Go Back to Bed [Rebroadcast]

What does a good night’s sleep have to do with retirement planning? Listen to this episode to find out.

Today we’ll explore an article from Andrea Peterson over at the Wall Street Journal titled, To Get a Better Night’s Sleep, First Fix Your Day. After discussing how to apply her advice to retirement, we’ll tackle Bill’s questions. Since he has a few questions I’m trying something new and answering them in a lightning round style. Stick around until the end to discover if this method worked or if it was a flop.

What does a good night’s sleep have to do with retirement planning? Listen to this episode to find out. Click To Tweet

Outline of This Episode

[1:22] Findings from pandemic related sleep problems
[6:45] How journaling can help you sleep better
[11:00] When should Bill take Social Security?
[11:55] Should he take the lump sum or the lifetime annuity?

What do pandemic-related sleep problems have to do with retirement?

The pandemic has reduced the quality of many people’s sleep. Andrea Peterson opens her article with the results of a March 2021 study that concluded that more than half of participants struggled to fall or stay asleep, about half are sleeping less, and more than a third complained of experiencing disturbing dreams.

The author quotes a professor who stated that the reduction of sleep quality could be due to the stress, isolation, and reduction in physical activity brought on by the pandemic.

When I read that I realized that those are all typical aspects of retirement, so I wanted to explore the solutions with my listeners.

There are numerous health and mental problems that are exacerbated by lack of sleep, so it is important to sleep well. Click To Tweet

What you can do to improve sleep quality

There are numerous health and mental problems that are exacerbated by lack of sleep, so it is important to take measures to ensure that you get the recommended 7-9 hours of sleep per night.

Wake up right

We often don’t think about how waking up can contribute to sleep quality. It is important to wake up around the same time each day and then expose yourself to as much bright light as you can as soon as possible. This action helps to regulate your circadian rhythm.

Move more and turn your pandemic brain off

Many people now have their brains turned ‘on’ for too long. People are also less active now than they were before the pandemic. For optimal sleep, the brain and body need a clear distinction between daily activity and nightly rest. Morning exercise can help promote daytime alertness.

Watch what you drink

Caffeine intake can contribute to poor sleep, so it is important to avoid caffeine in the afternoon. Many do this by only drinking coffee or tea in the morning, but they fail to limit afternoon consumption of sodas or chocolate. It is also important to understand the effects that drinking alcohol has on the body. Initially, alcohol can make people sleepy, but after about 3-4 hours the drink is metabolized and can spur the body awake.

Journaling is a great way to end your day! Click To Tweet

Avoid naps

Naps can ruin your sleep, so if you must take one, limit it to 20 minutes or less.

Reduce stress

Hopefully, retirement will do this for you!

Try journaling

Keeping a journal by your bedside is a great way to help you wind down at night. You can use it to let go of the day’s worries and to end the day with a gratitude list.

Make sure to listen in to hear the tools I use to help me get a good night’s sleep. You’ll also hear the answers to Bill’s questions on taking Social Security and a pension.