Sleep your way to the top...

For those who know me well, I am a bit of a stickler for getting my 8 hours sleep a night. Running my own company definitely helps in that regard, as I'm generally able to wake up when I want to if I've been working late into the night. Some people gasp and ask "What kind of businessman are you if you only wake up at 10am?!?" Well, I found an article that supports my thinking on the matter...

A Harvard report has broken down the impact and functions of the different stages of sleep. It is generally accepted that there are 4 stages of sleep. Stages 1 and 2 are light sleep, where we disconnect from the world around us. Stage 3 is known as deep sleep, where brain and body activity drop to their lowest points. Stage 4 is REM (rapid eye movement) sleep, where our brains become particularly active and we dream.

Now, we all know that sleep is important for our brains and bodies to recuperate, but there are actually very different functions that happen during Stage 3 vs Stage 4. Deep sleep is essential for physical recovery and growth - so this is what you need when you've been sick, on your feet all day, working out at the gym, etc. When deep sleep's in short supply, you're more likely to get sick and gain weight. In REM sleep, however, the brain processes memories and emotions, which is crucial for learning and higher-level thought. A shortage of this type of sleep can result in slower mental processing, as well as memory and concentration issues. For business owners or managers, the complex, strategic tasks which make up most of your day become exponentially harder when short on REM sleep.

The report also found that optimal amount of sleep is 7-8 hours a night. Many people brag about being able to manage on 4, 5, or 6 hours a night (psycho's!), but they are actually doing themselves a disservice. When faced with a shortage of sleep, the body chooses to forgo REM sleep and opt for lighter sleep. This means that higher-level cognitive functions (like strategic or out-of-the-box thinking) are restricted, and you actually perform at a much lower level than you are capable of. You can also miss out on subtleties in conversation, making reading-between-the-lines that much harder - which could impact on networking and negotiation skills.

I might sound a touch arrogant here, but I pride myself on being alert and open to stimuli that surround me every day. I absorb a lot of what I see and experience, and try to relay it onto others and their current situations. I can now see that this could be due to my striving to always get a decent 8 hours sleep. It means that I have a better chance of interpreting something which I come across, and perhaps taking it on-board and using it in my business or personal life. Many of my colleagues and peers (in 8-5 employment) miss a lot of what goes on around them, and only realise it when it's pointed out. The report also mentioned that later sleep cycles tend to have longer REM periods than earlier ones. This might be another advantage for me, as I'm quite a night-owl, and rarely go to bed before 1:30-2am!

So don't short-change yourself when it comes to sleep. You're the only loser if you do, and you could be holding yourself back from personal growth, or that next big brilliant business idea!