In this column I share articles, books, research, and thoughts related to the science of self-help, along with experiments and random rabbit holes I’ve gone down across the previous month.

I took a lot of time off this month and felt super burned out.

Nevertheless, I finally got around to formalizing a morning and bedtime routine. Building off a lot of previous experimentation and behaviors I’ve implemented regarding sleep, I saw these habits as the last few necessary additions. As a result, I find myself tentatively becoming a morning person - naturally, without alarms, waking up at around 6:30 am - 7 am. Not super hardcore “5 am mornings” but as a lifelong night owl, that’s a huge change, and it’s one that stuck through one of those inevitable life interruptions - my first flight (a visit to Seattle) since the start of the pandemic.

Lydia has also really been getting into periodization and running, which had me contemplating what such a program would look like in other fields, like meditation. I feel it provides a bird’s eye view of what a robust training paradigm should look like on the path to mastering any skill.

Interesting Stuff

Hedonic Calendaring. A method to connect planning with flow states
How to counter online distraction with meditation [The Guardian]
The secret to hosting well [NPR]
You don’t have to be an Olympian to prioritize mental health [NPR]
What does good sleep actually mean and what factors affect it [Honeybee]
How to get good at running [Reddit]
Interoception, the hidden sense that shapes wellbeing [The Guardian]

Research

The perfect vacation length is 8 days [article | research]
Super-somnulent mental strategies - serial diverse imaging and cognitive shuffling. Some great research on how to fall asleep. [article | research | app]
Sleep Restriction Therapy (SRT) [article]
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy for Insomnia (ACT-I) [article]

Social

How to become a morning person [Reddit]
Why I don’t particularly like the idea of “stoner” meditation [Reddit]
How meditation can practically help you in your career [Reddit]
How to eliminate brain fog [Reddit]
Tips on developing social skills [Reddit]
How to change a habit when you can’t change a cue/trigger [Reddit]
Why sleep hygiene should be fitted to the individual [Reddit]
Meditating with ADHD - how to deal with mind wandering and difficulties establishing daily practice [Reddit]

Miscellaneous and Esoteric

How watching old Disney movies can help us find quiet magic in our everyday lives [CBC Canada]

If you’ve got any interesting links, books, comments, or suggestions, shoot me an email at scienceofselfhelp (at) gmail.com. I’d love to hear from you!