8 Myths About Sleep And How To Make The Quick Fix

By Mike Michalowicz:

Listen up entrepreneur. Let’s talk about you, just you, for a moment. In addition to building your business, the most important thing you do every day is sleep. Without proper sleep your performance flounders. Without any sleep you become immobilized. Unfortunately, us entrepreneurs think there are easy work arounds and short cuts. We are innovators after all. But sleep is one thing you can skip over, or come up with a quick fix for. You just gotta do it. Here are the 8 big myths entrepreneurs have about sleep:

---

8. One Hour Less Won’t Hurt The Facts: Even slightly less sleep will leave you feeling less energetic, hinder your alertness, affect your ability to think properly, affect cardiovascular health and even weaken your immune system. The Quick Cure: It’s not when you wake up as much as when you go to sleep. Go to bed an hour earlier, and don’t use the excuse “I can’t fall asleep.” Instead make it a routine, and soon your body will adjust.

---

7. Your Body Adjusts Quickly To New Sleep Schedules The Facts: It takes between one and two weeks for your body to fully adjust to a new sleep schedule when there is more than even a two hour time difference. The Quick Cure: Jet lag when traveling to new time zones can be offset by changing your sleep schedule to be consistent with the destination’s clock a week before you head out.

---

6. The Older You Get, The Less Sleep You Need The Facts: Adults of any age need about 8 hours a night. Older people simply don’t sleep as deeply as younger folks, and are more easily awakened. The Quick Cure: Get back to basics - don’t drink caffeine for at least three hours before bedtime; don’t watch TV for at least an hour before bed (read a book instead); and don’t forget to use the toilet right before the lights go out.

---

5. More Sleep Means More Awake Time The Facts: It doesn’t only matter that you sleep 8 hours, it also matters that you sleep soundly and deeply. The Quick Cure: Get a “white noise” sound machine, for most people it is more effective than over-the-counter-drugs and supplements.

4. You Can Make Up For Lost Sleep During The Weekends. The Facts: It actually kinda works, but you can’t “store up” for next week or “make up” for lost productivity the prior week. The Quick Cure: Pursue balance - nothing is better than the good old 8 hours a day.

---

3. Power Naps Are A Waste The Facts: Nothing can replace a full nights sleep, but if you need some rest a power nap is the most effective. The Quick Cure: Keep the power naps to 45 minutes max. If you sleep more than an hour, you may find it difficult to get back up.

---

2. Snoring Is Normal The Facts: It’s common, especially as we get older, but that doesn’t make it normal (aka healthy). Evidence indicates snoring may be an indication of heart disease and type 2 diabetics. Loud snoring may be an indication of sleep apnea, and that can lead to high blood pressure, impotence, and memory problems. The Quick Cure: Go for a regular check-up with your doctor. Also try natural products to open breathing passageways while you sleep.

---

1. A Reoccurring Inability To Sleep Is Usually Due To Stress The Facts: Although stress can cause short periods of insomnia, a persistent inability to sleep can stem from a number of different issues including chemical/hormonal imbalances, depression, asthma, arthritis or other medical conditions. The Quick Cure: Review your diet and see a doctor.

---

Summary

When it comes down to it, getting the sleep that you need is majorly important to your companies current and future success. Don’t forget to take care of yourself!