🌿 Cheatsheet: Sleep, Fitness and Energy: Your Physical Foundation

By Better Wise

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One-page lookup card for the whole course. Every entry maps to a lesson. Use the tables to decide, the bullets to act.

Module 1: Sleep and Energy Foundations

1.1 Sleep Pressure and Your Circadian Clock

Two systems decide how sleepy you feel. They work together but are separate.

System What it is What drives it Practical lever
Sleep pressure (Process S) The "sleep debt" that builds while you are awake Time awake + how hard you worked your brain and body Stay awake long enough; take short naps instead of long ones
Circadian clock (Process C) A roughly 24-hour internal rhythm Light, mainly morning light, plus meal and activity timing Anchor it with light, meals, and wake time 
flowchart LR
    Wake["🌅<br/>Morning light"] --> Clock["🕒<br/>Circadian clock"]
    Clock --> Alert["⚡<br/>Alertness peak"]
    Awake["⏱️<br/>Hours awake"] --> Pressure["📈<br/>Sleep pressure"]
    Pressure --> Sleepy["😴<br/>Sleep drive"]
    Alert --> Bed["🛏️<br/>Bedtime window"]
    Sleepy --> Bed

Key facts:

  • Sleep pressure rises the longer you stay awake and drops during sleep.
  • The circadian clock sets a daily window of alertness and a window of sleepiness.
  • Morning bright light is the strongest anchor for the clock. Late bright light pushes the clock later.
  • A short nap (about 20 minutes) lowers sleep pressure without wrecking night sleep. Long late naps can.
  • Keeping a consistent wake time is the single easiest way to steady the clock.

1.2 Sleep Hygiene That Actually Moves the Needle

Ranked by impact, high to low. Start at the top.

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