No matter how much coffee you guzzle, there 's one sure thing to help us stay productive and focused throughout the work week €“ and that 's sleep. Your sleep habits could, unknowingly, be impacting your performance at work. A good night 's sleep may seem like a lower priority than catching up on emails, but it 's essential for focus and critical thinking. Being sleep deprived could impact your decision-making skills, hand-eye coordination, memory, and temperament. When you 're not feeling your best, it 's likely you 're not doing your best. To help, we 've rounded up some essential sleep tips to start using today.
Improve Your Work Week with Improved Sleep
- Don 't expect to catch up on sleep on weekends
You may think that because you 're missing out on a few hours of sleep throughout the work week that you can spend a few more hours snoozing in bed on the weekend to catch up. Unfortunately, our bodies don 't work this way. Sleeping in on the weekend may help us feel less tired, but research indicates that it doesn 't help in our abilities to focus and retain information, which are qualities we need for work. Instead, it 's better to maintain a consistent schedule of sleep throughout the week and ensure you don 't miss any important hours.
- Skip the alarm
Make an effort to go to sleep and wake up at the same time each day, without an alarm, even on the weekends. If you 're getting enough sleep, you should be able to wake up naturally. Giving our bodies and brains a scheduled routine of sleep helps it to rest each night. If you aren 't able to wake up without an alarm, it could be time to set an earlier bedtime.
- Maintain your melatonin levels
Melatonin is a hormone controlled by light exposure that helps our bodies to regulate the sleep-wake cycle. To improve your melatonin levels, increase your light exposure during the day by spending time outside and letting light into your home and workspace. In the evening, limit your reading on backlit devices by turning off TVs, smartphones, and tablets at least one hour before bed.
- Choose the right foods
In the afternoon, limit your intake of caffeine, alcohol, and foods that might be hard to digest. The wrong food and drink could easily cause you to have a restless night and then a difficult day at work. Instead, choose healthy food options throughout the day. Pick up more almonds, bananas, hummus, cherries, and nut butters €“ all containing vitamins like magnesium, potassium, B6, and amino acids that promote and regulate good sleep patterns.
We hope that these tips help you to improve your work week and sleep better each night. The insurance professionals at
Kneller Agency are here to help. For all of your insurance needs,
contact us today. We are operating business as usual and are eager to protect you.
