Too little, and you feel no different. Too much, and you end up regretting it.<\/p>\n
But as Arianna Huffington shared in her recent presentation…\u00a0most people are chronically tired. And in just a sec, I’ll share with you what she does before bedtime that totally shocked me!<\/p>\n
![\"kv](\"http:\/\/fatlossaccelerators.com\/site\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/10\/kv-arianna-huffington-300x300.jpg\")
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(Yep, that’s\u00a0KV in fancy dress)<\/em><\/p>\n The harsh reality of the 21st Century is that technology is killing our sleep and getting in the way of good ideas\u2026<\/p>\n Take a look at Google.<\/p>\n If you type in the search box:<\/p>\n \u201cWhy am I\u2026\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n The first autosuggest that comes up is:<\/p>\n – Why am I tired<\/strong><\/p>\n And the second:<\/p>\n – Why am I always tired<\/strong><\/p>\n Clearly, it\u2019s not just me who\u2019s tired!<\/p>\n In fact, we take better care of our smart phones than we do ourselves!<\/p>\n Think about it.<\/p>\n We always make sure our phone battery is charged. I\u2019ll bet you five bucks you know what percentage charge your phone is at right now without even having to look.<\/p>\n But what about our health?<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n The point is:<\/p>\n You need to get at least 8 hours every night. Even minimal sleep loss takes a toll on your mood, energy, and ability to handle stress.<\/p>\n Why is it so important?<\/p>\n Not only does it balance your hormones\u2026it helps you make better decisions.<\/p>\n Arianna shared a story about how she made the most hiring mistakes when she was tired. And I know I\u2019ve done a similar thing when I was exhausted.<\/p>\n How can you improve your sleep?<\/p>\n Excellent question!<\/p>\n Here are 4 tips Arianna shared with us:<\/p>\n If you\u2019re like me, you probably sleep with your phone right next to your bed.<\/p>\n However, it\u2019s disrupting your sleep.<\/p>\n Arianna makes a point to banish every single electronic device from her bedroom – at least 30 minutes before lights out. That includes iPhones, tablets, computers.<\/p>\n I\u2019m going to give this a shot. Bye bye phone! It’s a HUGE challenge for me.<\/p>\n Are you going to join me?<\/p>\n While it\u2019s important to have a morning routine, it\u2019s just as \u2013 if not more \u2013 important to have a bedtime routine.<\/p>\n Think about it this way\u2026How do you put a child to sleep? You gradually put them down, right? Rock them to sleep in a quiet, darkened room (without cell phones or disruptions).<\/p>\n It\u2019s a whole routine.<\/p>\n So why do we think we can easily just fall sleep without winding down?<\/p>\n Make a ritual for yourself. You could take a bath, playing relaxing music, read a book that has nothing to do with work. Most importantly, shut off all LED screens at least 60 minutes before bed.<\/p>\n Think 5-6 hours a night is enough? Think again.<\/p>\n Researchers at the University of California, San Francisco discovered some people have a gene that allows them to do well on 6 hours of sleep a night. However this gene is extremely rare! (Less than 3% of the population)<\/p>\n For the other 97% of us, 6 hours doesn\u2019t cut it.<\/p>\n So start gradually increasing your sleep time by 15-30 minutes. As you adapt, bump it up again until you\u2019re hitting 8 hours.<\/p>\n I\u2019m a huge fan of taking a quick nap! It\u2019s refreshing and helps you think clearly.<\/p>\n In fact, at the HuffPost offices, they have a special nap room for their employees!<\/p>\n Pretty cool, right?<\/p>\n If you\u2019re feeling knackered, you\u2019re better off taking a quick 15-20 minute nap instead of reaching for your fifth coffee!<\/p>\n Get your sleep tonight.<\/p>\n Your Coach,<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Kate Vidulich<\/p>\n PS. I forgot to mention, exercise helps improve your quality of sleep! And you don’t need to spend hours upon hours at the gym to notice the difference. Here’s 6 FREE bodyweight routines you can try now:<\/p>\nDon\u2019t believe me?<\/h2>\n
#1: Make your bedroom a device-free zone<\/h2>\n
#2: Create a sleep ritual<\/h2>\n
#3: Add 15-30 minutes more sleep a night<\/h2>\n
#4: Take Naps During the Day<\/h2>\n