Tom Brady: "My Wife Doesn’t Even Allow Cell Phones Near the Bed When We Sleep"

TIME YOUR EXERCISE RIGHT

Insomnia is often the result of not getting enough exercise. If you exercise at night, make sure it’s two to three hours before you go to sleep, since you don’t want to overstimulate your body and brain. If it’s night and you’re feeling awake, try drinking herbal tea anywhere from forty-five minutes to an hour before going to bed. I usually don’t have much of a problem going to sleep at night, as I’m pretty tired from that day’s activities.

PAY ATTENTION TO YOUR SLEEP ENVIRONMENT

Create a good pre-sleep routine to relax. Train your body to get into a rhythm by going to bed at a regular time, and turn off all your electronic devices a half hour before you go to sleep. If there’s a TV in your bedroom, consider putting it somewhere else. It’s a bedroom, not a tech cave. My wife doesn’t even allow cell phones near the bed when we sleep.

TEMPERATURE MATTERS

Stay cool—the ideal temperature in your room should be around 65 degrees Fahrenheit, or 18.5 degrees Celsius. I like my room cool, dark, and as quiet as possible to make sure I get a great night’s sleep.

SO DOES CLEANLINESS

Keep your bedroom clean, and make sure it gets enough fresh air. Contaminants like animal dander and dust can interfere with proper breathing and sleep. Consider putting a plant in your bedroom, as plants create moisture, filter out carbon monoxide and other chemicals, and pump more oxygen into the environment. You might also invest in a negative ion generator. Negative ion generators, which produce air molecules supercharged with electrons, enhance respiratory function, filter out indoor air pollutants, and guard against mold and bacteria. If the air in your bedroom is too dry, a warm mist humidifier is a smart idea, since it doesn’t need a filter and uses tap water.

KEEP THE NOISE DOWN

Create the quietest environment you can, or use a sound machine. Eliminating noise keeps your sleep uninterrupted—the quieter the better.

DON’T SKIMP ON YOUR MATTRESS OR YOUR BEDDING

Invest in a good mattress. If you can, avoid synthetic materials in your sheets, pillowcases, blankets, or duvets. When I was younger, I didn’t care what I slept on. But realizing one-third of my life is spent sleeping, I decided to invest more in my mattress, and I’ve realized the benefits from a better night’s sleep. Now a good mattress is important wherever I go, as I’m always trying to find something that’s comfortable and allows me to sleep as well as I possibly can.

Watch Brady’s interview with CBS’s Norah O’Donnell here.

Tom Brady: “My Wife Doesn’t Even Allow Cell Phones Near the Bed When We Sleep”