A Stanford professor reveals the word game that switches his brain off at bedtime.
In this Quick Thinks episode, Matt Abrahams follows up on advice from guests from previous episodes. He combines advice from Dr. Cheri Mah, Sonja Lyubomirsky, Frances Frei, Nir Eyal, and Andrew Huberman into a simple “ABCDE” checklist. This episode answers the 5 questions that help Matt sleep better: how to handle worry, what to do in the hours before bed, how to quiet a racing mind, one breathing technique, and how to set up your bedroom.
Although Matt does admit that he doesn’t do the 5-step routine every night, he finds a super-interesting way to tie it all back to why sleep matters for performance and communication.
About Matt
Matt Abrahams is a leading communication expert, lecturer in organizational behavior at Stanford GSB, and host of the award-winning Think Fast, Talk Smart podcast. He has coached presenters at TED, the World Economic Forum, and the UN Secretary-General's office, and his online talks have garnered millions of views worldwide. He is the author of Think Faster, Talk Smarter and Speaking Up without Freaking Out, two bestselling guides to confident, spontaneous communication.
Key Quotes
• “Of the three components of communication hygiene, sleep is my nemesis.” - Matt Abrahams (00:26)
• "The body knows what the body needs." - Matt Abrahams (02:53)
• "Sleep not as the end of today but the beginning of tomorrow.” - Matt Abrahams (03:20)
Chapters
00:00 Introduction
01:05 A For Good Affect
01:53 B For Good Behaviour
02:37 C For Good Cognition
03:34 D For Good Deep Breathing
04:22 E For Good Environment
05:13 Conclusion
Relevant Links:
Dr. Cheri Mah: https://www.fastersmarter.io/guests/dr-cheri-mah/
Sonja Lyubomirsky: https://www.fastersmarter.io/guests/sonja-lyubomirsky/
Frances Frei: https://www.fastersmarter.io/guests/frances-frei/
Nir Eyal: https://www.fastersmarter.io/guests/nir-eyal/
Andrew Huberman: https://www.fastersmarter.io/guests/andrew-huberman/
Episode References:
Ep. 274. Choose Connection Over Perfection: Why Happiness Starts with Better Communication
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gUvdv1-mcCY
Ep. 287. Give It a Rest to Do Your Best: The Sleep Habits That Catalyze Your Communication
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e9cUCTcVNV8
Ep. 109. Trust Building: Why Your Ideas of Trust are Wrong & How to Fix Them
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yjMZ1sDqC8c
Ep. 270. Make Belief: The Mindset Shifts That Make Your Communication Stronger
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FyZ_WZTvNpg
Ep. 33. Rewiring Fear Into Excitement - Andrew Huberman’s Tips On Dealing With Anxiety
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uAadSbTyGVI
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