How to improve the quality of your sleep
Everyone knows that sleep is important, but it’s easy to overlook just how vital it can be to get a good night’s rest if you want to reach your maximum potential in the workplace.
While working schedules and work-related stress can negatively impact sleep, the opposite is also true. Lack of sleep not only leaves you feeling tired but also less creative and less able to focus.
Almost every system in the body is supported by sleep. As soon as we fall asleep our breathing slows, our muscles relax and the neurons in our brains switch to a sleeping state which begins the myriad biological processes that refresh our bodies and minds. Sleep provides essential rejuvenation for our cardiovascular and immune systems as well as our capacity to think clearly, learn new information and control our emotions.
Most of us are almost certainly sleep deprived, not achieving the recommended seven or more hours sleep per night and this fatigue inevitably bleeds into our working lives.
Insufficient sleep leads to our bodies functioning sub-optimally. Our brain neurons become overworked which impairs thinking, slows physical reactions and leaves us feeling emotionally drained. The short-term side effects of sleep deprivation can impact our daily work lives but chronic and long-term sleep deprivation can have drastic consequences such as increased risk of obesity, heart disease, cognitive decline and even dementia.
So, how do we improve the quality of our sleep?
Switch off electronics
It’s common in today’s digital age for people to spend time watching television or using their phones just before going to sleep, but this habit is not conducive to good sleep. Electronic devices produce blue light, which delays the body’s production of melatonin, commonly known as the sleep hormone. Experts recommend at least an hour’s downtime from screens before going to sleep.
Don’t drink before bed
Another common misconception is that a nightcap will help you have a restful night. The authors of a recent New York University study on sleep found that, while alcohol might help you drift off, it can have a disruptive impact on the rapid eye movement phase of sleep. Perhaps switch to a more calming bedtime drink such as camomile tea or hot milk,
If you’re struggling to sleep, get up
It might seem counter intuitive to get out of bed when you want to sleep, but spending hours tossing and turning can result in you associating your bed with insomnia.
New York University researcher Dr Rebecca Robbins advises: “It does take the healthy sleeper about 15 minutes to fall asleep, but [if it’s taking] much longer than that … make sure to get out of bed, change the environment and do something that’s mindless.”
Don’t assume five hours is enough
It’s common for busy professionals and business owners to assume five hours’ sleep is sufficient, but really you should be aiming for at least seven hours a night.
Dr Robbins suggests that, as well as impacting your daily performance at work, consistently sleeping for five hours or less can increase your risk of major health problems, such as cardiovascular disease and strokes.
Getting a good night’s rest can help business owners and professionals succeed at work, so how can you boost the quality of your sleep?
Image courtesy of: Kinga Cichewicz on Unsplash
