If you’ve flicked through the Sustainability Entrepreneur blog, you’ll know that we talk about productivity, idea generation, and validation. There’s a lot of work to be done, so you need to bring your A-game, which means being rested and sleeping well are vital.
Sleep is directly linked to innovation, productivity, health, satisfaction, and both the length and quality of your life. The less you sleep, the shorter your life will be (on average). A lack of sleep is also linked to cancer and Alzheimer's disease. Obesity and sleep also has a negative relationship.
Let’s continue.
When Daniel, Sustainability Entrepreneur’s Founder, started his 3rd business, he was working full-time during the day as a Waste Manager at his local university. In the evenings he was building his business. At the same time, his first child arrived. Things were hectic, busy, and stressful, and nobody in the house got nearly enough sleep.
Daniel had never had trouble sleeping before, but suddenly sleep started to elude him. Getting to sleep initially was fine, but if he was woken up in the night he would struggle to get back to sleep because his mind would start racing, thinking about his business or his baby. So, Daniel just started working in the middle of the night, making him exhausted during the day.
This leads us to the first tip…
A colleague (from Spain.. Hello Salvador!) noticed that Daniel was tired and explained about Spain’s siesta culture and how people would nap during the middle of the day. Daniel’s colleague even let him in on the best secret spots for a nap around campus, away from people who might catch him. He also advised Daniel to drink a coffee immediately before the nap, as caffeine takes around 15 minutes to kick in, meaning he would be woken up from the nap without feeling drowsy.
Entrepreneurs, you should definitely try this trick for yourself!
There are so many ways to improve the quality and duration of your sleep, but it may take some private research on your own behalf, as well as some trial and error, to find out what works for you. Look into blogs and guides about sleep environments, techniques, and sleeping aids.
Here are a few to get you in the right direction...
This is Daniel’s personal favourite, and it’s something that our mentor Joseph has also picked up to help sleep on transport. Daniel claims it’s one of the best skills he’s learned in recent years.
Practice this breathing exercise without expectation every night for the next 2 weeks. You have nothing to lose, right? Watch the video below. It’s a way to train your brain to know when it’s time to sleep because of a particular breathing pattern.
Silicone earplugs are a great little accessory to carry in your backpack, briefcase, satchel or whatever bag you’re using these days. They rarely fall out during your sleep, they can be reused, and they create a strong noise barrier. You can get them online, in the chemist, and even in the supermarket.
Blocking out noise is one great way to help you sleep - blocking out light is another. Try a sleeping mask, there are even gel ones that cool your face down if overheating is an issue.
If you approach anything with fear, negativity, and a closed mind, it’s going to be harder and less enjoyable. If you are having sleep problems, the worst thing to do is fixate on them, become frustrated, and give up. Each night, or each time you want to nap, you have to instruct your brain that you’re going to have a great sleep. You have to remove the pressure that you put on yourself. Once that pressure and the associated thought processes have ended, oops, you’re asleep!
Stop the screens before you sleep. The backlight on your phone or tablet directly affects your melatonin, making your brain think that the sun is still up! As a result, your glands don’t secrete the right chemicals to help you sleep. This is why you can lay for hours in a drowsy stupor playing on your phone or video games, without nodding off. Ban screens for at last 1 hour before sleeping.
Good luck out there, and sweet dreams!