Why Sleep Is Why Sleep Is So Important So Important
Transcript
Why Sleep Is So Important
Health care series Why Sleep Is So Important
An inspiration from Health Article Why Sleep Is So
Important
Many hard-charging managers pride themselves on their ability
to work long hours and get by on 5 or 6 hours of sleep. But the
truth is that they're shortchanging themselves and their companies.
Why Sleep Is So Important
" Sleep is not a luxury," says Dr. James O'Brien, medical
director of the Boston Sleep Care Center in Waltham, Mass. "It's a
necessity for optimal functioning." Why Sleep Is So Important
When you sleep (What your brain do?) Your brain catalogues the
previous day's experiences, primes your memory, and triggers the
release of hormones regulating energy, mood, and mental acuity. To
complete its work, the brain needs 7 to 8 hours of sleep. When it
gets less, your concentration, creativity, mood regulation, and
productivity all take a hit. Why Sleep Is So Important
To understand why the right amount of shut-eye is so important
to performance, it helps to know how sleep works. Why Sleep Is So
Important How sleep works
Healthy sleep is divided into four-stage cycles. As we progress
through stages 1 and 2, we become increasingly unplugged from the
world until we reach the deep sleep that happens in stage 3. In
deep sleep, both brain and body activity drop to their lowest point
during the cycle, and blood is redirected from the brain to
muscles. The fourth and final stage is named for the rapid eye
movement -- REM -- that is its defining characteristic. Our brains
become busily active in REM sleep, too, even more so than when we
are awake. Dreaming happens during this stage. Why Sleep Is So
Important How sleep works
In a full night's sleep, we experience three or four such
cycles, each lasting 60 to 90 minutes. Why Sleep Is So Important
How sleep works
Different yet equally important restorative work happens during
deep sleep (stage 3) and REM sleep (stage 4). Why Sleep Is So
Important The work sleep does
Deep sleep is crucial for physical renewal, hormonal
regulation, and growth. Without deep sleep, you're more likely to
get sick, feel depressed, and gain an unhealthy amount of weight.
According to the National Sleep Foundation's 2008 Sleep in America
poll, those who sleep less than 6 hours per night on workdays are
significantly more likely to be obese than those who sleep 8 hours
or more (41% vs. 28%). Why Sleep Is So Important The work sleep
does
In REM sleep -- stage 4 in the sleep cycle -- the brain
processes and synthesizes memories and emotions, activity that is
crucial for learning and higher-level thought. A lack of REM sleep
results in slower cognitive and social processing, problems with
memory, and difficulty concentrating. The same 2008 sleep poll
found that people who sleep less than 6 hours per night during the
workweek are twice as likely as their better-rested colleagues to
report difficulty in concentrating. Why Sleep Is So Important The
work sleep does
Performing complex tasks and navigating complicated
relationships -- the heart and soul of a manager's work -- both
become much harder to do when REM sleep suffers. And when you cut
back on sleep, your REM sleep suffers the most. Why Sleep Is So
Important A deficit in sleep leads to deficits in work
performance
There are two reasons for this: Your brain, when confronted
with sleep deprivation, opts for lighter sleep and hence less REM
sleep. Later sleep cycles tend to have longer REM periods than
cycles earlier in the night. When you sleep through only one or two
cycles instead of three or four, your REM sleep is
disproportionately affected. Why Sleep Is So Important A deficit in
sleep leads to deficits in work performance
When your brain is starved of REM sleep, concentrating on a
single activity is challenging. Multitasking -- an inescapable bane
of managerial work -- becomes exponentially more so. Why Sleep Is
So Important A deficit in sleep leads to deficits in work
performance
A deficit of REM sleep also makes it tougher to pick up on
nuances in discussions or negotiations. Why Sleep Is So Important A
deficit in sleep leads to deficits in work performance
"When you're trying to understand the subtext of what someone
is saying, your brain needs to use a bunch of programs at the same
time," says Dr. Gandis Mazeika, Head of Sleep Medicine Northwest in
Seattle. "If you're sleep deprived, that's hard to do." Why Sleep
Is So Important A deficit in sleep leads to deficits in work
performance
Given the demands facing managers today -- working in a 24/7,
always-on environment is a big one -- a full night's sleep is
sometimes an impossible dream. Fortunately, there are ways to get
more out of the time you do manage to spend in sleep: Why Sleep Is
So Important Getting more from the sleep you get
Avoid caffeine. Cut out caffeinated coffee, tea, and soda
ideally 10 hours before bedtime -- and chocolate, too. When you
sleep, make it a commitment. Why Sleep Is So Important Getting more
from the sleep you get
Try to nod off quickly. To fall asleep fast, you can
occasionally use a sleeping supplement. But be careful. For
example, the much-prescribed Ambien is specifically for sleeping
seven to eight hours. If you don't have that much time, don't use
it. Although some antidepressants can help you feel drowsy enough
to fall asleep, they also tend to compromise REM, says Dr. O'Brien.
A more healthful approach for some is to meditate a half-hour
before hitting the bed. Why Sleep Is So Important Getting more from
the sleep you get
Darken the room completely. Your brain creates a hormone called
melatonin that senses when it's dark out and primes you for sleep.
If you try to sleep amid too much light, your brain may decide
you're not ready for bedtime after all. So turn off the TV, shut
down the computer, turn the clock to the wall, and close the blinds
tightly. Use an eye mask if you're sleeping during the daytime. Why
Sleep Is So Important Getting more from the sleep you get
Sleep in a restful environment. Make sure the room is quiet and
your Blackberry is out of hearing range. Sleep on a comfortable
mattress; Dr. Mazeika advises you get a new one every five to 10
years. Why Sleep Is So Important Getting more from the sleep you
get
Don't forget that brief day-time naps can be helpful. If at all
possible, close your office door (if you have one) and try to doze
for 10 to 20 minutes. Why Sleep Is So Important Exploit the power
of power naps
"Power naps are real and help you feel refreshed," says Dr.
O'Brien. But keep the naps short, he warns. With a longer nap,
you're likely to wake up while in deep sleep and feel worse than
before. It can take up to 30 minutes to feel fully alert after
awakening from deep sleep. By keeping your nap to 10-20 minutes,
you should be able to achieve stage 2 in the sleep cycle and wake
up energized rather than groggy. A short power nap should provide
enough of a boost to keep your performance going strong the rest of
the day -- and is more effective (as well as healthier) than a cup
of coffee. Why Sleep Is So Important Exploit the power of power
naps
Please use these simple helpful tips and do take care of your
health because if you are in good health you will get a lot of
wealth but if you have bad health than you cannot buy your health
from your wealth. Even you cannot buy your sleep Why Sleep Is So
Important Action note Thank you, [email_address]