Sleep Tight, Live Right: 10 Strategies to Get Great Sleep and Boost Performance

Many professionals believe the lie that they can function off little sleep without consequence
You’ve done it. I’ve done it.
The all-nighter because you can. A late night catching up on work. The earlier-than-necessary morning because you forgot to plan ahead.
At first, this can start as a one-time occurrence.
But before you know it, you’re wondering when you last had a good night’s sleep or if you’ve ever had a day where you woke up ready to take on the world.
Let me warn you right now…
This is not sustainable.

To live The Focused Life, your body needs to consistently get the appropriate amount of quality sleep.
Think about it…
How much more focused, effective, and rejuvenated you would feel if you got the sleep your body actually desires, begs you for, and needs?
The world is full of distractions that deter us from getting that kind of energizing slumber.
And to make things worse, our society rewards us in the short term when we forego sleep but fails to inform us of the long term consequences.
It is well documented that chronic lack of adequate sleep are linked to depression, a weakened immune system, emotional outbursts, heart disease, type 2 diabetes.
Never mind the obvious detriments to our productivity and performance.
Something needs to change…TONIGHT
I have struggled with this myself at times.
Like any habit, it takes time to develop and almost no time to back slide.
When I lapse out of consistent sleep I am more easily distracted, less mentally present with my family, and more irritable around colleagues and loved ones.
So if you find yourself struggling with these same issues, you must arm yourself with strategies to improve your chances of a good night’s sleep.
Here are the 10 methods I have found most effective in getting the necessary sleep to feel more present, focused, and productive:
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Stop eating right before bed
If your stomach doesn’t sleep, you’ll have trouble sleeping as well. Try to give yourself 2-3 hours of time to digest after a meal before going to bed. Don’t worry, a (very) small snack before bed won’t hurt.
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Know your stopping point
If your stomach can affect your sleep, so can your brain. If you are doing activities which stimulate your body, this can make it more difficult to snooze. This is why it’s so important to know when you will actually STOP working or finishing tasks/projects for the day. Try to stop 2 hours before you go to bed so you can give your brain a chance to prepare for that sweet sweet sleep.
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Limit screen time
By now everybody generally knows that blue light limits your body’s ability to prepare for quality sleep. But really any screens before bedtime can stimulate your brain and be just another evening activity that makes it difficult to shut it down at the end of the day. 1 hour of non-screen time as you get ready for bed should do the trick.
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Beware of caffeine
Everyone’s relationship to caffeine is a little different but plenty of studies suggest that the quality and duration of your sleep can be altered by the amount and timing of caffeine in your day. In general, try to avoid caffeine in the afternoon and definitely beware of caffeine in the evening.
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Schedule your bedtime
If you’ve been reading any of my blogs thus far, you know how adamant I am about scheduling what’s important. And sleep is no different. Schedule a date with your pillow and spend 7-8 hours of uninterrupted time sleeping. This will give you visibility of where your sleep fits into your schedule, when you should be awake, and when you should be in bed with lights off.
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Get regular exercise
Everyone has a different opinion about the best and worst times to exercise in your day, especially in regards to sleep. However, what can’t be debated is the fact that regular consistent exercise is one of the greatest ways to improve your sleep. When you get your energy out in a regularly healthy way, your body is primed to more effectively replenish its stores.
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Track it
To create consistency, try creating or using a habit tracker. I recommend a written version but there are plenty of fun apps out there as well to help give you insight into your status and progress. As with any habit, start small and then build as needed. Focus first on stuff like your bed time, the duration of your sleep, or how many times you wake up in the night.
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Enhance your environment
Make it easier for your body to prepare itself for sleep. Dark, cool, and quiet is the key. You might also consider calming sounds (white noises), aromas, and activities such as reading. Find what works for you.
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Never hit snooze
It can seem odd that how you wake up can affect how you sleep. But every time you hit the snooze button you tell your body that it’s not yet time to wake up despite physiological processes being initiated that are meant to wake you up. This will have a profound impact on the way you get sleep the next night. BONUS TIPS: Make waking up easier by putting a non-phone alarm somewhere that forces you to walk 10ft or more and then drink 1 liter of water immediately after you turn off your alarm. Yes, a full liter [33.81 oz] of water. This will stimulate your GI tract, increase blood flow, and quickly rehydrate your body after a long period of no fluids. I know it sounds crazy but you have to try it. You’ll be shocked at how quickly the morning grogginess will dissipate, making you ready to take on the day!
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Wake up and do something you enjoy
Tie waking up with something you enjoy. Do you have a podcast you like to listen to? Or the ambiance of coffee first thing in the morning? Or the process of morning devotions, meditation, and prayer time? Give yourself something to look forward to and make it easier to get out of bed…and stay out.
Now you have a list of strategies that will help you get great sleep and boost productivity.
However, it would be silly to expect to implement all of these tonight.
Instead, choose 1 or 2 of these habits to begin assimilating into your normal routine.
Imagine what it will be like when you consistently feel refreshed, revived, and at your best for your work and life each and every day.
You’ll find yourself more productive, spending less time with your regular tasks, having fewer setbacks due to illness, and in greater control of your emotional wellbeing.
When you are intentionally prioritizing consistent quality sleep, you will begin to live The Focused Life.
So start implementing 1-2 of these 10 sleep strategies tonight!
Do you have any other sleep strategies you recommend? Let me know in the comments!