Make the most of your sleep

Sarah Burgess

It’s amazing to think that when we were children, most of us despised naptime because we’d rather be playing. Now, few things sound better than a good nap! Since graduating from college and starting work in the “real world,” I have come to truly appreciate the value of a good night’s sleep and how crucial being well-rested can be for your productivity at work. Sleep deprivation can affect your mood, productivity, quality of work and fine motor skills – just to name a few! So, in case you are anything like me and have periods of poor sleep, here are a few of the sleep tips that have worked best for me:

• Bedtime – Yeah, it’s not just for the kids. Going to sleep around the same time every night can help you wake up feeling refreshed and ready to go the next morning. But don’t think you’re off the hook on weekends! Drastically disrupting your sleep schedule during the weekend will almost always show on Monday – and no one wants Mondays to be any worse than they already are!
• If you must nap, do so with caution – Although taking a power nap might feel good now, napping can actually make some people’s insomnia worse. If you absolutely cannot make it through a rough day without napping, try taking a nap in the early afternoon for no more than 30 minutes. By napping quickly and further away from your bedtime, you’ll be more prepared for a long night of sleep.
• Turn off the lights – Some people have told me that they can’t get to sleep at night without a little background noise from the television or reading a quick chapter on their tablet. On the contrary, the light from your television or tablet can have a significant impact on your melatonin production (the stuff that helps you sleep) and can keep you from getting to sleep and staying asleep. Make sure your bedroom is completely dark before trying to sleep. If you’re still bothered by lights outside, get a sleep mask. Trust me, they may feel funny the first couple of nights, but after you get used to wearing one, you will sleep SO much better!
• Put the phone away – Having your phone next to you while you’re trying to sleep may keep your mind racing with thoughts of who you were emailing, waiting for a text, etc. I know some people like to use their phones for alarm clocks, but if you keep your phone on the other end of the room and use an old-fashioned alarm clock instead, I would be surprised if you didn’t see immediate results like I did!
• Exercise – Not only can exercise affect your physical appearance and mood, it can also have a huge effect on your sleep! Regular exercise, even simple things like yoga or Pilates, can help promote good sleep. Just be careful not to exercise too close to bedtime! This can result in raising your body temperature and keeping you awake longer.

Got any sleep tips of your own? Leave them in the comments below!

Wake up call for work: How to spring ahead without losing sleep

Tiffany Cunningham

In the wonderful/crazy world of public relations, the spring forward a couple of weekends ago has really thrown me for a loop. I’m not able to go to bed until after midnight; the sun’s not rising until 7:40 a.m. doesn’t help with my morning schedule before work; and I’m exhausted by 5 p.m. every day, so far. 

The real issue isn’t daylight saving time; the issue is my sleep habits. In fact, up to 40 percent of Americans don’t have healthy sleep habits, which cause some symptoms of insomnia – not being able to fall asleep easily, or daytime drowsiness. For me, daylight saving time makes my poor sleep even worse, and I want to share a few sleeping tips I read recently on Medical Daily online to help smooth the transition for any others out there who are still feeling the effect.

Soak up the sun during waking hours: 

One of the best ways to reset your internal clock is to soak up the sun during the day. Next week, I’ll be making small outings at lunch to help suppress my sleep-inducing hormone known as melatonin.

Take a low dose of melatonin:
I don’t have an issue falling asleep when I hit the pillow, but on nights that I feel extra energized, taking less than 0.3 milligrams of melatonin in the late afternoons on the weekends will aid in falling asleep faster or staying asleep longer. The National Sleep Foundation says that it’s inactive during the day, but it is “turned on” by the supra-chiasmatic nucleus at night.

Exercise in the sunlight before 5 p.m. – daily:
Luckily, one of the benefits of daylight saving time is that the sun is out when I get home from work. A lot of my workouts have been on nearby trails or walking my dog around the neighborhood when the sun is still shining. Sunlight and exercise can boost serotonin production, and its release in the brain, which can offset the effects of daylight saving time.

Avoid caffeine after noon and avoid alcohol consumption after dinner:
Although this week I’ve felt like grabbing something caffeinated several times in the afternoon I keep sticking to the water to help push me through the day. A study by the Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine found that 400 milligrams of caffeine consumption even six hours before bedtime can disrupt your sleep cycle. It takes one hour per drink to process alcohol and is recommended that if you want to drink, you should do it one hour before sleeping.

Follow a consistent bedtime schedule, even on the weekends: 

This is impossible for me, but I will try to make my sleeping hours as consistent as possible to help get over the hurdle of sleep deprivation I’m causing myself. An interesting fact I learned was that our internal body clocks adjust to time and schedule changes slowly. At least there’s one excuse for being a little slower this week. 

It’s important to take care of your health, even when the weather is perfect and the sun is out until 8 p.m. – just remember sleep is important and vital for productivity in the work place.