According to the National Sleep Foundation‘s 2009 Sleep in America™ poll, one-third of Americans are losing sleep over the state of the U.S. economy and other personal financial concerns. About 80 million people in the US have a significant sleep problem, and about 40 million of them have a chronic sleep disorder. According to the National Sleep Foundation, almost one-quarter of American adults, i.e. 47 million people, do not even get the minimum amount of sleep they need to be alert the next day.
How well are you sleeping?
According to SFGate American leaders spend about 8.5 hours a day sleeping which is slightly less than the French (9.0 hours) and quite a bit less than the Korean or Japanese leaders (7.8 hours per day).
Check out more facts about sleeping patterns here.
Why does it matter?
According to the National Sleep Foundation, the effects of sleep loss on work performance may be costing U.S. employers some $150 billion in health care costs, lost work time, and loss of productivity. I remember listening to a documentary on 60 minutes a while a ago about The Science of Sleep. In an experiment at Berkeley University rats were kept awake around the clock. They started dying after 5 days from sleep deprivation.
Here is a dramatic example of a human being that shows how devastating lack of sleep can really be. Due to a genetic disorder this man couldn’t sleep. He died within 6 months of not sleeping. As the documentary shows, during that time his body and mind systematically shut down bit by bit.
How Sleep Patterns Influence Leadership Qualities
Leaders are pretty ineffective without sleep. Most leaders tend to ignore exhaustion. They claim that they thrive on stress and pressure, always working with tight deadlines that never seem to end. Sounds familiar?
However, in my research on successful entrepreneurs I have found that the most successful entrepreneurs were good at managing their time. They were intentional about work-time versus down-time. Other studies found that one night of sleep deprivation can reduce overall performance to the abilities of someone legally drunk in the State of California. After three nights of no sleep students in one study (same documentary) clearly spoke slower and were less quick to respond. However, when asked, they found that even though they were a little tired they felt comfortable driving themselves home in their own cars; indicating a diminished sensitivity to their own capabilities!
According to Dr. Charles A Czeisler, Baldino Professor of Sleep Medicine at Harvard Medicine School encouraging a culture of sleep deprivation is worse than nonsensical; it really is dangerous, and the antithesis of intelligent management.
The previous clip of the man with the sleeping disorder makes it easy to see the connection of sleep and the ability to lead effectively. Studies have found that fundamental leadership qualities are diminished by a lack of sleep. They include
- decision-making
- responsiveness
- ability to focus
- cognitive speed
- sensitivity and positive attitude
- long-term and short-term memory
- creativity
In an experiment in at the University of Luebeck, Germany it has been found that the ability to think creatively was drastically reduced in participants after 8 hours of sleep deprivation. While students who had slept in those 8 hours were able to solve a mathematical problem creatively by figuring out a shortcut to the solution, the sleep deprived participants did not notice the short-cut. The scientists concluded that “something occurs in the brain during the eight-hour sleep cycle that stimulates creative thinking”. Solving problems quickly and effectively, thinking clearly, and innovatively however are corner stones to good leadership.
How much sleep does a good leader need?
This recent study shows that sleep needs vary across population and from country to country, suggesting that traits within genes may provide a “map” to explain sleep needs difference among individuals.
The National Sleep Foundation does not put a specific number to the amount of sleep needed, claiming that there is no “magic number” and that the actual amount of hours depends on individual needs. However, they estimate that generally 7-9 hours of sleep supports a “happy, productive life”. Check out the chart of “How much sleep do you really need” on the same page.
Reach out; sleep better
What can you do to sleep better? The sleep foundation offers a service called Pillow Talk where you can talk with experts, exchange ideas and resources. Check it out here and sign up for newest information, to share your experience, and ask questions here.
Tips for better sleep
A simple breathing exercise can be one of the easiest and most effective ways to fall asleep easier. In fact, it is also one of the most effective ways to center yourself again, calm down, and re-energize.
More…
- Keep regular hours. Try going to bed at the same time, get up at the same time every day
- Get bright light, like the sun into the room. It will help getting you up in the morning
- In the evening stay away from stimulants such as chocolate, caffeinated sodas/teas/coffee
- Avoid watching TV, using laptop, reading in bed
- Avoid bright light before bed
- Avoid heavy exercise for about three hours before bedtime
- Don’t go to bed hungry
Find more tips here: http://www.hollyhockleadership.org/resources/self-care/sleeptips
“It is OK to take time for a good idea, when necessary we can sleep on it” (Saying)
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