As a career professional, you’ve probably already discovered that when you short change your sleep too often, your mind and body simply don’t respond anywhere near optimal capability. What you do the night before significantly effects your ability to get things done.
Only three to four hours of sleep once a week won't cause any long-term problems. You might feel terrible the next day, but you can recover somewhat by going to bed earlier the next evening, or napping if that is an option for you. You might have to force yourself to get into bed at 8:30 or 9:00 on evenings when you'd rather be up and about, but do it—your body will thank you.
If you're missing out on more than 10 hours of sleep each week, decide to catch up on your sleep now before you further diminish your capabilities. Recovery could take a month or more, but it will be worth it.
To ensure that your sleep time benefits are optimized, I suggest the following:
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Don't sleep with your head by a telephone. Remove the phone from your bedroom, or install an answering machine and switch the ringer off. Too many people sleep with their heads by phones because they are worried about the one possible call in fifteen years where they might have to arise at 3:00 a.m. Stop this! There's little you can do at that hour. You will be better off getting a sound sleep.
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Once a week get to bed by 9:00 p.m. Your body will thank you. Let yourself sleep for nine or 10 hours. Remember, you're going to live longer than you think—more sleep will enable you to grow old with grace and ease.
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One Friday night each month, crash after work and don't get up until the next morning. If you want to experience a fabulous weekend, this is the way to start.
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Avoid caffeine beginning six hours before bedtime. If you're thinking about going to bed around 10:00 p.m., 4:00 p.m. in the afternoon is the last time you imbibe caffeine.
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Avoid alcohol in the evening. It'll put you to sleep quickly, but it dehydrates your body and wakes you up before you are due. You then have trouble getting back to sleep. Your sleep time is reduced, and the quality of sleep is poor.
- If you read in bed, do so only to induce drowsiness. But don't overdo this. Sleep and insomnia expert Dr. Jack E. Edinger says it's important to make your bed and bedroom for sleeping (and, of course, sex) only. Don't set up your bedroom as a command station—with your music, TV, or web connection—which reinforces the notion that it is a place for anything but sleep.
Next week, we will discuss the power of naps.
