Improving Sleep For Productivity

Ever wake up just before your alarm? It might not be a coincidence… It turns out, our brains have a natural way of keeping track of time, an inborn “clock” mechanism, which is synchronised to light in our environment. It’s got the coolest name for such a tiny brain region: the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) - literally, the group of cells (nucleus) above (supra) the optic chiasm (crossing). The SCN is essentially your brain’s “master clock” because it is responsible for coordinating our circadian rhythms. Light-sensitive cells in your eyes send signals to the SCN, which regulates melatonin - a hormone that makes us sleepy - via the pineal gland. Our species evolved to be diurnal, being active in the day and sleeping at night. As a result, daylight inhibits melatonin release, making us more alert. At night, the lack of light promotes melatonin release, making us sleepy. This is why for better sleep hygiene, experts often recommend limiting exposure to electronic devices for at least an hour before bedtime. The light from electronic devices can shift your body clock and this gets aggravated by heightened anxiety associated with doom scrolling -- neither of which helps your sleep. Want to support your brain’s internal clock? A few simple habits can make a big difference: 👉 Get natural sunlight in the morning. This helps reset your body clock. 👉 Stick to a consistent sleep schedule, even on weekends. 👉 Limit screens at least an hour before bed. 👉 Keep your bedroom dark and cool to promote better sleep. BTW, in teenagers melatonin starts to be produced later at night, which is why many teenagers don’t feel sleepy until much later in the evening. It’s also the reason they struggle to get up in the morning. For teens, going to school early is a bit like forcing them into a different time zone during the week and only letting them reset on weekends. When your teenager sleeps in on the weekends, bear in mind they are dealing with a genuine biological change in their circadian rhythm during the teenage years. So when you wake right before your alarm, blame (or credit!) your suprachiasmatic nucleus for being such a good time keeper! Understanding our biology helps us work with our natural rhythms rather than against them. How do you optimize your daily schedule around your circadian patterns?

We all know how important consistent sleep is, but the pressures of work and life often don’t allow us to achieve this basic goal. I’ve worked 20-hour shifts during my residency. Forget time for family and friends, I often didn’t even have time to shower or eat. So sleeping for just 3-4 hours had become my new normal. Unfortunately, sleep deprivation has become a part of our work culture, where we often laugh it off or embrace it as a part of the ‘hustle’. We also rank as the second-most sleep-deprived nation worldwide, after Japan. But what we don’t realise is that it is a serious issue that could be causing: - Fatigue and tiredness - Irritability and mood swings - Difficulty concentrating & focusing - Increased risk of obesity and diabetes - Impaired judgment & decision-making - Kidney disease, stroke, and hallucinations This takes a toll on your personal and professional life as well, putting productivity and relationships at risk. But the good news is that avoiding these effects is in your hands. All you need to do is use the S.L.E.E.P framework: ▶ 1. Schedule: Go to bed and wake up at consistent times, even on weekends. This regulates your body's internal clock, making it easier to fall asleep and wake up naturally. ▶ 2. Light: Dim the lights and avoid screens at least an hour before bedtime, as the blue light emitted by these devices can interfere with the production of sleep hormones. ▶ 3. Environment: Make sure your bedroom is quiet, dark, and cool. Consider using blackout curtains, earplugs, or a white noise machine to block out disruptive sounds. ▶ 4. Exercise: Aim for at least 30 minutes of moderate exercise early in the day, and avoid vigorous exercise close to bedtime as it can be stimulating. ▶ 5. Prioritise: Make sleep a priority by practising good sleep hygiene habits: - Make sure your bed is supportive and comfortable - Avoid caffeine or large meals close to bedtime - Establish a relaxing night-time routine - Get some sun right after waking up Bonus Tip: If you can't fall asleep after 20 minutes, get out of bed and do a relaxing activity until you feel tired. Don't lie awake in bed worrying, as this can worsen sleep anxiety. How many hours do you sleep every day? #healthandwellness #workplacehealth #sleep

Did you know sleeping less than 6 hours doubles your risk of cancer, and being awake for 20 hours cognitively impairs you as much as being legally drunk. So what does this mean for seafarers working around the clock? Matthew Walker, Professor of #Neuroscience and #Psychology, has shared many insights into the critical role of sleep through his interviews on the Joe Rogan experience, Steven Bartlett’s The Diary Of A CEO, and his impactful TED Talk. His research led me to consider how well the maritime industry manages sleep, especially for watchkeepers. The #MCA acknowledges the dangers of #fatigue, yet, Matthew Walker’s findings present deeper concerns: - After just one night of 4 hours’ sleep, cancer-fighting immune cells drop by 70%. - #Nightshift work is classified by the World Health Organization as a probable carcinogen. - Losing just one hour of sleep (e.g., daylight savings or shifting time zones at sea) correlates with a 24% increase in heart attacks. While gaining an hour reduces heart attacks by 21%. - Regularly sleeping less than 6 hours doubles cancer risk and increases heart disease risk. - After 20 hours awake, cognitive performance resembles being legally drunk. The Maritime Labour Convention and STCW standards mandate at least 10 hours of rest in every 24-hour period, divided into no more than two periods, one being at least 6 hours. However, experts like Michelle Grech indicate this still mostly falls short, as most people require 7–9 hours of sleep daily for optimal performance. Key maritime studies further highlight these challenges: - Project HORIZON found that watchkeepers on 6-on/6-off rotations averaged just 6.5 hours of sleep daily, significantly impacting alertness. In simulator trials, 20% fell asleep during the midnight-to-6am watch. - Project MARTHA noted that fatigue increased significantly over longer voyages, with masters experiencing the highest fatigue levels, impairing situational judgement and response in critical scenarios. Fatigue Risk Management Systems (FRMS) and alternative watch schedules, alongside strategic napping, are emerging solutions to mitigate fatigue risks. How do you manage fatigue at sea? Which watch pattern do you find most effective? Share your thoughts below. 👇 ----- #FatigueAtSea #MaritimeSafety #Seafarers #SleepScience Follow this link to read the in depth analysis: https://lnkd.in/d99H8Pyj

I once blanked during a $200K pitch meeting. → Not stage fright. → Sleep deprivation. After 14 days of 4-hour nights, I couldn't recall our core offering that I'd personally designed. The prospect's expression said it all: "If he can't remember his own product..." Sleep isn't a performance hack for founders. It's your primary strategic asset. The research most founders ignore: 1. Decision quality erodes before energy   • Your frontal cortex (judgment center) deteriorates first   • You make increasingly poor calls while feeling "fine" 2. Recovery follows a 3:1 ratio   • After my sleep collapse, it took 21 days to rebuild my strategic capacity   • Each week of deficit demands three weeks of repair 3. Leadership patterns create company culture   • When I implemented mandatory offline hours, error rate dropped 26%   • Your sleep discipline shapes organizational performance 4. The blind spot effect   • Sleep-deprived brains can't self-diagnose their impairment   • The biggest decisions deserve your clearest thinking The ultimate competitive edge isn't working harder. It's having clarity when your competitors are operating in a cognitive fog. Which is more important: your 11PM emails or your 9AM strategic decisions? ps: you might like this: https://lnkd.in/g7i6WdCq

After 26 years of training high performers, I discovered their most overlooked superpower that allows them to outwork everyone else: It's sleep, but not in the way that you think. I used to try to out-hustle a tired brain and outperform a depleted body, but the fact is, I couldn't. If your sleep isn't replenishing you, it's becoming a danger to your goals. Succesful people don't win because they work when you're asleep, they succeeed because they work harder than you on the right things when you're awake. They're goals are clearer, they're schedule is optimized and they move without skipping a beat because their mind is always well rested. Since learning this I've worked with a sleep coach to optimize for one thing; performance when i'm awake. Here are the 8 habits that high performers use that I started copying: 1. Sleep at 67 degrees Cool environments trigger natural melatonin. You fall asleep faster and stay asleep longer. 2. Block out light and sound Black out your room. Use white noise if needed. 3. Clear your mind before bed Use journaling or breath work. Quiet the mental loops that keep you awake. 4. Finish workouts at least 3 hours before bed Don't elevate cortisol late at night. Let your body unwind. 5. Same sleep and wake times daily Even on weekends to protect your natural rhythm. 6. Block 7 hours every night Sleep is non-negotiable. If you miss one night, don't miss two. 7. Cut stimulants by mid-afternoon No caffeine after 2 PM. These break up your sleep cycles. 8. Get up if you can't sleep after 20 minutes Reset and try again. Being successful is the result of how productive you are when you are awake, not the total hours you spend awake. Your day begins the night before. If you want to show up big tomorrow, start tonight. Protect your sleep like athletes do before game day. I treat my sleep like my most important bank account. Every bit of energy and focus you need during the day is a withdrawal. The deposits happen while you sleep.

Being tired all the time isn’t normal. But most of us just accept it as part of life. And the tricky part? It’s not just about sleep. Fatigue sneaks up in ways we don’t always notice: ❌ Hitting snooze but still waking up exhausted ❌ Drinking coffee all day but feeling drained by 3 PM ❌ Struggling to focus even after a full night’s sleep Turns out, energy management is just as important as sleep. And when we’re constantly tired, it’s usually because our daily habits are messing with our body's natural rhythms. Here’s what research suggests can help: ➡️ Move in the morning – A short walk or light workout helps reset your body clock. Studies show that even 5-10 minutes of movement can boost cortisol (the hormone that wakes you up) and improve energy levels throughout the day. ➡️ Start with sunlight – Natural light in the morning increases alertness and helps you sleep better at night. If possible, get outside for 10 minutes within an hour of waking up. No sunlight? Sit by a window or use a bright light. ➡️ Cut caffeine in the afternoon – Caffeine blocks adenosine, the hormone that makes you feel sleepy. Even if you don’t feel wired, it lingers in your system for hours. The fix? Stick to morning coffee and swap afternoon caffeine for water, movement, or a power nap. ➡️ Build a wind-down routine – Late-night stimulation (scrolling, bright screens, overthinking) disrupts deep sleep. A consistent evening routine, like dimming the lights, stretching or reading, helps signal to your brain that it’s time to rest. Better sleep means more energy. We often think being tired is just about getting more sleep. But managing how we wake up, move and wind down has just as much impact. What’s one small change you could make today to feel more energised? 🚀

I have a confession: I’m a bit of a sleep evangelist. Late nights have never held any allure for me – the thought of dragging through the next day, foggy and tired, is enough to send me scurrying to bed in favor of late-night parties and events. While some revel in “burning the midnight oil,” I crave the clarity and focus that comes with a good night’s sleep. That’s why I loved the recent The Wall Street Journal article highlighting that the hottest new bedtime for twentysomethings is now 9 PM. They finally caught up to me 😊.    In honor of #WorldSleepDay, I think the article serves as an excellent reminder that simple changes (like incorporating an earlier bedtime) have promising potential to improve long-term health and mental wellbeing. Sleep is like a superpower that fuels our bodies and minds! Adequate shut eye strengthens our immune systems, boosts cognitive functions, and helps with emotional balance, too. It’s the foundation for a healthy body and a sharp mind.  My personal focus (some might call it an obsession) with a good night sleep is based on a few elements:    🔄 Keeping a consistent routine. It’s not always possible, like this morning, ironically. I was woken up by an operational alert at 4 AM! But getting into a good rhythm is the best feeling.    🧘🏽 Practicing meditation through mindful breathing. I do this for a few minutes before bed to decompress after my day.    🛏️ Creating a surrounding for optimal rest with lighting and comfortable bedding that minimize noise and light pollution.    🗓️ Following (or aspiring to) the 3-2-1 system, which is dinner about 3 hours before bedtime, no strenuous workout 2 hours prior, and no devices, email, or work 1 hour prior. I'm a work in progress on that last one.    📊 Tracking and studying my sleep carefully using the data to continuously learn and optimize my routine. There are so many great fitness and sleep trackers in the market today that can help us be more aware of the quality and quantity of our sleep.     On this World Sleep Day, lets champion sleep not just as a necessary bodily function but an important priority that propels us towards our best, most vibrant selves and the cornerstone of health and happiness. Wishing you all sweet dreams!    Have a sleep or wellness tip that works for you? Share it below so we can all give it a try!    #Sleep #Technology #WorkLifeBalance #Wellness    https://lnkd.in/g89h7i9i  

We spend 26 years of our life sleeping. Yet 99% of us are doing it completely wrong - and AI just proved it. Recent studies from SXSW reveal a troubling paradox - while interest in sleep health is skyrocketing, actual sleep quality keeps declining globally. The research uncovered three critical gaps: 📍People understand sleep's importance but don't act until crisis hits 📍Generic advice ("avoid late coffee") fails because everyone's sleep needs differ 📍Most sleep problems stem from patterns we can't consciously detect This research made me rethink our approach at The Sleep Company. We'd perfected the physical product - our SmartGRID technology helps millions sleep better. But what if we could predict and prevent sleep issues before they start? Here's what AI-powered sleep tracking now reveals: 📌 Your optimal sleep temperature (it varies by 3-4 degrees person to person) 📌 Which sleep stage you're missing most (deep sleep vs REM) 📌 Early signs of sleep apnea through breathing patterns 📌 Exact triggers that disrupt your sleep cycle The breakthrough isn't just data collection - it's personalization. AI transforms thousands of data points into one simple action: "Move bedtime 20 minutes earlier" or "Your room is 2 degrees too warm." At The Sleep Company, we spent years perfecting mattresses. Now I see the next frontier - helping people understand not just WHERE they sleep, but HOW and WHY their sleep succeeds or fails. Do you trust technology to improve your sleep?

"Do you get good sleep?" I asked. "Ha, sleep is a luxury for me, Gopal", replied a colleague of mine. "Why do you say so?" I asked. "Well, I sleep at 2 AM daily and have to wake up at 7:00 AM. When I wake up, I don't find the energy at all," he said Staying awake until 2 AM for work calls with global counterparts was a challenge, and struggling through the day with depleted energy levels was even a bigger one. As he shared, one thought kept running in my head: When was the last time we asked if our work schedules could be adjusted to better suit our health needs? Many of us find ourselves trapped in a cycle of late nights, either working or scrolling through social media. This pattern isn't uncommon in today’s work culture, where late-night calls and early mornings are normalized, often at the cost of our health. "What can you do to sleep early?" I asked. "Well, even if I lie down in bed, I only get to sleep by 2:00," he said. "How about waking up at 4:30 AM every day?" I asked, attempting to break this cycle. He tried waking up at 4:30 AM for a few days, pushing himself to stay awake in hopes of resetting his sleep pattern. It helped, but the root issue persisted—his late evening calls. He felt stuck, needing to meet the demands of a global team, yet his own health was on the line. This scenario begs the question: Have you ever tried asking if the timing of your calls or any deliverables could be adjusted to accommodate your well-being better? Often, we shy away from these conversations with our teams, fearing they might see us as less committed. However, prioritizing health is not just a personal benefit but a professional necessity. So, what can we do? ✅ Communicate: If late-night calls are unavoidable, discuss scheduling with your manager. Alternating call times or rotating them among team members could be a solution that respects everyone’s local time zones. ✅ Establish a Routine: Try to sleep and wake at consistent times. This regularity helps your body's internal clock, making it easier to fall asleep and wake up naturally. ✅ Wind Down: Before bed, give yourself at least 30 minutes of screen-free time. Replace this time with calming activities like reading a book or meditating to signal to your body that it's time to wind down. ✅ Create a Restful Environment: Make your bedroom conducive to sleep—cool, dark, and quiet. Invest in good quality curtains, perhaps some white noise, and ensure your mattress and pillows support a good night’s sleep. Sleep is important both in terms of quality and quantity. Find ways to enhance your sleep quality and, by extension, your overall health and productivity. Work demands often seem urgent and non-negotiable, but it's crucial to remember that our most important asset is our health. So, when was the last time you evaluated your work commitments against your health? Let’s not wait until our bodies force us to listen—let’s start today. #mondaymotivation #wellbeing

Over the past couple of years, I've interviewed several sleep professors and physicians. They've shared a LOT of sleep tips with me. Being the lab rat psychologist I am, I tested them all. On myself. At this point, I have tried everything short of sleeping upside down like a bat. Many sleep tips failed to shift the dial. But three strategies genuinely transformed my sleep. Tip #1: Sleep LESS to sleep better This one surprised me. When I was struggling with insomnia, I was told: the worst thing you can do is spend more time in bed. Instead, less time in bed is the trick. Sleep restriction therapy (which I wrote about in The Health Habit) works like this: If you're only sleeping 6 hours but spending 9 hours in bed, restrict your bed time to 6 hours. Your sleep efficiency skyrockets. Then gradually increase it over the course of a few weeks. Tip #2: The 3-2-1 Rule 3 hours before bed: No more food 2 hours before bed: No more work 1 hour before bed: No screens (Kindle doesn't count) "But Amantha, I need to scroll the socials at 11pm!" (Said no well-rested person ever). Tip #3: Wake within the same 30-minute window every day Yes, even on weekends. I can hear you groaning. Let me explain. This is the cure to "social jetlag". Your circadian rhythm doesn't care that it's Saturday. When you sleep in for "just 2 more hours," you're essentially giving yourself jet lag. I wake between 6-6:30am every single day. No exceptions. The payoff? I fall asleep easily, wake naturally, and haven't needed an alarm in months (except when I have a ridiculously early How I Work podcast interview to get up for). What's your most effective sleep hack? Or are you still searching for the holy grail of good sleep? #SleepScience #ProductivityHacks #EvidenceBasedWellbeing