‘Sleep hacks’ to boost productivity

Workers are being taught how to make the most out of a night’s sleep after studies have shown that around one in three adults don’t get the recommended amount of rest. Sleep deprivation can affect everything from your concentration and efficiency to weight gain, mental health problems and even issues with your immune system, and understanding how you sleep can help inform you of the best way to prepare yourself for the day ahead.

From primary school teacher and fitness model to health expert and author, specialist Brian Keane has revealed how the right amount of time in bed can boost every aspect of a workers’ life in his latest book, The Fitness Mindset.

Learn the patterns
“It can affect everything from your energy levels to your will power,” said Keane. “We waste time falling asleep and spend hours in a light sleep state, which doesn’t have the same body and brain boosting benefits of deep and rapid eye movement (REM) sleep. Your sleep quality is more beneficial than your sleep quantity.”

With REM sleep appearing in 90-minute bursts through the night, a well-timed night leaves you waking around the end of a REM cycle will leave you feeling noticeably more rejuvenated in the morning. Sleeping for 10 hours can therefore leave you feeling less awake than seven and a half hours, as you’ve completed a cycle.

Feel tired
“There is a window from 10.45pm to 11pm when most people get naturally tired,” explained Keane. “If you don’t go to sleep, you’ll get a cortisol (a steroid hormone) driven ‘second wind’ that can keep you awake until 2am or 3am.”

Although different for each person, the window for a perfect night falls in line with our own biological clocks, and avoiding the second wind will mean a more comfortable night in. Turning in around 11pm will leave you feeling more rested than if you get the same amount of sleep later in the night.

Take note
“One thing that supported me massively was writing down all of the following day’s tasks before I got into my night-time routine,” he continued. “This helped my brain unwind, safe in the knowledge I wouldn’t forget my most important tasks. I still use this method today to ensure I get the best sleep possible.”

Trying to juggle too many jobs over a long period of time can leave you restless and even infect your dreams, as your mind can’t let go of tomorrow’s tasks. Telling others and keeping record of what you have to do will help you rest unencumbered and start the next day feeling fresh instead of already drained.

“By having knowledge of the tools and tips to help you sleep, you can make a massive difference in your quality of life and in finding out what works best for you and your body,” concluded Keane. “By changing what you do before bed can give you an edge in all other aspects of your life.”