It’s universally known that running a successful business takes a lot of effort. In fact, the entrepreneurial lifestyle can be so busy that many business owners get less than the recommended 7-9 hours of sleep per night.
But the question remains whether this really is a productive way to work. After all, recovery is an essential part of physical health. Sacrificing it for the sake of getting more done might not be the best idea.
But how exactly does sleep influence your ability to make solid business decisions? Read on to find out.
Sleep and cognitive capacity
For a long time, the prevalent opinion was that our brains were mainly inactive during sleep. However, more recent research suggests that this is far from the truth.
We now know that REM sleep is the time when our brain consolidates short-term memories and prepares itself for the acquisition of new ones. Furthermore, during this phase of rest, the parts of the brain in charge of thinking, learning, and organization are stimulated.
What this means is that sacrificing sleep impacts attention, language skills, reasoning, and decision making. Moreover, it may hinder innovative thinking or even cause emotional instability.
In addition to influencing mental performance, it’s also important to mention how rest impacts physical health.
Entrepreneurship often comes with chronic exposure to stress, which, in itself, causes consequences such as high blood pressure, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, obesity, and inflammation. It can also cause anxiety or panic attacks, and when left untreated, these can lead to depression.
But healthy lifestyle choices – including the practice of getting enough sleep – can help mitigate the health risks associated with a high-pressure job. While sleeping, our body manages cortisol levels, returning them to their normal levels. This results in slower breathing and lower blood pressure, as well as increased blood flow to all muscle groups.
From this, it becomes apparent that high-quality rest nurtures both the body and the mind. And not just that, but it can be the key to having a career that isn’t only successful, but is long-lasting as well.
The first step towards more efficient sleep cycles starts with a few habit changes.
On the whole, getting into a well-balanced sleep rhythm may take some time and experimentation, depending on your personal needs. Nonetheless, there are some ground rules you should try to make a part of your everyday routine.
- Avoid digital screens at least 1 hour before bed. Blue light tricks the natural circadian rhythm into thinking it is time to wake up (by raising cortisol levels). For this reason, it’s best to avoid it as much as possible when trying to fall asleep. Instead of answering emails or watching a movie, try to include some old school reading in your bedtime routine.
- Switch to decaf after lunch. Most people tend to need a pick-me-up at around three pm. Still, it’s important to consider the way having an espresso is going to affect your ability to fall asleep later during the day. On the whole, try to limit your intake of caffeine up to six hours before going to bed, so as not to sacrifice the amount (and quality) of rest you get.
- Eat the right foods. In addition to beverages, food can also impact sleep cycles. Research has shown that eating almonds, turkey, salmon, tuna, bananas, or oatmeal might contribute to an easier time falling and staying asleep. Moreover, it’s also recommended that you don’t eat too late during the day, with your last meal best being consumed two to three hours before bed.
- Check your sleeping environment. How well you rest doesn’t just depend on how you prepare for it. It’s also influenced by your environment. On the whole, it is advised to keep your bedroom lights dimmed and the room temperature around 70 degrees Fahrenheit. Furthermore, invest in a comfortable mattress, especially if you suffer from back pain, and change your sheets at least once a week.
- Don’t forget about exercise. Last but not least, consider the fact that moderate aerobic exercise may help you fall asleep faster. Moreover, it can also improve your thinking and creative skills, making it an even more important aspect of every entrepreneur’s lifestyle.
If you’re looking for ways to maximize your business success, you may be tempted to work more than the average person. And on rare occasions, this may even be necessary. However, don’t underestimate the importance of rest on your productivity and creativity.
Healthy sleep habits don’t just impact your physical and mental wellbeing. They’re also an essential factor in ensuring that your cognitive skills are up to par.
So, if you’re really dedicated to beating the competition, make sure you take good care of yourself. By following these five simple tips, you’ll have all the energy you need to do good, innovative work, without feeling exhausted all the time.
This article has been published in accordance with Socialnomics’s disclosure policy.