"In September, I published a column that laid out the design of my morning protocol, which uses the best available research to manage my mood-especially my natural negativity-and optimize my creativity and productivity. The six steps I detailed there have dramatically enhanced my quality of life. Since that column, many readers have inquired about how to design other parts of the day, particularly the evening. This column outlines the evening protocol I have developed to match my morning one."
"Its goal is different. I want to start the day in a way that regulates, in a downward direction, my negative affect and regulates upward the energy and focus I need to write and teach effectively. In contrast, the architecture of the evening protocol aims to create a calm, positive mood and prepare me for sleep. Achieving that is especially challenging for me because I am by nature a poor sleeper and because I need to travel almost every week,"
An evening protocol aims to create a calm, positive mood and prepare for sleep. The protocol prioritizes finishing the last meal well before bedtime; eating too close to sleep worsens sleep latency and quality. Alcohol tends to harm sleep quality and late-day caffeine should be avoided. Frequent travel, changing time zones, sleeping in unfamiliar places, and intrinsic poor sleep complicate implementation. The protocol represents an ideal rather than a daily norm for many people. A research-based evening routine can improve mood and sleep and serve as a starting point for individualized adjustments.
Read at The Atlantic
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