Get More Sleep. Starting Tonight.

By Rasmus Hougaard & Jacqueline Carter for Harvard Business Review | June 12, 2018

It’s no secret that most of us don’t get enough sleep — or that sleep deprivation can hurt our logical reasoning, focus, and mood. But do you know how to get the seven to nine hours you need? To start, you should go to bed when you’re just starting to feel drowsy. For many people, that’s usually between 10 PM and 11 PM, when melatonin, a natural hormone that makes you relax and ultimately fall asleep, often kicks in. And you probably already know to avoid screens at night, since their blue light rays can inhibit the production of melatonin, but you should also stay away from any activity that requires a lot of thinking. Making your brain work hard can keep you awake, even if you’re simply reading. Before bed, try doing the dishes, going for a walk, or listening to music instead. Getting a good night’s sleep is not a random event — it’s a learnable skill.

Adapted from “Senior Executives Get More Sleep Than Everyone Else,” by Rasmus Hougaard and Jacqueline Carter