Do you know that a good night’s sleep is necessary for just about everything, even in business?
Some people have a hard time sleeping at night. When the world is that quiet, people tend to overthink.
WITH OR WITHOUT PEACE AT NIGHT?
The night is the time when our surroundings are quiet, but inner peace is robbed – it’s like we’re at war with ourselves.
We think about our futures, our expectations, but then we constantly get caught up with reality…
Have we started off the way we wanted? Will our business reach its goals? Why haven’t we heard from that client that seemed so interested? Why are these things happening? It’s supposed to be easier and not harder.
And on top of that… Will my kids succeed in school? Are they being bullied? Will they get good jobs, will my marriage last? Why does everyone look happy?
IT’S ALL NORMAL
It’s okay. I want to tell you… it’s all normal.
These questions in our every day lives may seem endless, but they’re normal.
BUT…
If you continuously let them rob you off of sleep, then things might just stop being normal after a while.
If this becomes a habit… you’ll lose the energy to tackle your problems.
If it’s robbing you of sleep one night – remember to prioritize your rest. Because only with a well-rested mind and body you can get back to functioning again properly.
IMPORTANCE OF SLEEP
Sleep… is very important for better health, wellness, and even for success in business.
Sleep is a basic biological function regulated by the circadian rhythm which is also known as our body’s 24-hour “internal clock” that controls our body’s sleep-wake cycle.
If this rhythm is disturbed, we get sick.
REQUIRED SLEEP FOR A GOOD NIGHT
Healthy grown-ups need 7-9 hours per night while younger people need more than that.
Repeated and continuous sleep inadequacy results in a lot of problems like obesity, blood pressure issues, cardiovascular diseases, and even stroke.
If you are in the business world… then imagine what could happen.
Could you still be husting if you’re too tired, unhealthy, or sickly, and already has a bad memory caused by lack of sleep?
SLEEP AND LEADERSHIP
The majority of people in leadership positions slept too little before the pandemic. Now, studies show that one-third have further negatively impacted their sleep because of this situation.
Some people say it is good to sleep less, that they will save time, get more done because they have more active hours. Maybe you are one of them – but I hope not.
It has long been accepted or even expected that a boss shall work hard and sleep lesser. That makes you a hero – you may think. But too little sleep can also have the complete opposite effect.
WHAT LACK OF SLEEP DOES
Lack of sleep affects your cognition in a brutally negative way. If you have been awake for 18 + hours your tiredness increases quickly and your cognition ticks down to the same level as if you have 0.6 per ml of alcohol in your blood. Can you still make great and logical decisions at this level?
Remember, bad decisions cause loss of profits in the business. Not only by the less ideal work from the boss but also from their workgroups less ideal result because of bad leadership and so on in negative ripples.
WHAT YOU CAN DO
How to avoid these things from happening?
Or…
What can you do to improve your sleep?
STEPS TO TAKE TO HAVE A GOOD NIGHT SLEEP
1. Avoid caffeine and cigarettes near sleeping time.
These are stimulants and you don’t want to have much active brain stimulation right before sleeping time.
2. Avoid alcohol.
Alcohol indeed makes you feel drowsy and sleepy, but too much of it makes your sleep pattern disturbed.
Wonder why you wake up feeling tired even after sleeping long hours after drinking too much alcohol? This is why.
3. Be physically active.
Being physically active helps your body rest and sleep better at night. Even just a 30-minute brisk walk can do.
Just remember not to do it too close to bedtime so you won’t be in the hype as you try to sleep.
4. Optimize your sleep environment.
With this, we mean avoiding bright lights or television as blue lights block most of your sleep hormone melatonin.
What you can do instead: Listen to soft music, read nice books.
5. Establish a daily routine.
With a daily routine, your brain and body already know what to do, it will be automatic.
And this is important because not everyone can fall asleep the moment they lie down.
IF YOU GET TORMENTED AT NIGHT…
These are just some helpful basic tips.
But if you are one of those people who upon laying at night gets tormented with their thoughts…
Let me share with you the method that I learned and helped me when I was trapped in an insolvency a few years ago.
Try and start to think of a mantra-like: “I am thankful for this bed, I am thankful for this pillow, and I am thankful for this blanket.”
YOUR MANTRA
Keep repeating your mantra until you feel relaxed and comfortable. Keep your brain occupied with these good thoughts to shut down tormenting ones.
I have met a few others who also have done the same technique and today, I prioritize this tip in my mentoring.
These are just a few things you can do combined with the acceptance of the situation.
FIND THE BALANCE
The most important is to take a look at the whole situation, make changes in your life, and find the balance in between.
If everything feels too much and hard to do, get help.
Keep rocking,
