We’ve all heard entrepreneurs attempt to one-up each other, trying to prove how much busier they are than their colleagues. Work hours continue to seep into private time, and getting fewer and fewer hours of sleep is often seen as a badge of honor, rather than the health and productivity disaster that it is.
We all know the negative effects of sleep deprivation—we just don’t seem to think they apply to us. The average person should be getting between seven to eight hours of sleep a night, but the majority of Americans stray wildly from this goal.
With less time to relax in the evenings, people are increasingly turning to apps and other tech to help them sleep more soundly. But many of these apps take a one-size-fits-all approach when it comes to estimating general sleep patterns. Without actual electrodes attached, it’s impossible for these apps to accurately measure an individual’s true sleep rhythm.
However, there are simple measures you can take to improve the quality and duration of sleep, starting tonight. Practice these five simple tips to recover those precious hours of REM, and feel more rested in the A.M.
1. Power down at least 30 minutes before bed
“I like to read. I find TV and electronics keep my mind racing at too high a speed for sleep, so I try to turn those off at least a half hour before sleep,” says WeWork Soho member Joel Tractenberg, partner at the Levinson Tractenberg Group. Numerous studies have shown that our favorite glowing screens emit short-wavelength blue light that mimics daylight, throwing off our bodies’ natural circadian rhythms. All that bright light tells our body to perk up, not wind down.
Instead, try powering down at least 30 minutes before bed and allowing only dim, warm-colored light (mimicking a sunset) int0 the bedroom. If you have a restless mind, try a good old-fashioned paperback or a Kindle Paperwhite, letting your body’s natural drowsiness to kick in.
2. Practice feng shui in the bedroom
Surprisingly, a few tweaks to your bedroom’s interior design can work wonders for your nightly snooze. Creating a relaxing haven can help you fall asleep earlier and stay asleep longer. Go for symmetry in the bedroom by centering the bed and arranging furniture in matching pairs. Try adding curtains and a rug to muffle errant noise in the evening. Center your color scheme around relaxing blues and greens rather than stimulating reds and oranges. As hard as it is, banish all work-related items from the bedroom. The more you associate your bedroom with sleep, the more relaxed your mind will be when you enter that space.
3. Schedule time for sleep
Overworked college students and busy entrepreneurs are among the worst culprits when it comes to sleep deprivation. “I definitely find a lot of people in smaller businesses deprived of sleep,” says WeWork Park South member Eric Hu, social media marketer at Fresh Prints. “That’s just the way it happens. When your company is smaller, more responsibilities fall on the individual, and he or she has to stay up longer completing those tasks.”
Personally, I’ve seen colleagues deliberately schedule hours of sleep into their Google Calendars, treating it with the equal importance of a client meeting or class session. Clearing time on your calendar for sleep and placing importance on keeping the appointment with yourself might be the method you need.
4. Establish a ritual
Have a relaxing set of actions you perform every night to let your body know you’re getting ready for bed. This ritual could be anything—the key is staying consistent. “Have a routine and stick to it, even if it’s silly,” says WeWork Fulton Center member Alexsandra Buckner, account manager at iPullRank. “We are creatures of habit and getting into a habit of taking care of your body is so important.” Try a bit of reading or some yoga before you turn in for the night. Reinforce whatever makes you feel calm, and perform it religiously every night before bed.
5. Train your body clock
“The most important thing is waking up naturally, when a sleep cycle ends, not from a super loud alarm that wakes you up when you’re in the middle of it,” says WeWork Commons member River Tamoor Baig, co-founder at Hack Partners. “I wake up naturally around 8 a.m.—no alarm clocks.” The body craves ritual, and you’ll find that after a few nights of consistently going to bed and waking up at the same time, your body’s internal clock will adjust and kick in for you. The key is keeping the same habits from the weeknights through the weekend, not “catching up” with 10 hours of sleep on each weekend night. If you’re successful, your body will wake you up naturally within a window close to your desired time.
Test out these tips before you hit the hay tonight, and reap the benefits in your morning meetings. Your body (and your colleagues) will thank you.