How to Hack Your Sleep for a More Productive Work Day

12 Tips to Improve Sleep Quality and Lead a More Productive Life More than 1/3 of American adults do not get enough sleep on a regular basis. zzZ The most recent Gallup By 2020 Americans will spend an estimated $52 billion on sleep Poll found that the average American sleeps 6.8 hours per night. aids and remedies. Just 1 night of interrupted sleep zzZ causes an increase in brain proteins associated with Alzheimer's disease. In the short term, sleep deprivation can negatively affect judgment, mood, and the ability to learn In the long term, chronic sleep deprivation can lead to many health problems, including diabetes and cardiovascular disease. and retain information. How to Hack Your Sleep Exercise, but not too late Steer clear of heavy meals Exercise helps us sleep better and feel more alert during the day, but working out too close to bedtime can make you feel alert at night, making it difficult to fall asleep. Chowing down before bed can disrupt sleep while your body digests the food. you feel hungry before bed, stick to a light snack. If Plan to end your workouts at least three hours before bed. Use blue Cut back on electronics light-blocking glasses IT * The blue light emitted from tablets, TV, smartphones, and laptops also suppresses the release of melatonin, The artificial blue light produced by TVs, phones, and other devices disrupts sleep. a natural hormone that reduces alertness. If it's unrealistic to cut tech out of your before-bedtime night hours, invest in blue light-blocking glasses. Turn off these devices before bed and do something else, such as reading or taking a bath, that does not produce bright light. Take a hot bath IT T IT Jot down distractions Stressors can keep our minds churning when all we want to do is sleep. The contrast between a warm bath and a cool bedroom results in a drop in body temperature, which can make us feel sleepy. Before you get into bed, write down what's on your mind (and list potential solutions if you can). Keep your room cool Block out light T 100 80 60 40 20 If your bedroom is too hot or too cold, it can make it hard to fall and C. Light inhibits the release of melatonin, making it hard to fall asleep. stay asleep. Set your thermostat between 60 and 67 degrees at night. Use blackout shades to keep light out of your bedroom. Reduce and block noise Devote your bedroom to T sleep Watching TV, scrolling through social media platforms, and working from bed will make it A noisy bedroom can make it hard to fall tougher to associate your bedroom with sleep. asleep and wake you up from sleep. If you can't cut out certain noises, drown them out with white + Plan your bedtime around T + sleep cycles noise either from a fan, a sound machine, or a track on your phone. T zzZ Stick to a similar bedtime (even IT on weekends) • During sleep, the brain cycles through different stages, each lasting 90 minutes. Waking up at the end of a 90-minute cycle-rather than interrupting it-will leave you feeling the . Going to bed and waking up at the same time (or close to the same time) every day can maintain your circadian rhythm, also known as your most rested. *. Plan your bedtime by counting back in 90-minute intervals. body's internal clock. For instance, if you need to wake up at 7:30, try getting in bed at 10:15. If your circadian rhythm is in check, you'll feel sleepy when you're supposed to. * It takes the average person 14 minutes to fall asleep. Sleep is an essential component of a healthy, productive life-both at and outside of work. Try these hacks for a more restful night. SOURCES sleepcycle.com news.gallup.com consumerreports.org sciencealert.com health.com healthysleep.med.harvard.edu sleep.org sleepfoundation.org swanwicksleep.com healthguides.healthgrades.com healthcentral.com prevention.com sleepyti.me cdc.gov Quill.om A small part of your job is 100% of ours.