I moved to Albany, New York, in 1996 to work for a small non-profit. Because the organization didn’t have the funds to pay me full-time, I worked two part-time jobs to make ends meet. One was delivering newspapers.
Most houses received a paper in those days that needed to be delivered by 6:30 a.m., and I would leave our apartment every day before 5 a.m.–365 days a year.
Getting up at 4:30 a.m. isn’t bad if you go to sleep early the night before, but I didn’t. Thus, I was chronically sleep-deprived. I would fall asleep at a moment’s notice.
While my sleep routines are better now, there is room for improvement, and I’m not alone. According to the National Institutes of Health, the average adult sleeps less than seven hours per night.
This lack of sleep significantly impacts our productivity, attitude (Hope drains from my spirit when I am tired), immunity, relationships, and leadership.
Melinda Smith and Lawrence Robinson offer these symptoms of sleep deprivation:
- You need an alarm clock to wake up on time.
- You rely on the snooze button.
- You have a hard time getting out of bed in the morning.
- You feel sluggish in the afternoon.
- You get sleepy in meetings, lectures, or warm rooms.
- You get drowsy after heavy meals or when driving.
- You need to nap to get through the day.
- You fall asleep while watching TV or relaxing in the evening.
- You feel the need to sleep in on weekends.
- You fall asleep within five minutes of going to bed.
How many of those ten apply to you? (I checked off six.)
What does this mean to leadership?
You cannot lead well while you are sleep-deprived.
So, here’s what you can do:
1. Prioritize 7-8 hrs of sleep.
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- You must pre-decide that sleep is essential, or you will sacrifice it.
- Stop lying to yourself about being able to live effectively with little sleep.
2. Impose a moratorium on all electronic devices in the hour before your regular bedtime.
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- 90% of Americans use electronic devices in the hour before bed. The light from electronic devices alone can suppress melatonin levels by as much as 20%, directly threatening sleep quality.
- Our modern devices have settings that make them less intrusive, which proves that we need to avoid them.
3. Create the right environment for better sleep.
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- Cooler conditions make it easier to sleep at night.
- Employ white noise to drown out noises.
- Follow the same routine before you go to bed.
This may sound counterintuitive, but you can sleep your way to being a better leader!