Whether you’ve noticed how sleep and your health coincide or not, the more quality sleep you get, the better many aspects of your overall health will be. Sleep deprivation can lead to decreased productivity, emotional instability, and a lowered ability to communicate effectively.
Productivity and Sleep
It’s recommended adults get between 7-8 hours of sleep per night. Unfortunately, with today’s demanding lifestyles and responsibilities, most professionals are only getting about 6.5 hours on average.
In almost any business, productivity and success go hand in hand. Using master data management systems will help track and align shopping trends and consumer needs, but if the staff isn’t able to perform, your business can suffer as a result. Sleep deprivation has a direct impact on focus, drive, and motivation.
Improve Your Sleep
So if you know how getting more and/or better sleep can help you, take steps to start getting more quality sleep. Even though you can’t control some factors that interfere with your sleep, there are things you can do to help encourage better sleep.
Create A Sleep Schedule
- When you create a routine, your body knows what to expect when. Creating a sleep schedule, going to bed, and waking up at the same time every day, helps to solidify your body’s wake/sleep cycle. Remember to be consistent; you should follow your new routine every night, not just on a weekday or workday.
- You should fall asleep within 20 minutes of laying down. If you find that you are taking longer before drifting off, get up. Don’t distract yourself in bed with the countless gadgets available to you. Instead, get up, leave the room, and do something relaxing. This would be a good time to catch up on the book you’re reading, meditate, or listen to soothing music. Return to your bedroom when you’re feeling tired.
Food Factors
- Be mindful of what you eat or drink. Nicotine, caffeine, and alcohol all take hours to wear off. This can cause a disturbance to you either when you are falling asleep, or wake you later in the night, interrupting your sleep.
- You don’t want to try to sleep on an empty stomach; feeling hungry can keep you from getting your needed slumber. On the other hand, you also don’t want to go to bed after over-indulging because feeling stuffed can have the same effect on your sleep. Avoid having a heavy meal or a lot to eat within a couple of hours of going to bed.
Tranquil Atmosphere
- In order to have a good night’s sleep, create an atmosphere in your bedroom that fosters tranquility. The best sleeping conditions are quiet, dark, and cool. Make sure when you are trying to go to bed, your room is void of bright lights. This includes eliminating screens such as electronics including a television.
Nix The Naps
- As tempting as it may be, or as tired as you may feel during the day, giving in to the urge to grab a nap during the day will interfere with your ability to sleep at night. Think of how much better you will feel having a solid sleep overnight versus a quick nap during the day.
Bedtime Routine
- Create a calming routine that you do every night to prepare for going to bed. What’s important is doing what works best for you. You want to avoid vigorous exercise, but gentle stretching or doing something you find relaxing is what you’re aiming for.
Whatever you choose to do to create your ideal sleeping environment and routine, the important part is sticking to it. Once you have your established sleep schedule, reap the benefits of waking up refreshed and ready to take on the world.