A good night’s sleep can help you succeed in business and in life!
People say you shouldn’t sleep your way to the top. We say you should definitely sleep your way up the corporate ladder. We’re big believers in the work hard, rest harder mindset (that’s how it goes, right?). Studies have shown that the better rested you are, the more productive you’re able to be, which kind of goes without saying.
Here are some effects sleep has on your success and tips to help you make the most out of the sleep you do get.
But does sleep really affect your career success?
- More sick days – The less you sleep, the more susceptible you are to falling ill. In a recent study published in the journal Sleep, Tea Lallukka, Ph.D. found workers who reported sleeping less than five hours were more likely to stay home sick about 4.6 to 8.9 days more than those who slept between 7 to 8 hours a night. Read more at HuffingtonPost
- Memory – “You may have trouble holding multiple things, like three or four numbers, in your head at once,” says Sean P.A. Drummond, PhD, director of Behavioral Sleep Medicine and Mood Disorders Psychotherapy in the Veterans Administration San Diego Healthcare System.
- Attention & concentration – Do you notice your mind drifting or find it hard to focus? “This is the first place it’s apparent, especially if you’re trying to concentrate for a sustained time,” says Drummond. Read more at WebMD
- Decision making – It becomes more difficult to assess the entire situation (due to lack of concentration and attention) and make the right decision. Read more at Forbes
Sleep tips that add up to career success
- Create a tranquil escape – Create a sleep spa in your bedroom to help you unwind and relax before bed.
- Power down – If you can’t leave your work at work, then make it a rule to that all electronics (laptop, phone, TV) are turned off an hour before you go to bed.
- Exercise – Exercise is a great way to relieve stress caused by your job. Try to work out earlier in the day so your body has enough time to wind down before you head to bed.
- Caffeine – For many, coffee is the nectar of the gods (we tend to agree). However, limit your intake once the afternoon rolls around. It’ll be easier to fall asleep if there isn’t coffee running through your veins.
- Nap – If you are feeling extra sluggish, take a quick 20 minute power nap on your lunch break to help re-energize.
We get it. In this day and age, it’s hard to get ahead in your career. Not to mention with your other responsibilities to family, friends and volunteering, sleep tends to take a back seat and often isn’t made a priority. In the long run though, the more sleep you get and the better rested you are, the happier, healthier and productive you’ll be in all areas of your life.
