Founding your own company takes a lot of strength and courage. You must be at your best every day. Therefore, you need to do everything within your power to ensure that you get a great night’s sleep at night.
Getting a great night’s sleep will help you have the energy and creativity to overcome many hurdles during the day on your way to building a great company.
Eat a Healthy Diet
Eating a healthy diet can help you get a great night’s sleep. Almonds and many other types of nuts contain melatonin that can help improve sleep quality. Turkey is delicious and is an excellent source of the amino acid tryptophan, which naturally causes your body to produce more melatonin. Try eating a kiwi each day as it is a superb serotonin source, which can be vital in controlling your sleep cycles.
Whatever you decide to eat, stop consuming anything with caffeine in it in the afternoon and evening, and stop eating anything at least four hours before bedtime. Additionally, stop drinking alcohol at least three hours before you go to bed.
Take a Bath
Taking a warm shower or bath 90 minutes before bed helps you get a great night’s sleep. Try using water between 104- and 109-degrees Fahrenheit. As your body cools, it will naturally want to go to sleep. Furthermore, taking a hot shower or bath helps the body move heat from its core to peripheral sites where it can get rid of the excess heat easier. Therefore, your body naturally enters sleep cycles better and keeps cycling properly throughout the night.
Relax Before Bed
Spend at least 10 minutes doing something restful before going to bed. Many people find meditation and yoga very helpful. Others find this a great time to write down what they are thankful for each day. Reading an inspirational book can be another excellent choice if you have the willpower to lay it aside when the time is up. You should avoid doing any vigorous exercise within 3 hours of going to bed as it raises your heart rate and makes the blood move faster in your body. Once you do finally get in a restful state of mind and body, you will want to lay on a mattress that conforms to your individual body type. A good option for a lot of people are memory foam mattresses because they offer the softness that conforms while the firmness that supports your body position.
Focus on Time
Practice going to bed and getting up at the same time daily. This step can be vital to helping your body create its circadian rhythm. Those who can create a robust circadian rhythm enjoy many health benefits, including a better immune system, more positive thinking, and better mood, which can be especially beneficial to a founder.
Disconnect from the World
Many founders live in a world where they are constantly connected to others, news, and jobs. Then, they also may have stresses caused by their family and loved ones. Be sure to disconnect from the world at night by turning off your phone, not having a television in your bedroom and leaving a challenging conversation with loved ones for a different time.
Exercise Daily
Daily exercise can help you get a great night’s sleep, so get in the routine of getting up early to do it. Regularly performing some aerobic exercise helps release happy hormones in your body that can help put your mind at ease. Try exercising outdoors when possible because serotonin helps boost your mood so that you feel calmer. Serotonin also works with melatonin to help you get the sleep you need to perform optimally.
Avoid Naps
Taking a nap during the day can be counterproductive to getting a good night’s sleep. If you seldom take naps, then giving in to the urge can cause your body to take longer to fall asleep at night. You may also find it more difficult to stay asleep. If you find that you must have a nap to keep going, do not sleep for more than 20 minutes. Take your nap as early in the day as possible.
Practicing these tips can lead to sleeping well at night. The most important part of getting a good night’s sleep is to have a great mattress. If you continue to have problems, then it may be time to see your doctor as many medical issues can interfere with your sleep.
