Sleep Your Way to the Top
The secret to reaching your career goals is simple: learn to sleep better.
Most of us need around eight hours of good quality sleep a night to function properly. But according to CV Library, a colossal 56.8% of us are getting between just 5–7 hours. We’re in the midst of a ‘sleep deprivation epidemic’.
Plenty of experts agree that sleep can do wonders for productivity. Things like improvement in memory and better decision-making are the short-term benefits. And in the long-term, getting enough sleep can go as far as helping to prevent burnout.
For me, a lack of sleep means my focus goes completely out the window. I yawn in meetings, my memory is non-existent, and I take 60% more tea breaks to keep me going (not to mention the weight of my eye bags visibly dragging me down.)
When we sleep better, we feel better, and ultimately, we work better. So, with that in mind, here are a few tried and tested tips for getting a better night’s rest. Sleeping your way to the top is easier than it sounds!
5 Tips for a Better Night’s Sleep 😴
- Set the mood.
The NHS says that “winding down is a critical stage in preparing for bed.” So, giving ourselves time to decompress from the day is essential. The best way to do this is by allocating specific time to relax and switch off before bedtime. Light reading or a warm bath are top picks from sleep experts, but relaxation can take whatever form works best for you. - Dim the lights.
It sounds obvious, but too much light can impact the quality of our sleep. Bright lights before bed throw off our body clock and disrupt when we naturally get sleepy. One of the best nighttime routines is to gradually darken your bedroom room throughout the evening. Obviously, dimmer switches aren’t an option for everyone. But even using a lamp or just avoiding the glare from a computer screen can help. - Put the phone away.
Like most of us, I’m a victim to sleeping with my phone. Our phones are designed to keep us engaged, so time apart from them can help our minds to wind down. Not just that, but the blue light that smartphones emit has been proven to throw off our internal body clock — madness! The National Sleep Foundation recommends we stop using electronic devices at least 30-minutes before bed. The longer without, the better. - Pillow talk.
Having the right pillow is everything. Pillows can be a constant source of frustration for a lot of people. Interestingly, there’s a lot of advice that suggests different sleeping positions require different pillows. For example, if you sleep on your side, a thicker pillow is best because it can support the head and neck better. Or if you sleep on your back, a pillow that’s lower in height is best because it better supports your spine. - Pick up meditation.
Meditation helps settle the mind. I’ve used Headspace’s sleepcasts for years to help relieve some of the mind chatter going on. Headspace says that “in scientific terms, meditation helps to lower the heart rate…and encourage slower breathing, thereby increasing the prospect of a quality night’s sleep.” That’s all I need to hear!
These are a few of our best tips, but there’s a ton of excellent sleeping advice out there. If you have any other sleeping tips, or just want to share your story of how sleep affects your productivity, let us know in the comments below! 💤😴
