Sleep: The Ultimate Productivity Hack

Introduction

In today’s fast paced life, we are always on the move. In order to achieve the most, we need to be at our best. To be our best, we need to make the most of our rest. To make the most of rest, we need to work on improving our sleep. A good night’s sound sleep is what is required to avoid burnout and keep us fresh and alert to make the best of our day.

“Sleep is the best meditation.”

HH Dalai Lama

Sleep is essential to rest our mind and body. Various body functions like repairing cells, digesting food, and improving immunity among others work when we are asleep i.e. when our body is at rest. In addition to the above, sleep also maintains our physical and psychological wellness. Do you know it is a hack that can boost productivity? God knows we need to be at our productive best in this competitive world.

How much sleep do we need?

According to a survey carried out by Dr Daneil Kripke and his team at the University of San Diego, over a period of six months, with more than a million participants, it was found that people who slept for 6-7 years each night, were at their healthiest and enjoyed longevity benefits.

According to a study published in 2018, it was found that people who sleep less than 6 hours each night face myriad health physical and psychological problems like low immunity, obesity, depression, and the risk of contracting lifestyle diseases like Type II Diabetes and Cardiovascular issues.

According to further research, it was found that oversleeping i.e. sleeping more than 9 hours each night, also entails the above physical and psychological issues, diabetes, obesity all of which are associated with sleep disorder.

Benefits of Sleep

Let us see the various benefits of sleep that make us fresh as a daisy the next morning when we awake.

Repair & recovery: Whilst we sleep, our body carries out its repair and recovery functions like repairing and strengthening tissues, lowering blood pressure, providing rest to the heart, reducing stress, and managing cardiovascular health.
Immunity booster: Whilst we sleep, our body produces the hormones that are required by it for managing our immunity levels and fighting pathogens.
Psychological health: Whilst we sleep, our psychological health, mood and brain get their much-deserved rest, preventing fatigue and mental burnout.
Improves cognitive function: Whilst we sleep, our brain creates and manages our memories and retention skills. Thus improving our cognitive functions and our ability to learn is also enhanced. Whilst we sleep, a process called consolidation occurs which strengthens our memory and creates pathways that retain those memories.
Better creativity: Whilst we sleep, the consolidation of our brain reorganizes and restructures our memories. The strengthening of the emotional quotient of our memories greatly improves our creativity and problem-solving skills.
Alleviates inflammation: Whilst we sleep, our body lowers the levels of inflammatory proteins, which alleviates any inflammation that we may have. This reduces the risk of inflammation-based diseases. The alleviated inflammation also keeps us mentally strong.
Stamina: A good night’s sleep is essential to build up stamina in our body. We can work better and there is less chance of fatigue or burnout.
Manage weight: Whilst we sleep, metabolic activities occur in our body. According to research carried out by the University of Chicago, it has been found that individuals who slept properly, were able to lose more fat, reduce their weight and were much healthier!

The effects of the above benefits on our productivity, at home or work, are as follows :

Alertness: A good night’s sleep refreshes us and we feel alert and energetic thereby able to give our best to activities related to our home/work.
Active: A good night’s sleep keeps us active and working efficiently the entire day. Bye-bye lethargy and sluggishness!
Focus: A good night’s sleep helps us focus better so we can manage our responsibilities without worrying about burnout or fatigue.
No errors: A good night’s sleep makes us concentrate on our work reducing the scope of errors or accidents in the workplace. Our improved memory and knowledge increase our productivity as we are well aware of all the intricacies without having to go over them repeatedly.
Flexible: A good night’s sleep enhances our creativity. We can think out of the box and find solutions to any problem at the workplace. Our thinking becomes flexible and more creative.
Health: Being healthy of mind and body frees us of tension stress or ailments associated with being unhealthy. We are happier, have a positive outlook and are motivated to stay healthy. This improves our productivity levels as we can concentrate better, without worrying about health issues. Improved stamina makes us work better too. Being able to maintain our weight also influences our productivity as we are not sluggish or lethargic.
No stress: A good night’s sleep releases the cortisol hormones that regulate our stress and we can go about the day without any stress or anxiety.

A good night's routine

As we prioritize and plan our day, so, also, we should prioritize our night’s sleep. A night routine should be followed diligently.

List out your to-do activities for the next morning
No working late in the night
No emails to be checked before bedtime
No digital devices 2-3 hours before bedtime and no devices in the bedroom
Light dinner for easy digestion and sound sleep
Sleep at the same time each night
Use comfortable pillows and sheets and wear comfortable nightwear
Keep the room cool, dark and devoid of distractions
Take a warm bath or read a few pages of a book before sleeping
Meditate or deep breathing exercises to manage stress
Write down your night affirmations/gratitude lines
Close your eyes and sleep

Become a role model for your children. Children learn what they see. If you follow a healthy lifestyle, exercise during the day and practice a routine that enhances your productivity, your children learn from you as well. It can aid in their growth, and development as well as improve their cognitive and motor abilities.

What happens if you do not prioritize sleep

We tend to sacrifice our sleep for work or social activities. More often than not, it results in burnout and fatigue. We are prone to make errors or unwise decisions. We are prone to contract frequent illnesses and/or lifestyle diseases. We are unable to think clearly, focus and concentrate. Our cognitive abilities become dysfunctional and we are unable to work efficiently. This may lead to mental stress, anxiety and depression.

Conclusion

Let us learn to prioritize our sleep to stay healthy and not sleep-deprived. Seek the assistance of your superior if the work is keeping you awake at night. Consult your medical practitioner sleep specialist or therapist in case you are facing problems falling asleep. Always get your health checkup done regularly. A well-balanced diet, regular exercise, adequate hydration, and stress management all work in tandem with sound sleep to keep you healthy and hearty.

So, sleep well and stay well 😊