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Dear friends and clients,

Soon after I retired from high powered corporate life, it dawned on me – I was exhausted. Like many of my friends, I had become so used to feeling tired that it seemed normal. One of the joys of my new lifestyle is that I have rediscovered how good “normal” can feel. And, as a light sleeper, I’ve learned to carefully manage my Z’s.

You know that eating right and exercising are fundamental to a productive career and a happy, healthy life. But even if you’re careful about nutrition and fitness, you might be ignoring something just as important: your need for sleep.

The science of sleep has developed dramatically in recent years. In this issue of Bev’s Tips I’ll report on why it is so important that you get enough sleep, and offer suggestions about how to make that happen.

Warm wishes,

Get Some Sleep!

February 1, 2005 * Number 8

Sleep is critical to your ability to absorb information, solve problems and be creative. If you don’t get enough sleep you may be irritable, depressed, forgetful, unfocused and unable to make decisions.

Sleep deprivation can make you susceptible to colds, flu and more serious diseases. It can upset your hormones, strain your heart, raise your blood pressure and maybe even make you fat. Some experts believe that people who sleep well will live much longer than those who burn the candle at both ends.

Lack of sleep can exacerbate other conditions and problems. Sleep deprivation is linked to numerous traffic accidents, and if you are short of sleep even a small amount of alcohol can lead to “fatal fatigue.”

Although everybody is a little different, you probably need about eight hours of sleep each night. When you get less sleep than you need, you build up a “sleep debt” that must be repaid before you can return to optimum performance.

Sometimes you know you need a good night’s sleep, but you toss and turn and just can’t drift off. The reason that you may be wide awake even when you’re dog tired is that your body’s drive to sleep is countered by another drive that wakes you up and keeps you alert. This alerting function is controlled by your biological clock but can be stimulated by bright light and many other factors, like noise and danger.

When your clock is functioning well, your sleep debt will cause you to sleep through the night, and then your alerting function will wake you up when the sun comes up. In a common pattern, the alerting function is strong in the morning, tends to fade in the afternoon, and then kicks in again in the early evening.

By becoming more aware of your own biological clock, you will be able to better manage your sleep and thus your performance on the job, as well as your well-being throughout the day. Here are some tips for getting a good night’s sleep:

Exercise regularly. Getting at least a little exercise every day will help you to sleep, but beware of exercising too close to bedtime. A common recommendation is to avoid exercise within three hours of going to bed.
Eat light. The digestive process can keep you awake, so you may wish to make lunch your main meal of the day, then eat a small, early dinner.
Cut the coffee. Caffeine stimulates your alerting function, so avoid it late in the day. It takes coffee about 15 to 30 minutes to have an effect on your brain, then its half life in your blood stream is between three and seven hours.
Take naps. A great strategy for handling your sleep debt is to find time for a nap. Studies show that naps can greatly enhance performance, even when the napper doesn’t feel much better after snoozing.
Turn off the TV. Avoid stimulating or disturbing activities as bedtime approaches. Within an hour of going to bed, dim the lights and don’t watch television or answer your email.
Keep a regular schedule. You’ll sleep better if you get up and go to bed at the same times every day, seven days a week.
Develop rituals. Create a bedtime routine that you find relaxing, perhaps including a hot bath, warm non-alcoholic drinks, soothing music or light reading.
Clear the clutter. Feng Shui experts say that stagnant energy collects in a messy bedroom and can keep you awake. Make sure that your bedroom is a clean space that you find restful.
Meditate. Meditation and relaxation techniques can put your mind at rest and still that tossing and turning. Focus your attention on your breath or a mantra, and allow those nagging worries to drift away.
Negotiate with your partner. The preferences and habits of your bedmate can have a huge impact on your ability to get a good night’s sleep. Recognize that sleep is vital to your health and happiness, then work out a plan to assure that the bedroom is a restful haven for each of you.

Get help. Sleep medicine has developed dramatically in recent years, and your own doctor may not be up on the latest. If you can’t sleep – or stay awake – see a specialist.

Reading suggestions

Described below is one book that may help you to understand your sleep debt and find ways to sleep better. To go directly to the book description at Amazon.com, click on the title below. For recommendations of other helpful books, each with a link to Amazon.com, go to:
ClearWays Books and Services.
(If you buy a book through these links it will contribute to the cost of distributing Bev’s Tips and be much appreciated.)

The Promise of Sleep – A Pioneer in Sleep Medicine Explores the Vital Connection Between Health, Happiness, and a Good Night’s Sleep, William C. Dement, M.D., Ph.D., and Christopher Vaughan, Dell Publishing, 1999.

Dr. William Dement is passionate about the importance of sleep to your overall health and well-being. Healthful sleep, he says, has been proven to be the single most important factor in predicting longevity -- more influential than diet, exercise or heredity.

Dement is a national leader in the emerging field of sleep medicine. With this book he provides a broad overview of the research about why we sleep, what happens when we don’t, and why some of us can’t.

The book is lengthy but surprisingly readable. The survey of research is enriched with details about Dement’s own life, and the discussion is not too technical for consumers. The publication date is 1999, and the field of sleep medicine has developed rapidly, so this is not the place to go for the latest developments. But it is an authoritative overview of how to sleep better, and why you should.

Interested in more free tips? Go to Bev’s Ezine

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Bev’s Tips for a Better Work Life is published on the first and third Tuesday of each month by Beverly E. Jones of ClearWays Consulting, LLC. Bev is a lawyer and former executive who now coaches accomplished attorneys and other professionals to bring new direction, energy and enjoyment to their work lives.

All rights in all media reserved. However, the content of Bev’s Tips for a Better Work Life may be forwarded in full without special permission on the condition that (1) it is for non-profit use and (2) full attribution and copyright notice are given. For other uses please contact Bev Jones.

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