Recently, I purchased an activity tracker that also records my sleep. I wear it on my wrist throughout the day and evening. It’s been interesting to see how many hours of restful (no movement) sleep I get an evening. It varies between 5.5 and 6.5 hours with some outlying values above and below this number.
Why do I find this interesting? I’ve been listening to some business podcasts, and more now then before they are asking how much sleep an entrepreneur gets. They are emphasizing the need for sleep. This is in opposition to the old perception that you must work day and night to get ahead.
Notice I did not mention rest but rather sleep. You need to continue working hard for many hours to get ahead. It’s just that, it appears, research is showing that we can actually become more productive with around 8 hours of sleep a night.
For myself, I am trying harder to reach at least 7 hours of sleep a night and am beginning to feel the difference in a good way. I am not as hungry during the day. With the many stresses that work brings, I find I have more energy to approach them productively.
How much do you sleep a night? Do you find that when you sleep enough you’re more productive? If you haven’t thought about it, try paying attention to the amount of sleep you get a night. You may just find that with a slight adjustment, you will have more energy to accomplish more during your day.