“Finish each day before you begin the next and interpose a solid wall of sleep between the two.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson
I’m tired. What about you?
Apparently, most of us are pretty sleepy. In fact, about 30% of Americans get less than seven hours of sleep each night.
There are always a few high achievers who brag about how little sleep they need. One of Arnold Schwarzenegger’s success tips is to “sleep faster.” But more and more high achievers are coming out of the closet and letting people know that their performance requires a good night’s rest.
Here are a few examples:
Tom Brady is known for going to bed at 8:30 p.m. to get his sleep.
CrossFit suggests its elite athletes schedule nine to 10 hours of sleep each night.
Jeff Bezos of Amazon fame says he is more alert and thinks more clearly if he gets his eight hours.
Jennifer Lopez swears by getting eight hours of sleep.
Matthew McConaughey says he needs 8.5 hours to be at his best.
Warren Buffett advised workers at Salomon Brothers to choose sleep over extra profits.
More and more successful people are realizing that a good night’s rest is key to performing well the next day.
Arianna Huffington thought she could do it all and she found the time to do it by cheating her sleep. That is until she collapsed from sleep deprivation and exhaustion in 2007. She broke her cheekbone and woke up in a pool of blood. That incident led to her researching and writing a book on sleep titled “The Sleep Revolution.” In the book, Huffington takes the reader through the problem and offers some great solutions.
The Problem
As a society, we are prone to workaholism and sleep deprivation. This causes a host of problems for the sleep-deprived. Dr. Rebecca Robbins a researcher specializing in sleep at NYU Langone Health in New York suggests a sleep window of seven to eight hours per night for adults.
Her research shows that when people sleep seven to eight hours per night cardiovascular disease risks go down, general risks for colds and flu go down and mood is improved.
Sleep also improves our relationships. A study at the University of Hertfordshire found that 94% of couples who sleep with their bodies in contact are happy with their relationships. That number drops to 68% for those who don’t.
We all know that physical “togetherness” is key to a great relationship. Exhausted people rarely think about intimacy. A 2015 study found that a woman’s desire for intimacy is directly correlated with her amount of deep sleep. The researchers found that for every extra hour of sleep, her interest in intimacy jumped by 14%.
Athletic performance improves too. Cheri Mah, a researcher at Stanford University, experimented with basketball players and sleep. She tested the player’s speed and ability to hit three-point shots after their normal pattern of six to nine hours of sleep versus 10 hours. After 10 hours of sleep, the players sprint time dropped from 16.2 to 15.5 seconds and their shooting percentages increased by 9%.
The Solution
Ready to improve your sleep?
First, how much do you need? Studies show that most adults need seven to nine hours of sleep each night for optimal health. How much you need is determined by your body. Your best bet is to test and measure. Keep a sleep journal and document how you feel. I love the results my Fitbit gives me.
Here are some great ways to pump up your sleep habits.
If you have kids, put them on a sleep schedule. Good sleep habits will benefit them for life and allow you to get the sleep you need. Sleepy parents and sleepy kids do not make for happy times at home. I know from experience.
Save the bed for sleep and quality time. Don’t read or try to do work in there.
Keep a pad and pen by your bed. This allows you to get ideas out of your head so you can sleep.
Limit smartphone use at night and turn it on night mode if you do. Night mode limits the blue light emitted from your phone that can keep you awake. The iPhone has a mode called “Night Shift” that you can schedule to turn on before your bedtime each night.
Encourage yourself. Record how much better you feel after a good night’s sleep, so you’ll be motivated to do it more often.
Sound sleep and good nutrition are the foundation for great lives. I am amazed at how many other things go better when I get more sleep at night. My mood, self-discipline and creativity all improve. I hope you get similar results.
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Curt Fowler is president of Fowler & Company and director at Fowler, Holley, Rambo & Stalvey. He is dedicated to helping leaders build great organizations and better lives for themselves and the people they lead.
Curt is a syndicated business writer, keynote speaker and business advisor. He has an MBA in strategy and entrepreneurship from the Kellogg School, is a CPA, and a pretty good guy as defined by his wife and four children.
