Healthy sleeping supports performance and career
The one who sleeps well and sufficiently is healthier and is more productive – actually a platitude. But still, many managers are suffering under a chronical lack of sleep and tiredness. Frequent trips aboard, connected with jet-lag, high working- and deadline-pressure and being available almost 24 hours a day care for a distinctive sleep debt. And this is leading to stress symptoms, back pain and the danger of burn out.
More and more often scientific studies prove the consequences of this chronical tiredness: manager with too less or bad sleep are more irritated, less focused, clearly make more mistakes and more often make wrong decisions than well rested ones. Furthermore, they more often suffer under heart diseases and tend to back pain and depressions besides susceptibility to stress.
When having a lack of sleep, the entire hormonal balance gets mixed up, since the release of important hormones like melatonin, cortisol, leptin or prolactin is suppressed. Out of this reason, the immune system is constantly weakened and the metabolism disturbed which in turn may lead to overweight.
In addition to that, the aging process is happening rather more rapidly. Meanwhile, this whole development is having an effect on to the costs of enterprises and insurances. Because, people who have a bad sleep are sick more often.
It is assumed that a group of managers affected by a chronical lack of sleep is imposing costs three times higher than well rested executives. The personal price that tired managers are paying is even higher, because, the loss of health, vitality and of high spirits is finally threatening the own career, too.
The One Who Sleeps Better is Working More Efficiently
Long since, managers have learnt from top athletes that the performance is depending on inner biological rhythms. We are able to provide a better strength- or thinking-performance at certain times, depending on how our inner clock is working. Most people are having their highest performance between 10.00 and 12.00 a.m.. At this time, they are working concentrated and are thinking creatively. Towards lunchtime up until 3 p.m. the performance curve is leveling off, before the next peak is arising between 4.00 and 8.00 p.m.. But this is very strongly depending on our sleep behaviour. Out of my long-term experience as sleeping expert and sleeping coach, I know, that the one who is sleeping in rhythm is in any case more productive and more efficient.
Good Sleep Supports Intelligence and Creativity
People, who are sleeping sufficiently and healthy are doing a lot of “brain-work” during sleeping – and this on the highest level. Because, in their subconscious they are better processing their daily impressions. By that, experiences and knowledge gets sustainably anchored. This as well enhances intelligence and creativity as improves memory. I can only advise managers, who are preparing a lecture or an important meeting for the next day, to go over their manuscript or agenda before going to sleep, again. Because during sleep, our brain is processing the contents.
Healthy Sleep Needs Fundamental Aspects
Besides a sufficient amount of sleep, you will need a bed and sleep surroundings that is fulfilling all expectations to be able to have a sound and recreational sleep. Like a top athlete is needing a good equipment, for good sleep you will be needing a good sleeping underlay. An orthopedic high-quality slat-frame, a thereupon aligned natural rubber mattress, the proper cover as well as pillow – all made from high-quality, natural and pollution-free materials, belong to that. Sheep wool has proved itself to be the best used material for the changing seasonal climate. Furthermore, the correct room climate is mandatory for healthy sleep: perfect are 16 – 18 degrees Celsius as well as a humidity of at least 40 per cents. On your sleeping place you should avoid noise, light stimuli and electromagnetic pollution as far as possible.
Sleeping good and sufficiently can be learned
Actually, healthy sleeping would neither need special methods nor a strategy. But, due to our way of living and job-related stress this has changed massively during the last years. To consciously and purposefully optimize your sleep a participation of an expert or sleeping coach is more than useful. Because, when you are dealing with the basics of sleep you will get to know what is taking away your sleep which in turn makes it possible to work against that. Clearly, the worst way is to take pills, which are even intensifying your chronical tiredness.