It’s a new year! 2024, no less, almost a quarter of a century into the 21st, which seemed so shiny and new not so long ago. At least, that’s how it seems to me, I guess that means I’m old. My youngest, who is now a functioning adult of 21, was born two years into the new century, so she has never known any other. Not that the other two are likely to remember much of the nineties. But I digress.

If your social media feed, or indeed your newspaper or TV, are anything like mine, they are full of exhortations to make resolutions and have THIS BE THE YEAR that they finally happen. Gyms are full in January and half empty again by February, much to the relief of the regulars. Dry January appears to be a thing as well, and I hope it works well for those who need it, especially if they have some regrets about December.

For myself, my drug of choice has never been alcohol, much as I enjoy a nice glass of wine or a fun cocktail, but rather sugar. In particular, when my body is craving sleep, I tend to self-medicate with unnecessary food – the sweeter the better. It’s been an issue my entire life, and I come from a long line of diabetics, so as I get older, it becomes more urgent to get this particular gremlin under control. 

So, while I am not a fan of New Year’s Resolutions in general, and especially not the way they often get monetized, I do have one this year. I am going to take one, just one, of Brendan Burchard’s 3-2-1-Sleep habits, and I am going to make it an unbreakable rule in my life (barring special circumstances, such as Shabbat or holidays). By doing so, I hope not only to improve my sleep habits, but also to cut back on the amount of sugar I ingest.

Here are his habits for a good sleep:

3 hours before bed – no food

2 hours before bed – no work

1 hour before bed – no screens.

The last is undoubtedly the hardest. The middle one I usually already keep, unless I’m on a deadline. But I am going to focus on the first, and make it such an ingrained habit in my life that I would never consider doing anything else (again, barring Shabbat or holidays).

It’s going to be a challenge, but I know I’ve broken bad habits before (I used to be a smoker), and I’m confident I can do this as well.

Would you like to come on this journey with me? I’d love an accountability buddy. Drop me a message!