The best sleeping habits for entrepreneurs
It takes a lot of time and effort to get a business idea or company off the ground. It also takes a special kind of person who has the kind of motivation that will be needed for success. It’s very rare for an entrepreneur to not invest long hours into making their business idea or company into a successful reality. Along the way, they will have to make sacrifices of their time. One of the casualties of developing a successful business endeavor is almost always sleeping.
If you fancy yourself to be an up-and-coming entrepreneur who is looking for success, you too might find yourself having difficulties in the sleep department. It’s not something you should ignore because a lack of quality sleep could eventually interfere with your ability to efficiently and effectively carry out your business plans.
You should take the time to understand what position you sleep best. Many people think if they lie on their back, it will be the most comfortable position. But that’s not always true because some people are side sleepers while others prefer to sleep on their stomachs. Learn your body so you know where and how you fall asleep in the best way possible so when its time to lay down for a good night’s rest, you
With that in mind, there are some notable sleeping habits that seem to be common among entrepreneurs who have done things the right way.
No snacking at night
Since entrepreneurs tend to have very little downtime to relax, they often get into the habit of eating big meals late and snacking after dinner while they work into the wee hours of the morning. As a rule of thumb, you should not eat three hours prior to when you anticipate going to sleep. It’s very difficult for the body to rest while it is also trying to digest food. Also, you want to avoid sugary foods in the evening for obvious reasons. It would be a far better idea for you to have a solid, protein-rich breakfast and a decent size lunch and dinner.
No caffeine in the evenings
The idea that drinking coffee and caffeine carbonated sodas to stay awake while working is counterproductive to any notion about getting a good night’s sleep. No matter what time you decide to go to bed, you want your mind and body ready to cooperate when the time comes to sleep and caffeine will interfere with that process. You should not drink or ingest anything that contains caffeine about eight hours prior to when you want to sleep.
No alcohol on workday
Any notion you might have that a couple of drinks before you go to bed will calm you down is misguided. While alcohol can help you fall asleep, it would not be the kind of quality sleep you would need to be at your best the following day. Alcohol can cause daytime drowsiness and poor concentration, which would negatively impact you as an entrepreneur. In fact, alcohol raises your body temperature, which could cause you to feel a little overheated and uncomfortable while trying to sleep.
No vigorous exercise at night
Again, you might be under the assumption that strenuous exercise before bed will make you sufficiently tired enough to fall asleep but that is totally false. A vigorous exercise program will result in your heart rate elevating and more blood being pumped through your body. It can take quite a while for the body to cool down and calm down after a good workout.
As an entrepreneur who has lots of work that needs to get done, you still need exercise. You can put together a nice exercise regimen that you can do in the morning or at lunchtime. This would actually benefit you by getting your blood flowing when you need the most energy, which would be while you are working.
Create an environment that is conducive to sleep
Since the amount of time you have for sleep is limited, you want to make sure that your time in bed is spent sleeping. You can enhance the chances of that happening by creating a sleeping environment that is conducive to sleeping better. Here are some things you can do in this regard:
- Make sure your bed and bedding is comfortable
- Make sure light and sound is limited
- Have a bedtime routine that tells the body and mind it’s time to sleep
- Take a warm bath prior to bedtime
- Use soothing colors for your bedroom decor
Ease your mind
You will need to wind down from the day’s activities and clear your mind. Here is a little trick you can try to clear your mind of work-related stuff. Before you go to bed, make a list of all the things you accomplished during the day. After that, make a list of your goals for the next day. The combination of these two lists should resolve any residual concerns you have about your work, leaving a gap for your mind to relax and go to sleep.
Being an entrepreneur is no easy responsibility/job. There is a lot of time and effort that goes into running a business and getting it off the ground. And while there are many sacrifices that are a part of being an entrepreneur, sleep should not be one of those sacrifices. Getting enough sleep and having good sleep habits will help you operate as an entrepreneur to your fullest potential.
