Sleep: The Lazy Superpower You Didn't Know You Had

On my 4th article on energy, I talk about Sleep.

You know what’s underrated? Sleep. You know what’s also free? Sleep. You know what we all love but refuse to get enough of? Yep—sleep. You know what has survived millions of years of evolution - sleep!!

If sleep were a person, it would be that patient friend who keeps knocking on your door saying, "Hey, I can make your life better if you just let me in," and you’re like, "Nah, I’m good, I’d rather scroll Instagram until my eyeballs dry out."

Sleep has also been stigmatised with being lazy!! Everyone wants to seem busy and one way to proclaim this is to show how little sleep we are getting!! How stupid!! Growing up, i read about all these “great” achievers who dont sleep much because there is lots to be done!! Consider 2 such people - Ronald Reagan and Margaret Thatcher, who both survived on very few hours. They were successful world leaders..surely we don’t need sleep!! They developed dementia in their later lives…..surely there must be a connection!!
And then there was Kumbhakarna - a sleeping giant who slept for months!!

But let’s get real. Sleep is not just important—it’s the VIP, the Don, the headliner of a healthy life. It affects everything: your memory, your mood, your ability to form complete sentences, and, most importantly, your ability to not snap at people for breathing too loudly (Oh is that called snoring).

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Science Says: Sleep Is Basically a Miracle Drug

You know how you wake up after 4 hours of sleep feeling like a zombie that got hit by a bus? Turns out, there's a reason for that. Studies show that sleep is the foundation of cognitive function, emotional regulation, and physical health.

• Memory & Learning: Sleep is like that “Save Game” button in your brain. Without it, everything you learned today gets flushed down the drain of forgetfulness.

• Crucial for muscle building: Adequate Sleep is crucial for building muscle, as it allows your body to repair and rebuild muscle tissue!!

  

• Mood & Sanity: Ever noticed how cranky toddlers get when they skip their nap? Turns out, adults are just taller toddlers.

• Heart & Metabolism: Sleep-deprived people have a higher risk of heart disease, diabetes, and, worst of all, eating an entire pizza at 2 AM just because “it’s there.”

• Productivity & Focus: A lack of sleep impairs decision-making. This is why you agreed to sign up for that 6 AM yoga class. (Yes I’m talking to you)

  

Take a look what experts say on this…here’s a short video by my friend Ritesh Bawri.

How to Sleep Like a Pro (AKA Like Your Cat)

So, how do we get better sleep? Here are a few foolproof techniques that don't involve counting sheep (surely that worked!!)

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1. Be a Creature of Habit

Go to bed and wake up at the same time every day. Yes, even on weekends. If that sounds awful, just think of it this way: your body loves consistency. It’s like a dog that expects its food at the exact same time every day.

2. Make Your Bedroom a Sleep Temple

• No bright lights. No TV. No laptop. Definitely no emails from your boss at 11 PM. I actually keep my phone in the other room (yes I might miss out on emergencies that have never occured in the past 50+ years) and we have never had a TV in our bedroom.

• Keep the room cool, dark, and quiet—basically, think "cave vibes" but with better pillows.

• Invest in a good mattress. You spend a third of your life on it—make it count!

3. Stop Being Best Friends With Your Phone at Night

The blue light from your phone tricks your brain into thinking it’s daytime. Which is why you say, “One more video,” and suddenly it’s 3 AM and you know everything about raccoon behavior in urban environments.

4. Caffeine: Know Your Limits

If you’re drinking coffee at 5 PM, you may as well kiss sleep goodbye. Cut off caffeine early, or be prepared to lie awake at night contemplating every embarrassing thing you’ve ever done since age six.

5. Exercise, But Not Right Before Bed

Working out is great for sleep. But doing jumping jacks at 11 PM? That’s just asking for trouble. Aim to finish exercise at least a few hours before bedtime, unless you want your heart rate to be doing the Macarena when you’re trying to snooze.

6. Try a Nighttime Ritual

• Warm tea? Check.

• Hot Shower? Check.

• Reading a book? Check.

• Meditating? Check.

• Watching one episode of a relaxing show? Okay… but when you hit “Next Episode” for the fourth time, just know you’ve lost the battle.

7. Don’t Nap Like a Lunatic

A 20-minute power nap? Great. A three-hour nap that confuses your soul and makes you wake up wondering what year it is? Not so great.

A technique that I use is to have a shot of espresso before the power nap; this way you wake up energetic and not groggy!!

8. Get Out of Bed If You Can’t Sleep

If you’ve been lying in bed for 30 minutes, tossing and turning like a rotisserie chicken, get up and do something calming. Just don’t turn on your phone or you’ll end up watching conspiracy theory videos about how birds aren’t real while aliens are!!

How much sleep does one need?

The golden rule: 7–9 hours for adults. Anything less, and you’re running on fumes. Teens and kids need even more because their bodies are growing—and because they need extra energy to argue with their parents about curfews.

Source: Sleep Foundation

During sleep, your body cycles through two phases: non-rapid eye movement (NREM) and rapid eye movement (REM) sleep, with each cycle lasting about 90-110 minutes and typically occurring 4-6 times per night. A sleep episode typically begins with N1 sleep, progressing through N2 and N3, and then into REM sleep. The cycle repeats throughout the night, with the time spent in each stage varying as the night progresses.

Have you ever had more than 8 hours of sleep and still woken up tired or groggy? It is because you woke up during N3 or REM sleep; perhaps someone woke you up or you heard your alarm that has woken up everyone in your neighbourhood, in the past 1 hour!!! Learn to wake up during the N1 cycle and the way to do it is to remember sleep cycles are about 90 minutes each!!

My mom always wakes up at 430AM and i have tried to emulate this and for the past 2 years, have woken up at 5AM. Even though I do have an alarm for this, Im awake right around this time. What times do you wake up??

Final Thoughts: Give Sleep the Respect It Deserves

Look, I get it. Sleep feels like a waste of time when there’s work to do, shows to binge, and midnight snacks to be eaten.

But here’s the truth: good sleep makes everything better. Your health, your mood, your ability to function like a civilized human being—it all starts with sleep.

So tonight, do yourself a favor: put your phone down, get cozy, and embrace the magic of sleep. Your future well-rested self will thank you.

Sweet dreams! 😴