The Executive's Guide to High-Quality Sleep: The Gatekeeper of Success

If you consider yourself a high performer and sleep takes a backseat priority in your life, it's time to change that.

In this article, we explore why sleep matters for your success, share best practices for getting high-quality sleep, and let you in on some cool tricks to optimize your sleep using temperature and light exposure.

Why Does Sleep Matter?

To understand the importance of sleep, consider this:

Good health has four main pillars: Nutrition, movement, sleep, and stress. Nutrition and Movement are the workers. They have the tools, they have the hard hat on, and they’re going to work on the body every day.

Sleep and stress are the gatekeepers. You could have the best workers in the world, but if the gates closed, then they can’t do their job.

This means that regardless of your fitness and nutrition habits if your stress management and sleep habits are ineffective, your return on invested time, effort, and energy in nutrition and fitness is ineffective.

If that isn't motive enough, quality sleep will also make you more successful in your career.

Sleep is critical for high cognitive function, improved emotional intelligence, memory, learning, and concentration, to name a few.

In other words, sleep matters. And quality sleep makes a world of difference.

Best Practices for High-Quality Sleep with a Hectic Schedule

We get it – your schedule is jam-packed from dawn to dusk. But don't worry; we've got some best practices to help you prioritize sleep and make the most of your time:

1. Set a regular sleep schedule, even on weekends, to train your body to wind down and wake up at the same time every day. Although challenging with hectic schedules, aiming for consistency can help increase sleep quality.
2. Find stress-reducing techniques such as meditation or relaxing activities before bedtime to help unwind and relieve daily worries.
3. Moderate to vigorous exercise helps adults increase sleep quality by reducing the time it takes to fall asleep. Note: Exercise right before going to sleep can cause people to feel more energized.

Optimizing Sleep with Temperature and Light Exposure

Now, let's discuss some nifty tricks to optimize your sleep further – temperature and light exposure are the secret weapons!

Temperature control

Temperature plays a critical role in determining sleep quality. Your body's core temperature fluctuates throughout the 24-hour cycle of a day.

Your body's core temperature tends to decrease in the evening, reaching its coolest point in the early morning hours (while you should be in deep sleep).

Actionable Protocols:

1. Keep your bedroom temperature between 60-67 degrees Fahrenheit (15-19 degrees Celsius).
2. Experiment with different room temperatures to find what feels most comfortable for you.
3. Use breathable, moisture-wicking bedding and sleepwear.
4. Ensure proper ventilation in your sleep environment.
5. Adjust your sleep environment based on seasonal changes (e.g., turn on a fan/AC during summer, heavier blankets during winter).

Manage light exposure

Light exposure plays a significant role in regulating our sleep-wake cycle, also known as the circadian rhythm.

When you are exposed to bright light in the morning, it signals to your body that it's time to wake up and be alert. Conversely, reduced light exposure in the evening helps prepare your body for sleep.

Actionable Protocols:

1. Maximize daytime light exposure. If you know Dr. Andrew Huberman, you probably know that exposing your eyes to sunlight has some incredible benefits. Exposure to natural sunlight in the morning helps you wake up, regulate your internal clock, and supports healthy sleep.
2. Reduce evening light exposure, especially blue light from screens. Consider using "night mode" settings on devices or using blue light-blocking glasses at night.
3. Create a dark sleep environment and invest in blackout curtains to minimize light exposure when going to bed.
4. Limit screen time before bed. Catching up on emails or scrolling through social media can be tempting. Aim to reduce screen time for increased sleep quality, especially in the hour before bedtime.

High Performers Prioritize Recovery

If you're serious about giving your best performance, then sleep should definitely be at the top of your priority list.

These sleep optimization protocols will help you feel physically fresh and mentally sharp to attack whatever challenges you face that day.

Implementing these tips in your daily routine can make a world of difference in your sleep quality (and awake quality).

Remember, every person is different, and some protocols will work better for some people than others.

If you feel like improving sleep would benefit your career or personal life, we invite you to hop on a call with Intersect to understand your unique situation and provide personalized recommendations tailored to your life.

You deserve to enjoy truly restful sleep, don't hesitate to reach out today.

https://calendly.com/intersect-executive-performance/executive-health-performance-diagnostic-call-1

Resources

https://www.sleepfoundation.org/

https://hubermanlab.com/sleep-toolkit-tools-for-optimizing-sleep-and-sleep-wake-timing/

https://www.sleepdiplomat.com/podcast