Try the Sleep Challenge and Feel More Productive at Work

When discussing improving health, the first things that come to mind are regular exercise and good nutrition. While both are crucial for better health and well-being, they will be ineffective without one thing, i.e., sleep.

We all know how important a good night's sleep is after a hard work day for recovery. But little do we know that good sleep hygiene is a key element for health and wellness. When we push ourselves too hard, mentally or physically, we want to hit the sack as soon as possible as we get home.

Sleep allows our bodies to rest, recharge, and replenish. Sleep deprivation affects our work, everyday functioning, physical and mental health, and more. Poor sleep hygiene can affect everything from direct relationships to work performance and creativity.

Yet, the importance of sleep is highly overlooked, and most people rarely get adequate sleep regularly.

The Benefits of Adequate Sleep

In today's fast-paced world, getting enough sleep is challenging for most. It is recommended that the average person should get seven to eight hours of sleep every night. However, we rarely get enough sleep, let alone 8-9 hours. Our stressful and busy lives, both at work and at home, make maintaining sleep hygiene difficult.

Adequate quantity and sleep quality are essential for your overall wellness and functioning. Maintaining good sleep hygiene is a must for better productivity at work. Everyone at work must face presenteeism at some point (i.e., experience the feeling of being at work yet unable to perform at your best) due to sleep deprivation.

Thus, treating underlying sleep disorders or practicing the dos and don'ts of sleep hygiene can benefit the employees' overall productivity and improve mental health conditions.

Again, if you want to talk about the benefits of adequate sleep, there are many. A good bedtime routine can help you recover from physical and mental exhaustion. As far as your health and overall wellness are concerned, going to bed has numerous benefits.

The benefits of getting sufficient sleep are -

• Reduced stress levels

• Improved brain and body function

• Increased happiness

• Lower risk of health problems and injuries

• Healthy body weight levels

• Better concentration and memory

• Improved focus

However, despite the benefits, getting proper sleep is easier said than done. And especially for corporate employees, who have to get up early and work till late, it is an even more significant challenge.

Causes of poor sleep

According to the statistics above, most people struggle to get enough sleep. But what can be the causes of poor sleep habits? The answer to this question lies in our daily tasks.

Everything from technology usage to food habits can affect our sleep, positively or negatively. Also, there can be both external and internal factors that can hinder sleep.

Here are some of the most common factors that affect our sleep -

• Overexposure to blue light at night

• Consuming caffeine

• Usage of laptops and mobile phones before bedtime

• Drinking alcohol

• Smoking tobacco

• Irregular sleep patterns

• Physical pain or discomfort

• Noise

• Extreme temperatures

Also read - Office Workers' Health Problems: 7 Common Ailments & Their Remedies

The Sleep Challenge: An Effective and Helpful Way

If you find it difficult to sleep correctly or adequately at night, it might affect your work performance. Not only will you not be able to complete your tasks on time, but it will also affect your relationships at work.

So, what can you do to ensure proper sleep?

There is a fun and motivating way to do so from my own experience. Take a sleep challenge, and witness it improve the quality of your sleep and help you meet the recommended daily duration.

The sleep challenge requires you to make some minor changes in your daily routine for a set amount of time to improve your sleep quality over time.

You can do it yourself, and once you see the results, you can ask your fellow employees and your boss to join as well.

Before you start the challenge

1. Choose a duration for the challenge. 14 days can be good to start, or you can also go for a 30-day challenge.

2. Create a chart where you can keep track of your daily activities during the challenge.

4.There are many sample templates that you can download from the internet.

Things to do during the challenge

1. Set a schedule

• Keep track of your daily bedtime and when you get out of bed. You don't have to be 100% accurate. Just note the timings down when you wake up.

• Try to go to bed at the same time and wake up at the same time. Doing so will help you realize your body's natural sleep-wake cycles. At first, you may need to use an alarm clock to wake up, but gradually, you will wake up without one.

• Studies show that people who keep a consistent bedtime routine fall asleep better. If you have trouble falling asleep naturally, you can use wellness and health apps to guide relaxation and sleep meditation sessions.

2. Maintain a healthy diet and drink habits

• Avoid caffeine and other stimulants throughout the day, especially after sunset.

• Reduce alcohol intake and smoking. Too much alcohol and tobacco can disrupt sleep patterns.

• Try to drink chamomile tea instead. Studies have shown that it helps reduce insomnia and improve sleep quality.

• Avoid calorie-dense sugary treats before your bedtime. Instead, try to intake nutrient-rich foods an hour before bedtime.

3. Create a balanced wellness lifestyle

• Exercise, diet, and sleep go hand in hand. Adopting a consistent sleep-promoting exercise routine can help you improve your sleep quality.

• Avoid exercising late in the evening. Instead, work out in the morning or incorporate light exercise throughout the day.

• Practice meditation sleep meditation sessions, read a book, take a warm bath, or play a calming instrument 1-2 hours before bedtime.

4. Create a good sleep environment

• Try to transform your bedroom into a peaceful sanctuary.

• Set your room temperature around 65 degrees, as most people sleep when the environment is cooler.

• Avoid harsh light and noise exposure in your bedroom, as it hinders your sleep cycle.

• Try to take a warm shower an hour before your bedtime. The drop in your body temperature will help your body to relax and set it up for better sleep.

• Use your technologies wisely. Try to avoid screen time 90 minutes before your bedtime.

• Try to eliminate the sources that emit blue light that suppress the melatonin.

Monitor your sleep patterns and habits regularly to identify obstacles affecting your sleep.

Isolate them and take steps to overcome them accordingly.

Also read: Blue Light Glasses Benefits

Frequently asked questions

1. What is the sleep challenge?

A sleep challenge program aims to help an individual's sleep quality and quantity through various methods and techniques.

2. What are the benefits of a sleep challenge?

The benefits of participating in a sleep challenge include the following:

• Improved sleep quality.

• Reduced stress and anxiety levels.

• Increased energy levels and overall well-being.

3. What is the 90-minute sleep technique?

The 90-minute sleep snooze rule is based on the principle of waking up at the end of the sleep cycle, which is 90 minutes of proper REM sleep.

Final Words

Taking part in a sleep challenge can be critical in helping you achieve your desired amount of slumber every night. It can help you wake up and fall asleep faster without needing external devices. Also, monitoring and tracking your sleep patterns will help you realize more about your body, helping you become healthier and happier.

Just go ahead and try out one for yourself to understand what makes you sleep better.