CRISIS ATHLETE™
Learn more about the 'why' behind
SLEEP
Why are we talking about sleep?
The persistent lack of sleep, to include reduced sleep, can have a profound impact on your brain and overall health.
Lack of sleep is associated with diminished functioning in areas we know are imperative for effective leadership and performance, such as concentration, decision making, memory, reaction time, and emotion regulation.
It also increases things we know are NOT associated with effective leadership and performance, such as anxiety, irritability, impulsiveness, and susceptibility to illness/absenteeism.
Sleep, Decision-Making & Your Team
Sleep deprived people do not notice the decrease in their PERFORMANCE. In fact, the part of the brain responsible for assessing how well we perform is SHUT OFF, making us believe we’re making GOOD DECISIONS, when we may be doing the EXACT OPPOSITE.
If everyone in your operations center/organization is sleep deprived, how effective do you think your decisions will be?
Sleep-deprived people can do great work on less sleep, but the effect is very short-term. Essentially the amygdala (“lower brain”– responsible for regulating emotional reaction and control) begins to rule, and “higher brain” functions diminish.
For every hour of sleep we lose, significant cognitive resources are lost, which can only be replenished through sleep.
Lack of sleep is associated with vulnerability to disease and illness. Sleep is a disease-fighting weapon we must pack in our arsenals.
What does neuroscience say about sleep?
TIPS AND ACTIVITIES
How do I get better sleep?
You don’t have to be an expert to BEGIN to reap the benefits.
START today with simple, quick, effective tactics.
Individual
Find Your SLEEP CURVE
Our brains need time to process daily. Too little sleep (even less than 7 hours) can limit cognitive resources. But, sleeping too much (even 8.5 hours) can be just as bad as too little. Keep in mind, there is a ‘sleep curve’. The amount of sleep you need is not necessarily what someone else needs.
Individual
GO DEVICE-FREE FOR
30+MIN BEFORE BED
Blue light is produced by electronic devices, and can interfere with the body’s natural ‘wind down’ process.
Devices, and especially social media, are purposefully designed to keep your brain wanting more.
Individual
MASTER THE POWER NAP
Instead of reaching for the late afternoon coffee, try a nap instead.
A power nap has the ability to significantly improve your alertness
and performance.
Research shows the best time to nap is ~ 7-8 hours after waking.
For maximum benefit without
grogginess, set a timer for 20-30
minutes, find a quiet place, turn out the lights, and recharge your brain.
Individual
MORE NATURAL LIGHT
Our bodies need natural light (sunshine/daylight) to maintain their circadian rhythm, which includes sleep/wake cycles.
If you can’t work in a natural light setting, eat a lunch/ snack outside or by a window. And/or take a quick (5+ minute) walk outside at least twice.
On the night shift? Use blackout curtains to block sunlight from entering your sleep space.
VIDEO
Get Regular Sleep
While we sleep, our brains do a little housekeeping and take out the trash! One important reason to get enough sleep is to let your brain clean up the trash and debris that it created during the day so that your neural pathways stay wide open and clear.
Watch this short video to learn more.