Ahoy!
At MFF, we pride ourselves on not only giving a shit, but actually tracking measurable outcomes.
It’s all well and good to care about our Ninjas. But if you ask me, that’s just table stakes. We’re committed to supporting our Ninjas in actually succeeding with their goals.
We recently surveyed our members to see how MFF has impacted their fitness. All in all, we were pretty thrilled with the results.
One big takeaway?
We LOVE to hear that MFF has helped almost all Ninjas be more motivated to work out.
- “I have been more motivated to work out.” – 94% (360/384)
- “I have seen increased consistency in my fitness.” – 81.5% (312/384)
- “I have noticed an increased feeling of community.” – 80.2% (307/384)
- Out of Ninjas seeking fat loss, 79.3% have seen measurable results (188/237)
- Out of Ninjas seeking improved biomarkers (blood pressure, cholesterol, etc.), 95% have seen measurable results (323/340)
93.75% of Ninjas also gave us a “9-10” for how likely they are to refer us to a friend (360/384).
And of the handful that scored us lower, there was usually a reason like “My friends would not be a fit for unicorn fitness.” Which we totally get haha.
Pretty cool, right?
But let me share one not-so-great data point…
- “I have noticed better sleep.” – 42.8% (164/384)
OUCH. 
Now obviously this is a broad statement. And some Ninjas may have already been satisfied with their sleep. Furthermore, pandemic.
Nonetheless, it’s got my wheels turning.
As a review, here are the Four Pillars of Fitness:
- Movement
- Nutrition
- Recovery
- Mindset
It’s great to hear that 94% of Ninjas feel more motivated to work out (mindset).
We’re also seeing strong scores in increased consistency, which suggests more movement, and lots of success in fat loss and blood work, which means improvements in nutrition.
But while recovery is a big bucket, sleep is obviously a crucial element. While we have to consider the aforementioned caveats, it will ONLY be a good idea for us to place more emphasis on sleep.
After all, according to health.gov, here are just some of the benefits of dialing in your sleep:
- Get sick less often
- Stay at a healthy weight
- Lower your risk for serious health problems, like diabetes and heart disease
- Reduce stress and improve your mood
- Think more clearly and do better in school and at work
- Get along better with people
- Make good decisions and avoid injuries – for example, sleepy drivers cause thousands of car accidents every year
I don’t know about you, but I’m raising my hand over here for pretty much all of these…
So to that end, I want to share a collection of tips and tricks to improve your sleep.
Before I dive in, two qualifications…
First, you are not fragile. In most humans’ lives, you’ll have a season(s) of wonky sleep: a particularly busy time at work, raising small humans, or a transient but emotionally difficult situation. You won’t get lots of perfect sleep during these periods. That’s ok. Just do your best.
Second, if you’re convinced you have to make do on minimal sleep semi-permanently because of professional demands, you’ll need to base that decision on your personal values. I’m not saying it’s “wrong.” But committing to sleep deprivation as a lifestyle will have a negative impact on your health and well-being.
7 Tips for Better Sleep
1) Be in bed for 7.5-8.5 hours to make 7-8 hours a possibility. Sleeping a full night when you’re only in bed for six hours just isn’t going to happen. Furthermore, you won’t be asleep the entire time you’re in bed. If possible, plan on 30-60 minutes to unwind and actually fall asleep.
2) Keep a consistent bedtime and wake up time. I struggled with this one for YEARS. I have no words to describe how my life has improved since finally getting this right. I fall asleep more easily because my body is “trained” to go to sleep, and I rarely need an alarm clock to wake up.
3) Invest in making your bed a sanctuary. Tricking out your bedroom for sleep greatness is one of the best investments you can make. A quality mattress and quality sheets can be a gamechanger. Bonus points for trying out a weighted blanket.
4) Invest in making your bedROOM a sanctuary. Consider getting blackout curtains so your room is pitch black while sleeping. If you live somewhere with lots of noise (New York!), consider using a white noise machine. Use a lavender spray as part of our unwind routine to train that smell as a sleep cue.
5) Keep your bedroom cool. If it’s possible, keep your bedroom in the mid-60’s. If you’re a very hot sleeper, look into a Chilipad (essentially a reverse electric blanket that keeps your bed cool). Pro Tip: A hot shower before bed will actually lower your body temperature and help you sleep.
6) Get off all screens at least 60 minutes before bed. Many computers and smartphones will now automatically start blocking blue light after a certain time of night. Even so, best to get away from your electronics at least 60 minutes before bed. Doing some reading of a physical book is a classic move for your pre-bed unwind ritual.
7) Moderate your alcohol and caffeine consumption. Sadly alcohol will always reduce the quality of your sleep. You may feel like it gets you sleepier, but alas, it’s not our friend if the goal is optimal sleep. And no secrets here: caffeine, especially consumed later in the day, can negatively impact your sleep quality. Moderate your consumption of both. And the further away from bedtime, the better.
Like any attempt at behavior change, it’s usually best to change one thing at a time. As you take a gander at the above list, don’t feel as if you need to overhaul everything all at once.
But by slowly layering in some of these habits, you’ll see your sleep quality improve over time. And you’ll feel more awesome all day long!
Cuddling up with you in your bed,
Mark