Improve Your Productivity. Get Some Sleep!
 By Alex R. Merriman

If your productivity is suffering, take a look at your sleeping habits. Chances are, you’re not getting catching enough Zs at night to keep yourself perked up during the day.

The National Sleep Foundation (NSF) reports that approximately 70 million people in the U.S. are affected by a sleep problem. About 40 million Americans suffer from a chronic sleep disorder. An additional 20 to 30 million are affected by intermittent sleep-related problems.

Lost sleep robs you of the opportunity to restore yourself physically, emotionally and even cognitively. The resulting daytime sleepiness affects your mood, behavior and performance.

Basically, you are how you sleep. And most adults need seven to nine hours of restful, uninterrupted sleep each night to function at their peak.

“Not getting enough sleep impairs our work performance, increases the risk for injuries and makes it more difficult to get along with others,” says Mark Rosekind, Ph.D., former director of NASA’s Fatigue Countermeasures Program and an expert on fatigue and performance issues.

“Without sufficient sleep, it’s more difficult to concentrate, make careful decisions and follow instructions. We are more likely to make mistakes and are more prone to being impatient and lethargic. Our attention, memory and reaction time are all affected.”

If nighttime sleeplessness is interferring with your daytime duties, NSF offers these tips to help you catch those elusive Zs.

Ditch the nightly news
Watching news about the war and other disturbing topics can cause you to have difficulty falling asleep. Turn off the news at least an hour before you head to bed.

Relax
Before bedtime, avoid activities that are physically or mentally stimulating. By establishing a 15-minute ritual before going to bed, you create a psychological barrier between the worries of the day and sleeping.

Don’t work on a big client proposal. Don’t take a jog. Instead, spend those 15 minutes listening to music or reading. Soak in the hot tub or take a warm bath.

Eat Early
Finish eating at least two to three hours before your regular bedtime.

Eating or drinking too much may make you less comfortable when settling down for bed. Avoid a heavy meal too close to bedtime. Also, spicy foods may cause heartburn, which leads to difficulty falling asleep and discomfort during the night.

Exercise Regularly
But complete your workout at least a few hours before bedtime.

In general, exercising regularly makes it easier to fall asleep and contributes to sounder sleep. However, exercising sporadically or right before going to bed will make falling asleep more difficult. Finish your exercise at least three hours before bedtime. Late afternoon exercise is the perfect way to help you fall asleep at night.

Avoid Caffeine
Caffeine is a stimulant. So coffee, tea, soft drinks and chocolate that contain caffeine can keep you awake.

Caffeine products remain in the body on average from three to five hours, but they can affect some people up to 12 hours later. Even if you don’t think caffeine affects you, it may be disrupting and hindering the quality of your sleep. Avoiding caffeine for six to eight hours before going to bed can help improve sleep quality.

Avoid Alcohol
Although many people think of alcohol as a sedative, it actually disrupts sleep, causing nighttime awakenings. Consuming alcohol leads to a night of less restful sleep.

Don’t Panic
If you don’t fall asleep within 15 minutes of going to bed, don’t panic. Get out of bed and go to another room. Relax. Read. Listen to music. When you feel yourself getting sleepy, go back to bed and try again to fall asleep.

(Posted May 2005)

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