Click here for the full written transcript of this podcast episode.
Meet Nick Littlehales.
I first mentioned Nick back in podcast episode #326, in which I talked about a Guardian article entitled “The Man Who Showed Cristiano Ronaldo How To Sleep”. The article featured a sleep coach who works with elite athletes from around the globe using very advanced sleep hacking tactics, like customized mattress toppers, HEPA air filters fitted over hotel room vents, and advanced sleeping positions.
That coach is Nick, and he is my guest on today's podcast.
Nick has over 30 years experience in the world of sleep, sleeping habits, and product design and over 15 years dedicated to elite athletes and professional sport.
A former professional golfer, International Sales & Marketing Director of the Slumberland Group and Chairman of the UK Sleep Council, Nick has conducted practical and clinical research projects into the varied sleeping habits adopted by the modern day sleeper and athlete. His unique, passionate, techniques, products and proven approach are endorsed by leading professionals in world sport and business.
During our discussion, you'll discover:
-Hidden sources of light in places like hotel rooms that can massively disrupt sleep…
-A hack to keep the air conditioner from drying out the air and inhibiting recovery while you sleep…
-The best way to use natural light to awake, even if you're using black-out curtains and a sleep mask…
-Exactly how to determine your ideal sleeping position based on whether you are right or left hand dominant…
-Why Nick recommends strategies such as special filters placed over air-conditioning vents to remove allergens from the room and nasal strips to open airways and avoid mouth-breathing…
-The exact number of 90 minute sleep cycles you need to try to achieve each week…
-The best way to quantitatively measure your sleep using sleep monitoring systems…
-And much more!
Resources from this episode:
–SportSleepCoach.com (Nick's website), where you can use code BEN10 to get 10% discount on any Sleep Profile Consult 1.1 & Elite Recovery Consult, which are virtual tools available to anyone globally.
-Article: “Is Your Mattress Slowly Killing You.”
-Previous podcast with Joe Zelk: “A Hidden Sleep Killer That Flies Under The Radar (And What You Can Do About It)”
–Black polyethylene sheeting for windows
–Lightweight portable HEPA air filter
–Rhinomed turbine nasal dilator
–Readibands for measuring and quantifying sleep
Do you have questions, comments or feedback about these advanced sleep hacking tactics used by the world's most elite athletes? Leave your thoughts below, and be sure to visit SportSleepCoach.com (Nick's website), where you can use code BEN10 to get 10% discount on any Sleep Profile Consult 1.1 & Elite Recovery Consult, which are virtual sleep enhancing tools available to anyone globally.
15 Responses
How does the benefit of a HEPA air filter compare with the benefits of an air ionizer and an ozonator?
Hi Ben and Nick :) any tips on how to get better sleep when sleeping with a significant other who doesn’t believe/care about putting the phone on airplane mode and leaving the phone outside of the bedroom or any other sleep hygiene too improve sleep? :(
I would find some articles providing information on why nnEMF can affect cells negatively.
Whenever I see people like Nick pushing specific expensive products, my mind asks” how much do they pay him to promote their goods?” I have a cynical mind and know that in the health business people push all sorts of stuff simply because they are paid to do so. I would be very cautious indeed about anything that involves large outlays of cash.
I loved this podcast and it’s been wonderfully useful. However I’m really struggling to find what Nick soda about pillows, did he recommend we don’t use them? If so why?
1. Ben – love the show. Can you share who did your intro song?
2. So I understand I might aim for X number of cycles in 24 hours, with X being as many equal to as many as 5 cycles in 24 hours. How would you suggest one transitions to such a cycle when they currently sleep 8 hours/day and need to be working approximately 8a-8p Mon-Fri?
Intro song was a private firm I hired to do it. A guy named Novica Bozunovich. Regarding your sleep cycles, as long as you get 35 by the end of the week, and preferably 4-5 at a time when you do sleep, it's not super important when it actually happens!
I would have like to hear he's thoughts on the EarthPulse
Fascinating, thanks!