Eyes closed. Build the engine.
