7 sleep tips that will help you get ahead
21-01-2014
If you want to put your career in top gear then you need to ensure that you are firing on all cylinders at all times. Unfortunately when you are driven to succeed it is tempting for many to work long hours and to bring the stress home. This will impact your sleep and when you are sleep deprived you will struggle to deliver on a daily basis. Sleep health is vital if you want to achieve success, the reality is that the quality of your waking life is determined by how well you sleep. Here are 7 sleeping tips that will help you get ahead.
1. Do not drink alcohol before bed
While alcohol can help you to get to sleep it is actually bad for the quality and quantity of your sleep. Many hard working individuals like a drink before bed as it helps them to get to sleep quicker, enabling them to leave the day’s stresses at the bedroom door. However, while it helps you get to sleep, it actually reduces the amount of REM sleep you get, meaning the sleep is not as fulfilling. People will also often wake after around 4 hours sleep and find it hard to get back to sleep if they drink alcohol before bed. The advice is to give it two to three hours between your last drink and sleep.
2. Don't use electronic devices in bed
While the career focused individual will be tempted to use their smart phone, tablet or computer in bed, this is a bad idea. The back lit screen can play havoc with your body clock, making it harder to get to sleep. Avoid using electronic devices in bed as you will find it harder to get to sleep. Read a book instead.
3. Keep a journal
One way of dealing with stress is to use a journal. Before you get into bed you write down all of the stressful issues that you have confronted during the day or have to deal with the next day. Many people find by writing them down they are able to ignore them while they are in bed.
4. Turn your room into a sleep environment
Your bedroom needs to be a good sleep environment. It should be dark and quiet and needs as much natural air flow as possible. Make sure that all your electric devices are turned off at the wall as even a single LED can impact your sleep.
5. Exercise
For many professionals getting exercise is hard, you spend most of your time at your desk. However, ensuring that you get at least 20 minutes of exercise a day will help you sleep at night. If you cannot fit that in then you should at least use the stairs rather than the lift.
6. Avoid junk food
The busy career focused individual will often not have time to eat three good meals a day. Unfortunately all the junk food is not only bad for your health in general it is also bad for your sleep health. Avoid junk food if you want to sleep well.
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