Why We Need Sleep and Three Benefits It Gives High Performers

You already know it. People around you say you work too much. They keep asking you to slow down because they’re worried you'll “burn out.” Maybe you’ve already experienced burnout, but the drive to be more, do more, and perform at your highest level makes it impossible for you to just “slow down.”

Truth be told, I hate it when people in my life tell me to “unwind” or “take it easy.” I only keep a few friends around me, and the one person I never mind talking to is my mom. Why?

Well, she’s the only person who’s never made me feel guilty for my obsessive nature. She’s never ever once told me to slow down. It’s hard to find people who get you, so if you’re a high performer who often struggles to prioritize healthy habits, I get it. This post isn’t meant to guilt anyone or place judgment. Instead, I’m here to offer a word of encouragement and to prove to you that it’s possible to go hard and still maintain healthy habits.

So let’s talk about sleep (the pinnacle of “rest”) and why all high performers need it.

Why do we sleep?

There are many benefits to getting ample restful sleep on a regular basis. Perhaps the one that matters most to us is that sleep enables our brains to work on our bodies and immune system in ways it cannot during wake time.

Your body heals, the immune system is strengthened, and sleep basically produces various neurochemical baths that enable our brains to function efficiently and effectively.

Dr. Matthew Walker, a renowned sleep doctor, wrote a book called Why we Sleep and has taught a Masterclass on why we all need to get serious about our sleep. In a review of the book, Bill Gates said, “I realize that my all-nighters, combined with almost never getting eight hours of sleep, took a big toll.”?(You can read Bill Gates’ notes here .)

Whether you believe in the ideas Dr. Walker shares in his book or not, there’s no denying that sleep affects performance. We’re not here to debate whether it causes disease, but we are here to enlighten ourselves on how much of a handicap we face when we attempt to solve big problems under sleep deprivation.

Caffeine and high adrenaline will not be enough to sustain you.

If, by any chance, you’re among the few individuals choosing to do something bold and meaningful with your life—for example, if you want to change generational poverty or generational lack of health—you cannot afford to neglect your sleep patterns. So here are 3 benefits you must become aware of.?

3 benefits high performers will get from making sleep a priority

1. Enhanced performance

Sleep is perhaps the ultimate performance enhancer because it doesn’t just decrease your chances of illness, it also powers up your immune system and gives you more energy. Consider the fact that athletes prioritize sleep just as much as eating the right food. All professional athletes will tell you that if they don’t get enough sleep, they’ll be more likely to underperform and get injured.

Various studies conducted across different sports fields demonstrated the positive impact of sleep on high-performing athletes.

But we’re not professional tennis or basketball players. We don’t spend hours serving our opponent a ball? or doing free throws and three-point shots. So how can we measure what an extra hour or two of sleep is doing for work? Easy. Begin by tracking how often you get flus and colds and how long it takes you to bounce back. Also, take notice of how much energy you have throughout the day.

My dentist told me he needs 10 cups of coffee to get through the day (Italian coffee, not the big mugs of American coffee, but still, that’s crazy!). Back in the day, Redbull was my go-to energy fixer. I could go two days of no sleep and feel super proud. But here’s the thing: do all that caffeine and other stimulants really increase your productivity, or is that just a lie your brain tells itself?

2. Mental stability and creativity

The next major benefit for high performance is the increased mental well-being and sense of calm that sleep facilitates.?

If you’ve ever had the good fortune of sleeping 10 hours uninterrupted, then you can recall the zen feeling you had the next day. Everything just seemed manageable, and you were less edgy and cranky. People around you noticed it, too. You felt more focused, sharp, attentive, and engaged, and it was probably easier for you to retain information.

Unfortunately, most people are sleep-deprived, which makes this experience a “once in a blue moon” event rather than an everyday thing.

If our society is led by individuals who are sleep-deprived, can we really trust that their thinking and decision-making is the highest and best? Yes, they have the best intentions, but a brain that’s sleep deprived will not think through a problem the same way a well-rested brain would. All the coffee and Redbull in the world will not make you the sharpest you can be.

If you want to amplify your creativity and focus, get more sleep.

3. Less fear and more optimism

Could it be that our society is more fearful, erratic, emotionally imbalanced, extremely sensitive to feedback, and addicted to negativity partly because we are a sleep-deprived global community?

It’s common for me to ask employees in the companies I serve to share with me how much restful sleep they get. Most seem proud to share that sleep is for lazy people and that they frequently pull all-nighters. One guy came to a strategy session with a terrible headache and signs of flu last week. I suggested he take the afternoon off to sleep, to which he responded, “Well my supervisor would never give me an afternoon off, and, besides, even if I go home early, I still won’t sleep till midnight.”

Clearly, we have an issue to resolve.

Neither employees nor organizations realize that sleep is good for business—for the most part, at least. I was delighted to see that Deloitte is among the few organizations making an effort to promote the importance of having a well-rested workforce.

It sounds counterintuitive, but if you’re a leader of any kind, both you and your people need to educate yourself on the importance of sleep. And if you’re a high performer, it’s even more imperative that you align your hectic life with a healthy sleep routine. Your success, creativity, productivity, and overall health literally depend on this.

In conclusion:

As one who doesn’t know when to slow down and unwind, I’m in no way suggesting you do the same. What I’m asking is that you recognize that your body, mind, and spirit have requirements. To keep you at that peak performance and to make this process of goal achievement enjoyable, you’re going to have to take a step back and learn more about what your mind and body need to sustainably support your ambitions. I can assure you that good sleep is one of those non-negotiables that many have ignored with devastating consequences.

Don’t be among the many who don’t get it.?

Janette.

P.S. I like to learn, discuss, and debate about mindset, productivity, sales, and marketing. If you’re into any of these topics, reach out! I’d like to get to know you.

Oh, and if you’re looking for awesome digital marketing tips, check out our LinkedIn page, Geeky BlueBerries: https://www.dhirubhai.net/company/geeky-blueberries