Good sleep is critical to good health in and out of the workplace, but for many it can be hard to come by. Poor sleep habits not only harm your overall health and wellbeing, they decrease your productivity at work and put you at higher risk for work-related injuries, and those who travel for business may experience even less restful sleep on the road. Prevent the harmful effects of inadequate sleep with these tips, adapted with permission from Fit-Travels.com.
1. Meditate
Meditation doesn’t have to be full of oms. It doesn’t mean you have to be sitting in a position you find difficult or impossible to get into. Meditation can be done many different ways and, most importantly, done the way that works for you. It’s about clearing your mind of all the clutter of the day and what lies ahead. Focus on the now and listen to your breath. [Find a quiet and calm space and try visually focusing on a single object, like a candle, or closing your eyes and listening to guided meditation series, like the full body relaxation meditations on DoYogaWithMe.com.]
2. Eat Well
If you haven’t noticed already, eating well is key to good health in many ways. Just one unhealthy meal […] can set you up for a poor night’s sleep. Things like too much sugar, alcohol, or greasy food can disrupt your system for several hours after a meal. At night, stick with lean meats and slow digesting carbohydrates found in brown rice and oatmeal. For dairy eaters, the slow-digesting protein casein that is found in milk and cottage cheese can be good dessert options. Avoid high-sugar and high-starch foods that will cause spikes in blood sugar levels. Maintaining good eating habits [on the road] may be difficult, but it’s not impossible!
3. Exercise
Among many other benefits, regular exercise can help relieve stress and anxiety and improve restful sleep. However, workouts at different times of day have different effects on each person. [For some, working out too late in the day makes it more difficult to wind down and fall asleep afterwards. Others, however, can workout at 8 PM and still get a good night’s rest.] It’s helpful to know what time of day works–and doesn’t work–for you. Figure out the best time of day for you to work out, and try to maintain that exercise schedule while on your trip as much as possible.
4. Nix Technology Before Bedtime
A great way to allow your body to relax and get into sleep mode is to set yourself a limit on smartphones, laptops, tablets, and other screens. We’ve all done it: After settling into bed, you grab your phone just to check Facebook and email, then you remember it’s your turn in Words with Friends, then a Twitter alert dings and you scroll through your feed for a while. Time can fly by while staring at your screen, disrupting healthy sleep in two ways: 1. Reducing the overall amount of time between when you fall asleep and when you have to wake up, and 2. Interrupting the flow of sleep-inducing chemicals to the brain, like seratonin, making it harder to sleep well as the light from screens tricks the brain into thinking it’s time to be awake. To combat these issues, set a shut-down time for all of your devices and stick to it. It’s best to shut screens off at least an hour before you want to fall asleep, before brushing your teeth and other nightly hygiene habits.
Body Mechanix, Inc. is a Charlotte, NC-based company specializing in injury prevention, workplace ergonomics and physical therapy. Led by certified ergonomics assessment specialists, BMI provides on-site ergonomics analyses, injury prevention programs, wellness programs, and other services to large and small companies across the US.