The Most Underrated Productivity Hack -SLEEP

Brain fog, scattered thoughts, anxiety, lack of creativity, and low mood are just a few symptoms of not enough sleep. Yes, most of us can get through the day without enough sleep but I can honestly say that that's about for me. I just can't function like I can when I've had at least 7 hours. However, I'm also one of those people who like to squeeze every extra minute out of the day so I know what it's like to feel sleep deprived.

At Harvard University they did a study on the 100 most useful productivity hacks and time boxing came out as number one but I think without sufficient sleep then even the process of time blocking can be challenging. Sleep and productivity and creativity go hand in hand. When you get sufficient sleep, your health, mood and well-being, and productivity improve.

Sleep aids physical recovery in the body. As you sleep, your body’s tissues repair and strengthen. Your heart rests, and your blood pressure changes throughout the night to promote cardiovascular health. During sleep, your body also creates hormones that help your immune system fight infections, so good sleep can prevent you from getting sick and help you recover quickly.

Sleep also helps to improve your mental health, mood, and brain function. When you have enough sleep, you wake up feeling renewed and energized. During sleep, your brain creates and maintains critical pathways for memory formation and retention. Sleep is thought to enable critical cognitive abilities including memory consolidation. These processes help with learning skills and problem-solving.

Losing even a few hours of sleep for a few nights greatly hampers your ability to function. Experts say losing sleep this way is the equivalent of functioning without an entire night or two of sleep.

if you struggle with getting to sleep or not getting enough here are a few tips to help you improve your sleep pattern.

How to Improve Your Sleep

If sleep deprivation causes you to stress about your productivity, there are several steps you can take to improve your sleep.

Improve Your Sleep Hygiene

Consistently waking up and going to bed at the same time helps your body settle into a consistent rhythm for sleep. Daily exercise can also help you sleep. Try to avoid exercising too close to bedtime, it can hype you up and prevent you from sleeping.

Try to stay away from caffeine in the late afternoon and evening. Caffeine can keep you awake. Try to finish your evening meal at least a few hours before bedtime.

Develop Your Bedtime Routine

In the hour before bedtime try and avoid artificial light from laptops and phones. These lights will stimulate the brain and prevent you from getting to sleep. Try and incorporate quiet and relaxing activities like reading, meditating, listening to relaxing music and taking a warm bath.

Create a Good Sleep Environment

Make it Dark: Light can make sleeping difficult. Try a sleeping mask or black-out curtains if the light is waking you up too early

Eliminate Noise: Earplugs can help to can block out excess noise. White noise can help you to sleep too and you can find this easily on youtube.

Room temperature : Your body temperature will decrease during sleep. Find a temperature that is comfortable for you and is not too hot or cold.

Consider a Nap During the Day

If you find yourself tiring mid-afternoon, consider taking a power nap. Napping at work for no longer than 10 to 20 minutes can give you the alertness boost you need to perform well.

Positive changes to your sleep habits won’t happen overnight. With patience and practice, you’ll find which sleep routines work best for your body and health. When you achieve better quality and quantity of sleep, you can feel your best and improve your productivity at work.

Do you have any sleep-promoting tips? If so we’d love to hear about them here in the comments.