Sleep for Success: A CEO’s Guide to Restful Slumber
A good night’s slumber is essential to a healthy existence; protecting us physically and mentally as well as boosting general quality of life.
Yet our use of sleep-inhibiting blue light technology, modern diets often lacking in vital nutrients and the increasingly blurred boundaries surrounding work and home life, it’s no surprise that one in three people in the UK are affected by insomnia. Below Keeley Berry, Nutritional Expert and New Product Development Executive at BetterYou , talks CEO Today through the importance of a restful sleep.
The importance of sleep
It’s well-known that poor sleep can have a dramatic effect on our health. Sleep deprivation has been linked to serious medical conditions such as heart disease, whilst also contributing to weight gain and preventing the immune system from working efficiently – leaving you susceptible to illness.
But healthy sleep can do more than simply keep us healthy. It’s important for various aspects of brain functionality such as; productivity, concentration, cognition and even performance.
Achieving good quality Z’s is also thought to refine our problem-solving skills and improve memory, the ideal boost for a busy CEO.
Are you surviving or thriving?
We can all be guilty of getting stuck in modern day ‘survival mode’. But answering emails and instant messages late into the night will make it difficult to quieten your mind, resulting in trouble drifting off or experiencing what is known as ‘junk sleep’, where you wake feeling sluggish and unrefreshed.
Try to establish a bedtime routine that begins around forty minutes to one hour before you hope to be asleep. This time will prepare your body to ‘receive’ rest by winding down after the day and should include banning as much technology as possible.
Once you have established this routine, stick to it, even if the time you begin your sleep preparation may vary according to your schedule.
Nutrition for Sleep
Nutrition is a crucial part of rebalancing your body to achieve good quality sleep, and you can make some simple changes in your daily food and drink habits in a bid to achieve a more restful night.
Aim to reduce your caffeine intake throughout the day and have your last tea or coffee (or other caffeinated drink) no later than lunchtime. When possible, eat your evening meal at least three hours before bedtime and avoid starchy foods as these may release stress hormones which can wake you during the night.
A deficiency in magnesium could be another of the main nutritional factors affecting your slumber. A natural relaxant; the body needs magnesium to enable over 300 chemical reactions in the body and low levels can lead to restless muscles that keep you awake at night.
Often hailed a ‘magic mineral’, Magnesium plays a pivotal role in how your body manages its sleep cycle because it stimulates the gamma-aminobutyric (GABA) levels in the brain. When GABA levels are low, your brain can get stuck in the ‘on’ position, making it difficult to relax and fall asleep.
Product to try: BetterYou Magnesium Sleep Lotion, £9.95 at betteryou.com
https://betteryou.com/magnesium-sleep-lotion RRP £9.95
https://betteryou.com/magnesium-oil-goodnight-spray RRP £12.20
https://betteryou.com/magnesium-flakes 1kg RRP £9.95
