6 Healthy sleeping Habits that makes you more Productive

Anyone who longs to be more productive during the day may need to look at their sleep habits as the secret to maximizing your work potential could be linked to your nightly slumber.

Highly effective people know the importance of a good night's rest, and Daily Mail compiled a list of six sleeping habits that are meant to increase productivity and improve concentration. This includes: 

1. BECOME YOUR OWN ALARM CLOCK

'Everybody has a different sleep need,' Dr. Hawley Montgomery Downs, the Sleep Research Laboratory director at West Virginia University, told Fast Company. 'The sign that you’re getting enough sleep is that you don’t need an alarm clock to wake up'. 

If you are someone who needs your alarm to get you up in the morning - or worse, you continue to hit the snooze button for a long as possible - you most likely need to get more sleep. 

And while the National Sleep Foundation recommends seven to nine hours of sleep for adults between the ages of 26 and 64.

However, in order to pinpoint how many hours you really need the organizations advises people to pay attention to their own individual needs by assessing how they feel on different amounts of sleep.

2. LEARN TO SLEEP PROPERLY 

Dr. Montgomery Downs explained that it is important for people to pay attention to the quality of their sleep, explaining that sleeping for ten hours isn't helpful if you spent most of the time tossing and turning.  

'More sleep isn’t necessarily going to be better,' she said. 

The doctor went on to say that people who are struggling with sleep disorders such as sleep apnea and sleepwalking should seek help from a specialist. 

3. SET A BEDTIME 

Strict bedtimes aren't just for children as it is equally important for adults to develop consistent sleep patterns.

'Pick a bedtime and a wake-up time - and stick to them as much as possible,' advises the National Sleep Foundation. 'Life will inevitably interfere, but try not to sleep in for more than an hour or two, tops, on Saturdays and Sundays so that you can stay on track.'

Sleeping inconsistently can feel similar to jet lag because it affects your body's internal clock or a circadian rhythm (body clock). 

Allowing your body's internal clock get used to a certain bedtime will help you fall asleep faster and wake up more easily. 

4. TAKE NAPS 

Depending on your employer, sleeping on the job isn't always a bad think. Fast Company noted that more and more companies, particularly tech companies, are creating nap rooms for its employees because scientific research suggests that sleep can help increase productivity. 

And Dr. Montgomery Downs agreed that one hour is the ideal nap time because it allows you to complete an entire sleep cycle. 

5. AVOID CAFFEINE AND ALCOHOL

A few glasses of wine may help ease your mind and put you to bed, but it will also disrupt your sleep and cause you to wake up in the middle of the night. 

Alcohol reduces rapid eye movement (REM) sleep, which is important for increasing learning potential, and the more you drink, the more you are affected.

Similarly, caffeine also affects your sleep, and according to one study conducted at the Sleep Disorders & Research Center at Henry Ford Hospital, caffeine taken six hours before bedtime or less contributes to significant sleep disruptions.

Because people react to caffeine differently, the National Sleep Foundation suggests that people who are sensitive to its effects should avoid consuming coffee, soda or chocolate after lunch time. 

6. CREATE AN IDEAL SLEEP ENVIRONMENT 

Making your bedroom the ideal environment for sleep is in an important factor when trying to achieve the perfect's nice rest. 

The National Sleep Foundation advises that you evaluate your bedroom to ensure it is the ideal temperature, between 60 and 67 degrees Fahrenheit, and void of artificial light, which disrupts the body’s internal clock.

For similar reasons, you should make sure to turn off your electronics before bed because the blue light emitted from their screens suppress melatonin, the hormone that controls your sleep/wake cycle, and keep your brain alert. Late night text messages, email alerts and calls can also wake you up throughout the night.

And make sure your mattress and pillows are comfortable to ensure that your bed is a place you like to be. 

Go rest well and be more productive. Shalom!