Sure, we all know sleep is a necessity but when we have so much going on in our lives, it passes as a burden, believing it deters productivity. Like most of us, we don’t have a set bedtime and would rather not confine ourselves to a regiment routine. However, we have found prioritizing sleep to be an effective way to improve productivity.
In the light of Sleep Awareness Week, we gathered our crew and asked them a few questions. Here are their best tried-and-true sleep and productivity tips to boost your health.
Being a new mom and working full time, it comes as no surprise to us that Shayla De Coster prioritizes 8 hours of sleep. She wrote to us, “Without quality sleep, the things that I love doing and that are most important to me — being a mom, being with family, and working then becomes compromised.” Practical ways that help her prioritize her sleep include, “creating a bedtime routine that is easy to stick to and making sure it works for the household.”
Shayla believes the main benefit of ensuring quality sleep is that “Everything in my life is better when I sleep well! Work performance/production increases, my workouts are more productive, my social and home life is brighter and clearer. Who doesn’t love that?! :)”
True story! I certainly can’t disagree with that. Have you also noticed how life is that much lighter and brighter after a good night’s rest? It’s like walking on air while chasing butterflies in a magical world.
Even though we knew the answer, we asked Shayla if she has a night/morning routine. And of course she does. She feels this has made the most improvement in the quality of sleep she gets. “I feel like as adults, it’s easy to drift away from a routine. Life happens. However, this is one thing that we take pretty seriously in our household.” We applaud her for this. We can’t lead a healthy lifestyle if we don’t prioritize healthy habits. It’s as simple as that.
Here’s how Shayla and her family prepare for bed:
“I go to bed at the same time every night — 10 pm. Prior to going to bed, I do the usual “bedtime prep”…skincare routine, brushing teeth, etc., I take a Doc Parsley’s Sleep Remedy, put on an eye mask, and the rest is history. I wake up around 6-6:30 am every morning, take a quick look at emails, workout, then I get ready for my workday,” she wrote.
Shayla swears by and sticks to a bedtime routine, as well as take Doc Parsley’s Sleep Remedy every single night as her #1 tried-and-true sleep tip.
“For mental clarity and physical recovery,” Tara Youngblood manages to sleep for 6-7 hours, which is enough for her to be a productive machine throughout the day. She suggests not to wait until bedtime when you are tired to try a new sleep habit. Preparation is the key. One practical way that helps Tara prioritize sleep is to “lay tea bags or supplements out during the day.”
The main benefit of quality sleep for her is “not dragging through your day like when you are tired,” she wrote. But what is most profound to her is “the long term health benefits for memory, cognitive function and immune system” support. I’m not surprised at all seeing that a study by The Department of Psychology, Sleep Research Unit confirms sleep deprivation impacts our cognitive abilities (aka peak brain performance).
What’s more is, although most of Tara’s mornings revolve around her eleven-year old, she still maintains a healthy routine, she wrote “I drink my tea, take my dog, Nina for a walk, and workout 2-3 times per week.”
And while her #1 tried and true sleep tip – having a gratitude attitude to help your mind unwind – might work for some of you, I know others might need more than a shift in mindset right now.
Here’s a round up of 5 epic blogs guaranteed to hack your sleep and boost your health like a boss. Especially if you’re drifting through your day, grabbing bottomless coffees, feeling a heavy weight on your shoulders, and gravitating toward anything that resembles a bed. I feel you, my friend.
Cristy, a badass boss lady, keynote speaker, professional boxer, and author of “The Code Red Revolution” gets “at least 8 hours” of sleep a night while she tracks everything on her FITBIT Charge 3. Told you she’s badass!
She believes “sleep is the cornerstone of good health,” and you may have gathered that by the mention of that epic tracking device she uses. With that she believes, “getting quality sleep is NOT an option. It is non-negotiable. I simply am unable to vibrate at a high level without getting sleep. One of my pet peeves is people who are “sleep martyrs”. They act like having little or no sleep is a badge of honor. You cannot be the best version of you without quality sleep.”
And she is absolutely right. When did sleep and health go out of style? In both Cristy’s and our worlds, never!
As an elite athlete, Christy knows she needs to be fiercely protective of her sleep for optimal recovery and maximum productivity. “I don’t let anyone or anything come between me and good sleep. This starts with what I like to call excellent “bedroom boundaries”. I wear my Day Swannies (until it is at least 3 hours before bed) and then I switch to Night Swannies,” she explained. And we don’t mean to be party poopers, but you need to watch your habits before bedtime if your goal is to sleep better. “I plan my travel (which is frequent) around getting good sleep. I am always keeping quality sleep at the forefront of my conscience,” Cristy added.
Can she get a standing ovation? I think so.
Not only that, this fitness Goddess believes the main benefit of quality sleep is “to be able to accomplish my goals (and past achievements for that matter) I must have quality sleep. People who skimp on sleep are on a self-destructive cycle.” Hear, hear.
Yes I know, as much as the truth can hurt, it can also boost your health and ultimately save your life.
Here’s how Cristy ensures quality sleep with an effective routine, and so could you:
“I believe in sleep hygiene. A strange idea, but we brush our teeth and change our clothes at night. This is the same idea. I have a very strict routine that sends signals to my brain that we are winding down for the night. Here are some of the routines I participate in:
Not so strange. A study confirms that as habitual creatures we don’t operate well without quality sleep, and another shows the dark side of blue light you should know about.
Well aware of the dangers of blue light, Cristy reiterated, “I cannot live without my SWANNIES. I have them stocked at every location I may land for the night.” While wearing blue light blocking glasses is her #1 tried and true sleep tip, she concluded that “it would be that people need to become diligent and intentional with their sleep. This needs to become a non-negotiable of your day.”
In other words, sleeping okay is not good enough. You should aim for fantastic to move the needle!
Another helpful article talks about the blue light filter of iPhone, check it out!
Start with a Day and Night Blue Light Protection Set.
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