Sacrifices are typically an inherent feature of the road to a successful career, and smart people swear that sleep is one of the best sacrifices of time.
Robert Herjavec, multi-millionaire entrepreneur and investor of the ABC show Shark Tank said during a season eight episode of the hit show: “I get three to four hours of sleep every day. I don’t do it because I want to. I do it because I have to. I’d rather be rich and tired than well-rested and poor.”
This is a mantra for many top entrepreneurs, but at what risk? You might find you have to stay up late every once in a while for a project or event, but making a consistent habit of this won’t do you any favors.
People who aspire to success need all the energy and creativity they can get at the right times, and a good night’s sleep is the best way to guarantee that.
1. Mental Reset
When scans of the brain are compared, the one that has had adequate sleep versus one that has not shows a huge difference in productivity and cognitive function. A graph of adequate sleep shows better cognitive processing and greater overall productivity.
“[Sleep has] been coined the glymphatic system,” says A. Thomas Perkins, director of the Sleep Medicine Program at Raleigh Neurology. “This system sort of flushes the brain of all metabolic waste, and it does this every night, getting in between the cells and neurons, purging the brain of the metabolic byproducts of the day. You essentially have a brain trying to function the next day with junk lying around — metabolic byproduct and wastes that interfere with its functioning.”
2. Memory Storage
If you have trouble remembering meetings, client names, appointments, and other vital pieces of information, your problem might be lack of sleep. Filing short- and long-term memories is an essential function of sleep.
Someone who fails to get enough rest will have a more difficult time managing to get important dates, concepts, times, and other material to stick in his or her brain. Sleep can often be a key to restoring a faulty memory.
When you can develop a sleep schedule that includes at least seven hours every night, you should be on the right track. If you have set up a proper sleep schedule, but can’t sleep because of your environment, make some changes.
Darken the room, remove the television, go mattress shopping, try earplugs and eye masks. Do what it takes to earn sufficient mental rest.
3. Improved Relationships
A good night’s sleep can make all the difference for a healthy, solid relationship. “When people have slept less, it’s a little like looking at the world through dark glasses,” said Janice Kiecolt-Glaser, director of the Ohio State Institute for Behavioral Medicine Research.
“Their moods are poorer. We’re grumpier. Lack of sleep hurts the relationship.” The same goes for work relationships.
You’ll have a hard time bonding with clients and connecting with coworkers if you’re not functioning properly due to lack of sleep. Individuals who sacrifice sleep for work, pleasure, or other obligations are likely to see a reduction in general satisfaction with their lives as a result.
4. Impulse Control
Maybe you’re trying to cut down on sweets to trim your waistline. Perhaps you’re trying to be more patient and less agitated toward coworkers. Your impulse to grab another donut or snap at someone gets worse when you’re lacking enough rest.
This has been proven in several studies. One from UC Berkeley showed that people who didn’t sleep well had inhibited self-control and were prone to automatic motions the next day. Another study from Clemson University showed that individuals who were sleepy made more impulse decisions — and poor ones — than those who slept a full night.
If you can stay dedicated and focused on your work, then head straight to rest instead of giving in to the impulse to watch Netflix or participate in other pleasurable activities, you’re more likely to achieve your goals.
5. Making Healthier Physical Choices
Other positive health results can originate from a good night’s sleep as well. Kaiser Permanente Center for Health Research performed a study on 472 obese adults who were involved in a weight-loss program that included monitoring their diet, exercise, and sleep.
“At the beginning of the study, the people who told us they were sleeping six to eight hours a night ended up doing better in the weight-loss program than those who were sleeping less than six or more than eight hours,” Charles Elder, research director wrote in a study.
Their findings also indicated that adequate sleep is vital for a productive pattern of exercise. “Losing weight takes a lot of energy, and if you are sleeping too much it’s going to impact your energy level, and sleeping too little can have effects on your ability to focus and concentrate on all the tasks at hand,” Elder says.
Sleep
is one of the biggest secrets of holistic health, well-being, and
entrepreneurial success. Making appropriate changes can make all the difference
in both your professional and home li