Maybe I'm Onto Something

Stardate 09.05.2026

Something unexpected showed up on my phone this morning when I checked my sleep report.

An 86.

Samsung Health placed me in the excellent range.

That surprised me.

I'm away from home. A heat wave is pushing temperatures into the 100º range, and I'm spending a lot of time outdoors. My to-do list is massive. My surroundings are different from what I'm accustomed to.

I would have expected those circumstances to affect my sleep.

Apparently, they haven't.

For me, feedback like a nightly sleep report helps me understand how I can keep improving, especially when I'm living outside my comfort zone.

I've been thinking about what's happening in my life right now, and one word keeps coming to mind:

Consistency.

I've established a few habits that help me prepare for sleep each night.

I keep a consistent bedtime. I don't watch television. I follow a steady eating routine. I have a preparation routine before going to bed that includes laying out my clothes for the next day and setting out my supplements.

I also continue my daily prayers and meditation.

These habits travel with me.

I'm not sleeping in my own bed. I'm dealing with extreme heat. My days are full, and my surroundings have changed.

My routines remain part of my daily rhythm.

Maybe that's one of the lessons I'm learning as I continue this journey.

The habits we establish can become part of us. They can come along when life takes us somewhere unfamiliar.

Psalm 90:17 says:

“May the favor of the Lord our God rest on us; establish the work of our hands for us—yes, establish the work of our hands.”

I like that word.

Establish.

There is something encouraging about doing the small things repeatedly and then seeing an unexpected glimpse of what those efforts may be producing.

Sometimes the evidence shows up on a phone screen at 4:24 in the morning.

86.

Excellent.

Maybe I'm onto something.

Join me here:

https://substack.com/@michaelmulliganlivelong

Captain's Addendum

Spock: “Michael, the data suggests your sleep habits are functioning effectively under variable environmental conditions.”

Bones: “Spock, he's looking at a sleep score at 4:24 in the morning. Let the man enjoy his 86.”

Spock: “I believe that is precisely what I am recommending, Doctor.”

I smiled when I read that number.

Maybe the best evidence of progress isn't always dramatic. Sometimes it is simply noticing that something you've been working on is beginning to work.

And then you get to keep going.