Do you believe that sleep is waste of time and 20 minutes power naps are for the birds? So if sleep is just a waste of time, how about being sleep deprived? Every new mother can attest to the fact the sleep deprivation is the pits and makes you feel like a zombie.
Sleep Deprivation Effects
Research has discovered that sleep deprivation leads to you being more irritable, forgetful and anxious as well to as a decrease of concentration, coordination and energy during your workday. Not the best way to become more productive and successful.
On a more personal level could your weight gain, rise in blood pressure, increased risk for diabetes and heart attacks can also be related to a lack of sleep.
In contrast that there is no way to add more hours to your day, you can add more hours of sleep to your day, or more specifically your night. You can catch up to the effects of sleep deprivation by changing your long term sleep pattern to include more hours of sleep.
Change Your Bedtime Routine
Your bedtime routine starts much earlier than your think. Are you aware that caffeine affects our sleep? Experiment with no more caffeine after 1 pm and see how you sleep.
Have a gradual wind down routine and shut down the laptop and quit reading e-mails at least one hour before bed. Instead engage in a relaxing activities such as reading (best is a physical book, not one on a screen), meditating or journalling to help wind down.
You might not be aware of it, but the last things you do before going to bed will affect your sleep as your brain is still processing the information and that is counter productive to a good sleep. If you find yourself constantly cramming in extra work just before bed, you seriously should reconsider how you are handling your schedule. If something still comes up, write it down so you won’t forget it and do it first thing in the morning.
Good sleep starts with eliminating bedtime procrastination. What does that mean? Do you find yourself constantly saying — just one more link, one more episode, one more page and then you will go to bed. This is all about exercising your willpower, because if you really want to reap the benefits of the extra sleep it is time to establish a bedtime routine and stick to it.
Have you ever considered that in addition to setting a wake up alarm to also set a bedtime alarm? So that when the alarm goes off you get the signal that it is time to go to bed.
Establishing a bedtime ritual means following a consistent pattern 7 days a week. You will be pleasantly surprised to discover that you fall asleep more easily, your sleep is more restful sleep and wake up more refreshed and ready to tackle your day.
We are told to exercise daily. Research shows that exercising in the morning or afternoon can also benefit your sleep. But exercising just before bedtime is actually detrimental to your sleep as it will make it harder for you to fall asleep. You will get the best sleep if you follow your circadian rhythms of your biological body clock.
Just as important as getting enough natural light and sunlight during the day, it’s also critical to turn off all lights at night and to darken your room. That includes turning the TV off, if you have it in your bedroom and leaving your cell phone in a drawer or even better don’t even bring it into the bedroom. That way you won’t be tempted to respond to it.
To see if your routine changes work, keep track of your sleep quality. Just like in your business, how can you make improvement and changes if you don’t know the trouble spots. Keep a sleep journal and see what you did on the previous day that interfered with a good night’s sleep and make adjustments. No two people are alike, there is no one size fits all rule.
The article is a compilation of tips gathered from the following sleep and productivity related articles:
- Sleep: why successful entrepreneurs snooze more and work less from Entreprneur.com
- 6 strategies to sleep soundly, wake rested, and accomplish more by Michael Hyatt
- The entrepreneur’s guide to shut-eye: 10 tips for better sleep
- Sleep deprivation is killing you and your career by Dr. Travis Bradberry
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