How's your sleep these days (and why does it matter)?
(Reading time: 4 min, 30 sec)
Hey, FTWer!
Today is a love letter to sleep! It gives so much, and all it asks in return is that we snuggle under cozy blankets in comfy pajamas. How's that for a trade-off?
But before we drift off into the details, don’t sleep on this opportunity for even more healthy habit-building inspo and support:
(Yup, I’m embarrassed for myself with that one...)
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Thank you for your attention to that matter 😊. Okay, so. Sleep.
Last issue, I talked nutrition and how those essential macronutrients can benefit our work performance as well as other aspects of wellness. Similarly, sleep comes with a whole slew of workday wins.
Not-so-spoiler alert: You'll probably be more productive at work if you sleep well. All of us have had a restless night only to feel absolutely useless the next day. So, instead of drilling down on the obvious stuff you already know, today I'm sharing three ways sleep is supposed to help our brains and bodies (and therefore our career success) in the long term. With each one, a (relatively) simple step you can take to start withdrawing from our slumberous wins account 😴📈.
1: Sleep gives our body the energy to stay healthy.
Catching enough zzz’s plays a big role in preventing us from falling ill down the line. Chronic sleep deprivation, on the other hand—which can be a lot less dramatic and more nefarious than blatant insomnia—can increase our risk of heart disease and diabetes, for example, never mind reduce the immune system’s ability to fend off viruses. Nothing kills productivity like missing a week with the flu.
Cash in: Stop looking at your phone an hour before bed.
You know you need to do this, so this is just one more reminder. Whether it takes plugging it in across the hall, deleting some apps, get one that cuts you off, or simply setting a reminder to put your device away—just do it, babe. I believe in you.
2: Sleep boosts memory and learning.
You might have heard that when we sleep, our brains carry out memory consolidation—they preserve key memories and discard excessive details. It makes sense, then, that one side effect of sleep deprivation is difficulty remembering things we’ve learned recently. If you’re trying to earn a promotion or new gig that requires picking up a new skill, hit the hay at a decent time, rather than staying up cramming or watching Netflix til 3 am every night (or any other habit or condition that keep sleep at bay).
Cash in: Try reading about something new before bed.
One way to pass the time in that hour without your phone: get in a few chapters of a good book! If you aren't a big reader or find fiction keeps you awake (I feel that), grab some non-fiction on a fresh topic. Some research suggests that because your brain processes memory while you sleep, you’re more likely to retain stuff you learned right before you turned out the lights. Can’t hurt, right?
3: Sleep improves muscle repair and recovery.
While we’re dreaming, our bodies are hard at work recuperating from the physical stressors of the day. Muscle is built and tissue is repaired (especially after some quality strength training), and cells are regenerated. Hormones like HGH (human growth hormone) are produced in the greatest quantity while we snooze. This doesn’t mean you can slouch and prawn pose all you want all day because your body is going to fix the damage of sedentariness at night, but it does mean your low back and shoulder pain could ease up if you get enough rest.
Cash in: Do some gentle movement.
Help your body start the repair process by rolling out your yoga mat or finding an in-bed routine. You don’t need to do much—anything too lengthy or strenuous runs the risk of re-energizing you—but some simple stretches or a moving meditation is a great way to fill that time, after you’ve tidied up and brushed your teeth.
See? There’s no shortage of reasons to stop doomscrolling in the dark past midnight! You’re all revved up now to make the most of quality sleep—right?
What are you doing to improve your sleep hygiene? I’d love to hear about your bedtime wins!
And remember: You’ve got this.
Til next time,
stay strong, calm, and kind
💪🧘♀️💚 Shannon
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