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Why small business owners should get a full 8 hours of sleep

Getting less than 7 – 8 hours of sleep per night on a regular basis can have severe repercussions for your health. Your brain functions, your mood and the way you interact with people will be affected. Those are all vital aspects for small business owners, so the smart thing to do would be not to lose sleep.

8 hours of sleep

I’ve seen plenty of warnings from health authorities saying that lack of sleep contributes to the occurrence of various chronic health conditions, like diabetes, heart diseases, obesity, depression or sleep apnea. Elaborate studies have shown that sleep deprivation modifies the activity of some parts of the brain, which leads to finding it difficult to make decisions or solve problems; having a hard time controlling emotions and not coping well with change. Here Try Mattresses give you the reasons why substantial amount of sleep is vital.

Any business owner knows such problems may bring the business down. I thought it would be useful to explain the main reasons why you need to get the proper amount of sleep.

Sleep sharpens your brain

Overnight rest is when your brain forms new channels to help you be prepared the next day to function properly. Getting a good sleep will boost your learning and problem-solving skills, no matter what kind of business you run. Whether you need to decide on a new strategy, a risky investment or on cutting down expenses, being well-rested will help you analyse the situation by synthesising all the information you’ve acquired so far. Thus, you will make the best decision for your business.

A good rest improves your memory

If you can’t remember details from a project or a client’s name, sleep deprivation may be the cause. One vital role of sleep is to help us crystalise memories. Each day, we get an impressive amount of information, especially in the fast-evolving world of modern business. All the facts and experiences we learn about in the daytime need to be processed and then stored. Those steps happen during our rest. The entire mechanism is called “consolidation” by researchers who have proved that people incline to grasp information and complete tasks that involve memory function better if they slept well.

Our physical health depends on proper sleep

A decent amount of sleep helps mitigate the symptoms of depression and anxiety (but be careful not to sleep too much, because overdoing it may be as bad as not sleeping enough). An excellent state of mind is vital for people conducting businesses. But there’s more sleep does for your health:

  • Keeps the blood sugar levels under control
  • It improves the overall well-being
  • Optimises the levels of testosterone
  • Intensifies the production of the growth hormone, also known as the “anti-ageing” hormone
  • Lowers the chances of developing a heart disease or getting breast cancer, in the case of women

Our muscles and blood vessels repair during sleep. Sleep neutralises the toxic elements, such as trauma or daily stress, and recalibrates our body.

In conclusion, a healthy body and a sharp mind will help us develop a performing business. Sleep is a key factor in this equation. The best way to make sure you get the right amount is to follow a few simple steps:

  • Create a familiar and peaceful sleeping environment
  • Buy the proper mattress to help you maintain a good sleeping position
  • Don’t drink coffee or energising drinks after lunch; try tea instead or healthy smoothies
  • Eat a light dinner, hours before going to bed, to give it time for a proper digestion
  • Take a break in the middle of your busy day and if you can maybe even nap for 30 minutes; it’s the power nap even NASA’s astronauts employ

More mental health and wellbeing tips.

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