Sleep Your Way to the Top
By Yvonne Manzi
Guest Writer, University of London
In this short and quirky TED talk, Arianna Huffington attacks the trending culture of sleep deprivation as a way of being more productive and reaching success. We should, she says “literally sleep our way to the top”, because a sleep deprived person is not a productive person. Being terribly busy and fitting an unthinkable number of activities within a day may give us a feeling of accomplishment and productivity, but in the long run will drain us of energy, pace and creativity – all traits that are key to the successful individual.
Can’t sleep well? Here are a few simple tips to help you get those extra Z’s at night.
1. Keep regular hours so you can have a set body clock
2. Create a restful and pleasant sleeping environment
3. Exercise regularly (but not before bedtime!)
4. Make sure your bed is clean and comfortable (keep it tidy)
5. Tone down the caffeine – even if you drink it in the morning, it upsets your natural balance
6. Don’t overindulge in caffine, smoke, food or alcohol
7. Write away your worries – keep a journal so you don’t mull everything over before bedtime
…and if all else fails, don’t drink liters of coffee but learn to nap! A 20 minute nap can completely revive you.
So take it from Arianna, “the way to a more productive, more inspired, more joyful life is getting more sleep.”
See the TED talk here: How to Succeed? Get more sleep.
