Effective Ways to Improve Your Sleep and Increase Your Productivity

Choices have consequences and therefore, it is important to make the right ones to balance between your sleep and productivity. These two are of equal importance but if you are not careful, sleep can affect your productivity not because it is bad but because of doing it the wrong way. The environment in which you sleep can either ruin or boost your sleep.

At times, all you need is a good mattress from a reputable brand like a Layla Mattress. However, that is not the only thing you will need. Here are other effective ways that can help you improve your sleep and enhance your productivity as an individual:

1. Avoid Caffeine After Lunch. Research has shown that caffeine is a strong stimulant that interferes with your sleep patterns. It increases adrenaline production in your body hence blocking chemicals that induce sleep in your brain. Typically, it has a half-life of 6 hours implying that it will take 24 hours for it to completely get out of your body system. When taken in the afternoon, it will still be in your system by the time you prepare to go to bed.

2. Oversleeping During Weekends. Don’t catch up with your sleep by sleeping during weekends. This tends to be counterproductive because it interferes with your sleep pattern. It will give you an inconsistent wake-up time which is detrimental to your productivity. If you are used to a certain sleeping and wake-up time during the week but exceed it over the weekend, you will tend to feel tired and groggy because your brain will not have prepared your body to do so. This will definitely affect your plans for the day and could even roll over to the work week.

3. Have a Consistency in your Wake-Up Time. Endeavor to wake up the same time each day. If you want a good sleep, make sure you observe your sleep times particularly on the time to wake up. Being consistent in your wake-up times enhances your sleep quality and mood by moderating your circadian rhythm. This way, your brain tends to acclimatize and go through a sleep cycle and prepare you to feel alert and rested once you are up hence making you productive during the day.

4. Establish the Amount of Sleep You Need. The amount of sleep needed by your system is something out of our control. Many people don’t get enough time to sleep and that has affected their usefulness and productivity during the day. Under-sleeping while overworking yourself can render you unproductive as time goes by. You may think you are doing well initially only to find yourself collapsing due to exhaustion and a lack of sleep. Have enough rest as your body needs and you will boost your performance during work time.

5. Don’t Work in the Evening. Your sleep is as important as your work. Your ability to perform and stay productive for long comes through a balance between the two. In the evening, engage in activities that will not keep you alert and stimulated. Look for things that will help you relax and wind down in preparation for your sleep. The habit of working in the evening will deprive you of your sleep and productivity with time without your notice.

6. Keep Off Interruptions. Well, some interruptions like small babies are out of your control. However, there are things that you can control. If you find your neighbors too loud, consider wearing earplugs to bed. Set your phone in silent mode if there are people who like calling you during bedtime hours. Any little sound is enough to deprive you of your sleep. Keep off drinking too much water as it may cause you to make trips to the bathroom during the night and interrupt your sleep.

7. Stay away from Blue Light at Night. Blue light hinders the production of melatonin, the sleep-inducing hormone. Therefore, you should avoid it all costs. Keep off using your Smartphone or tablet while in bed. If you must read something before you sleep, use a book but not these gadgets. They have a high potential of disrupting your sleep and productivity for the following day. Blue light enhances our energy level and mood and therefore, it will be difficult for you to sleep in such a state.

Your productivity is highly determined by your ability to stay alert and focused during work time. This calls for enough rest and sleep to help your body refresh and prepare for the next day’s work. If you take too little time to sleep, you will have issues doing what you are supposed to do during the day hence affecting your productivity.