Newest Sleep Strategies Business Leaders Need To Share With Their Tired Teams.
/If you own or manage a business, what is the one piece of advice you could give your team or employees that is proven to enhance performance, reduce personal injury and improve productivity?
Answer: Get a better night's sleep. Really? Yes.
The most unique and impacting advice you can share with your teams is to get a better night's sleep. The impact on effective performance, reduction in errors, better communication and creativity are all tied to better sleep. Thousands of studies confirm this and you and I already know this, yet we continue to push the envelope and don't give sleep routines and sleep hygiene it's fair time allocation and pay the price every week.
Fact: Sleep disorders and obesity are the two top epidemics in America today. More people die, become sick, injured, fired from jobs and crash cars due to the complications that come with obesity and sleep disorders.
Better sleep is also a result of a more fulfilling and healthy awakened state in our daily lives. What you do, who you are, what you are dealing with every day has an immediate impact on your ability to fall asleep and maintain a consistent pattern of good sleep.
Sleep disorders kill people. Sleep disorders cause dangerous reactions with medications, reaction time to prevent accidents, violent behavior and bad decisions. And obesity is the evil sister of sleep disorders, wreaking its own havoc with human functioning. However, this conversation will focus on the sleep aspect, not the obesity portion.
Securing a better night’s sleep, fortunately, is possible in simple improvements of sleeping spaces and human behaviors. The challenges is we often are not willing to put the same emphasis on repairing our bad sleep habits and behaviors leading to poor sleep, compared to stopping a bleeding cut. Eventually, we rationalize, we’ll fall asleep. Maybe. Most often your sleep is compromised in quality and it’s a matter of time before it catches up with you and illnesses take over. Sleep is a complex event that incorporates many elements of our physiology, emotional state and our physical surroundings. If you’re like over 60 million adults in America, you have insomnia or some sleep issues.
I am one of the 60 million; Sleep apnea is my nemesis. The challenges I've had with sleep apnea over the past 10 years, I can safely say, has cost me significant lost income, contributed to minor injuries and accidents around the home from lack of attention and reaction time, bad decisions the resulting from fatigue. And while I am still able to do my job well and function in all my daily activities, sleep apnea wears me down faster by the end of the week. It has created frustration in reading speed, completing tasks, chores, attending meetings and events, as well as my ability to concentrate on the important tasks I know I need to do right now, yet my mind and body won't allow my muscles and brain to work at the capacity required a lot of times. It creates conflict and confusion in my relationship with my wife, as it can be difficult for her understand the challenges (and for me to try to describe how it effects me and my personality) that sleep apnea creates in choices, impulse control, anxiety, compulsivity in small doses, attention issues, motivation, reasoning, eating patterns, listening, tolerance, patience, and stress management. It creates embarrassing moments of memory loss, unexpected, inappropriate comments that can occur spontaneously the result of fatigue and reduced impulse control. Sleep apnea has caused weight gain because my body thinks I need food because I'm tired, so the impulse to eat more appears. Eating the wrong foods also is a condition. Fatigue loves sugar, grease, fat and fun. The mind does not say "You need energy food--eat a raw pepper." I sought professional help, as you'd expect to better understand this condition. I had two sleep studies (polysomnogram) to determine the severity of my apnea. I met with psychologists, ENTs, nutritionists, dietitians, personal trainers, neurologists, pulmonary specialists, sleep specialists, cardiologists, nephrologists--all to try and secure the most information possible to improve my sleep and mental acuity that continues to challenge myself and anybody with a sleep disorder.
Maybe you have a physical illness, sleep apnea, diabetes, cancer, obesity, anxiety, depression, stress, menopause, heart disease, etc. And, on the other side of the emotional spectrum, there are people that have no physical ailments or reasons for poor sleep other than financial problems, martial problems, relationship problems, kid/relative problems, business problems, ghosts in the attic problems. All legitimate reasons that good sleep is difficult to find for all of us Yet, a high percentage of us are not addressing the obvious and simple solutions to help our sleep—solutions right before our very eyes. We have to certainly come to face the reality that whatever problems/challenges/issues we have going on in our lives will continue to disrupt your sleep no matter what tips, solutions, drugs or fancy pillows you use. You have to rid yourself of the issues/demons and disruptions in your life, best you can, to incur better sleep.
Even the fabulous Mayo Clinic is missing the mark with sleep tips or lack of stronger tips as evidenced in these youtube links and website links. And the National Sleep Foundation, as well, is missing a real chance to deliver stronger, actionable approaches for improved sleep to viewers, yet a thorough review of their website data and links, they seem to be more interested in selling cushy, magic pillows, white noise machines and gadgets that sponsors can sell. The content on better sleep fails to address many of the key issues to be addressed. But that's my perception. For example, I know stress is an issue for poor sleep. But telling me " Well, Russ, just turn off your mind when you go to bed," is insulting and polyana. If it were so easy, I'd be sleeping!
So, in between meeting with a licensed healthcare professional (whom, I encourage you to call this week to make an appointment for an examination), here are some critical changes you can embrace starting tonight to get a better night’s sleep.
Important! These ideas to follow are serious business. They will take courage and commitment to install. They will not always welcomed with enthusiasm and acceptance. Be strong, take control of your health and make the changes to keep you healthy. And seek professional medical advice to help you restore your healthy habits.
Here are 12 things you can change right now before you hit the pillow and four things to do in the morning:
1. Kick the dogs and cats out of your bed. The dog is supposed to be protecting your house while you sleep and you’re letting them use your pillow. Really? And the cat could care less where it sleeps, as long as it has internet access. You’d get better sleep if you slept at the foot of your bed or in the pet pillow in the kitchen. If they bark and whine when you kick them out, too bad for them. Just deal with it for a night and they’ll get the hint. Pet’s disrupt your sleep every night, yet you rarely hear sleep tips discuss this critical point. When was the last time your dog hit the snooze button? I love dogs and cats, but they don't belong in your bed if you are experiencing inadequate sleep.
2. Kick the chronic snorer out of your bed. Yep, he or she (yes the dog snores and farts, too) needs to go to another room or another state if that person is keeping you awake. Snoring is a symptom of some medical condition calling for attention. Answer the call. Wake up early and get your lovable snorer to see a doctor tomorrow. It may save their life, your sanity and the marriage.
3. Kick the kids out of your bed. Overwhelming research says kids should sleep in their own beds. They need to develop self-confidence, self-regulating of behaviors, and learn how to develop inner comfort when storms, noises, etc. enter their world. Babies, too, sleep just as well in their own cribs and can be conditioned to do well without you by their side. See a counselor if your children are having trouble sleeping by themselves. it is not a hard habit or condition to resolve.
4. No TV or cell phone viewing allowed while going to sleep. You watch the news: murders, terrorism in schools, wars, floods, fires, vandals in your neighborhood, poisons in your lettuce, scandals in politics—ahh, now you can sleep in peace. The mayhem will be there in the morning, don’t worry. Don’t look at Facebook either. Seeing your friends over-state their great vacation, their brilliant kids and great dinner at Le’Tete in Paris will not relax you. Read a relaxing book or listen to the Sleep Genius sleep app to get you to sleep easier and faster. “But I need the TV on to fall asleep,” you say? No you don’t. You think you do. Be willing to make changes. Look at sleep like food. Eat well. Sleep well.
5. Wash your sheets. Clean sheets feel great, relax us and take away the smells of work, food, pets and body odor. Wash them at least once a week, maybe more in the summer or if you sweat a lot. The fresh smell of washed laundry is soothing. When did you last see Target advertise Union Pipe Fitter Scented fabric softener?
6. Don’t drink alcohol or caffeine with late dinners. Alcohol and caffeine effects everybody differently regarding getting to sleep. Research also shows the sugar in alcohol effects our sleep in later stages and can cause less-efficient/restless sleep. You will pass out sooner, but wake up sooner with worse sleep.
7. Don’t eat heavy dinners or snack in the 3 hours before bedtime. Your body has do work to digest the lasagna and breadsticks and sleeping is difficult and disruptive if you eat too late. If you feel hungry, a small glass of water will stave off hunger until the morning. Dehydration is many times the real reason you think you’re hungry.
8. Sleep like a vampire: Darken the room, cover all the bright red and green lights, the giant alarm clock numbers, street lights, etc. Prepare the room to allow you dedicated slumber.
9. Ventilate the room: cooler temperatures and air movement aid in regulating the body and allowing better sleep.
10. Write a to-do list for tomorrow before bed. Writing things down will allow you to let go of trying to remember what you need to do tomorrow, so you can sleep.
11. Use the most scientifically- advanced sleep app in the world—Sleep Genius—to train your brain to fall asleep faster and sleep better. It’s a FREE app.
12. Arrange for a sleep study with a professional medical facility. Insurance will cover the cost and you will gain the knowledge and diagnosis critical to your health. They are painless, easy and fast results.
In the morning:
A. Work on improving your life. Seek a compelling reason you want to get up in the morning! You can’t sleep well because you may have overt stress because of work, money, kids, family illness, conflict, lack of job opportunities, overweight, addictions and so on. No wonder you can’t sleep if you worry but don’t work hard at improving your life. Doing something proactively to improve your life; reading professional development books, exercising, volunteering, painting, gardening, etc. can reduce stress and give more purpose and hope in your life. And consider taking a nap.
B. Seek professional help. Sleep issues are often medical and psychological problems that can be repaired with the help of doctors and counselors. Don’t wait for the worst to happen. Be proactive. Counselors are trained to identify what abilities you have to overcome obstacles in life.
C. Develop a sleep preparation routine. Think of sleep as a way to get stronger for tomorrow. An hour before you go to bed, start to relax, stop working, paying bills, checking Facebook, etc. Practice deep breathing, read, take a easy walk and then, when you’re feeling drowsy, go to bed.
D. Kids need sleep and naps. Start getting young kids in an earlier sleep routine. No video games, phones, TVs after 7 or 8 pm. They’ll resist at first and after a week they will appreciate the down time and feel more rested.
Sleep issues are serious and epidemic in America. Don't kid yourself thinking you can work your way through it. It will catch up with you in different ways and create challenges you don't need in your life. Contact a licensed professional now and address your sleep disorders. I did and the help and education I received could have contributed to saving my life by helping regain better alertness and reaction times.
As a business leader, you have the opportunity to educate and validate the need and awareness you have for adequate sleep for your employees. And this more personalized and human approach can go much further in improving your relationship with workers, reducing stress and raising productivity, rather than pushing for more more more work. One more good night's sleep per week will save over 100,000 lives a year nationwide. This fact can't be overlooked.