Did you remember to grab your morning cup of coffee this morning at the local shop? Have to get up and moving!
Does the sound of a Red Bull can being snapped open spark your senses and dilate your pupils? This is all I need to get through the rest of the afternoon!
Noticed it was approaching 1 a.m. and wanted to just read that last RSS feed? This won’t take long, besides it’s [insert popular blog here]!
Do these instances sound familiar? Was the Sandman composing a lullaby for you when these thoughts began to hit? Well don’t worry, you’re in good company. In a recent article on CNN.com, a survey from the National Sleep Foundation was taken that pointed out one-third of workers catch shut-eye on the job. Wow. First of all, I can only remember one time in my professional career where I was so tired that I actually contemplated falling asleep at my desk. Secondly, that has to be detrimental to your job security!
Not Enough Hours in the Day?
Let’s be honest, when was the last time you felt as though you had enough time to do the things you wanted to do in one day? It seems that from the moment the alarm jarrs us back to reality and we realize another day has begun, we grumble that the morning came too quickly. Whether you have a 9 to 5 (or more commonly an 8 to 6), living the life of a freelancer or toiling as an entrepreneur, work takes up a huge part of our day. The survey points out the fact that work days have gotten longer which means less “you time”.
Also, we are in a time now where work is all over the place. Even if we have a day job, alot of people are doing the slash career thing – working on projects after (or sometimes before) the regular job. Of course you’re sleepy but you have that side consulting gig that you are passionate about and need to come through on so that you can develop your credibility! If only you had one or two more hours, you could get it all done and get some rest…right?
Information Overload
The Information Era. The Digital Age. The Wired Generation. Yep, that’s what we’re living in and who we are and we love it don’t we? Answers to questions a mouse click away, family members around the world can meet up in cyberspace, blogs to read, comments to write – it almost seems like too much! But we tell ourselves we can handle it. As a matter of fact, I really think that in some cases, we feel like it’s a badge of honor that we stayed up the night before til 2 a.m. cranking out a blog post or clearing our feed reader. When was the last time someone told you something to that effect and you furrowed your brow and scolded them for not getting enough sleep? I rest my case.
We have so many electronic devices at our finger tips designed for “increased productivity” e.g. Blackberries, PDA/Smartphones, and laptops that are ultra-portable (yes, even in the bedroom – *tear*). But what about increased sleep production? Ever been startled from sleep by your Blackberry alerting you that someone sent an email at 2:45 a.m.? The fact of that matter is that it’s amazingly easy to get caught up in surfing the web, checking our electronic devices and even watching DVR’d television.
What’s the Problem?
From a recent USA Today article:
For years, sleep researchers have been preaching the dangers of lost sleep: People who are fatigued can’t pay attention to routine tasks, have trouble learning and are prone to a laundry list of health problems, from depression to high blood pressure.
New research suggests an added risk to losing sleep day after day: Humans and animals that have chronic sleep deprivation might reach a point at which the very ability to catch up on lost sleep is damaged, says Fred Turek, a sleep researcher at Northwestern University in Evanston, Ill.
Basically, if you continue to get little amounts of sleep each night (sleep debt), your ability to make up that lost sleep is hampered.
By the end of two weeks, the people who had lost sleep at night said they no longer felt tired during the day. But test scores revealed a different story, according to the 2003 study published in the journal Sleep. The sleep-deprived group had trouble paying attention, had slower reaction times and developed impairments in memory, Dinges says.
The article also shows a few tips on how to NOT lose your precious sleep:
The American Academy of Sleep Medicine, the National Sleep Foundation and other sleep experts offer these tips on getting a good night’s sleep:
- Do not stay up late to talk on the phone or surf the Internet.
- Keep computers and TVs out of the bedroom.
- Stick with a regular bedtime.
- Avoid food or drinks with caffeine, especially at night. Such stimulants can keep you awake.
- Don’t stay up all night to cram for a big work project or to finish homework if you’re in school.
- Avoid vigorous exercise within a few hours of bedtime.
The Ultimate Increased Productivity
This is a problem folks. I was talking to a friend today about how I’ve been keeping an eye on her because of her ultra busy schedule and lack of adequate rest. I especially think that those of us who might be so overbooked with school, work, side work and trying to maintain a social life, will think that “after this is done, then I can sleep”, are just fooling ourselves. One thing I’ve realized is that life never gets less complicated as you grow older. It just doesn’t. YOU have to make the time for yourself to recharge and refresh. The technology doesn’t have to sleep, but you do. That’s my take on “increased productivity”.
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While I advocate for the personal care of others, this is certainly one way that I do not take care of myself. With an increasing number of people quitting the corporate rat race, or minimizing it for a self-actualizing “side job,” it’s ironic that we’ve brought that very rat race into our homes…our sanctuaries.
Thanks for the post, Andre! It’s an important reminder of the obvious that I ignore! See ya on Twitter (@dreadlocks)
@Andre – You know man, I used to think that way but at least for a ton of mind, so much of the work goes into getting them off the ground… The thinking there being that once they’re “ready”, they’re pretty much self sufficient with minimal work needed from yours truly.
I think what I really have to do is start putting more work into them on the weekends – But of course easier said than done when Burnout Revenge beckons me. (#);D
@jennifer: thank YOU for stopping by! we all have those sporadic busy schedules sometimes, but when you get more into a routine you can plan your sleep accordingly! Hope that happens soon for ya
@Mackel: I guarantee you the no sleep for a year goal would come to an end much, much sooner! We all are working on finding that balance – if you want your projects to be successful, the person behind them has to be in good shape right?
You know, I used to never get any sleep “back in the day”… I would stay up to insane hours of the night and still wake up early back when I was programming video games in DirectX and DOS. Now, when getting my own things going is REALLY important, I have to often decide : Which am I going to do… Work on my extra projects or get some sleep. It’s a hard decision and lately I’m finding that I’m choosing sleep. It’s terrible. I wonder what would happen if I decided “no sleep for a year” and spent that year working on my extra stuff. *shrugs*
Thank you so much for the interesting entry. I am a part time freelance writer who will soon be going into full-time. I work from home but that doesn’t mean I get enough rest or time per “regular day” to work. My schedule has been very strange lately to say the least. I hope to get closer to back on track very soon.
We have so many options to keep us busy as opposed to the older generations where you might have been busy but you had fewer options (e.g. working long hours, cleaning the entire house, etc.) We have always been taught to finish things and complete tasks and then move onto recreation/rest.
There’s a cyclical effect with actual amount of work and the perception of it, which is exacerbated (?) by technologically advanced office equipment, communication devices, and information storage and distributors. If Excel charts and spell-check make certain duties of an accountant, lawyer, or investment banker more efficiently and quickly completed, then there’s more work to do, right? The Kelly File might have taken two weeks to do Pre-Microsoft Office Package, but Post? Two or three days tops. So the Mitchell File and the Stewart File can be started on promptly.
On the other hand, the Pre-Microsoft Office Package employee might be more likely to create some free time for himself or make sure he can get enough sleep. The Post employee mistakes convenience of software application with time it takes to finish….and ends up watching Youtube for three hours instead. ^&^
First of all, thank you everyone for coming in here with your thoughts and ideas! Believe me, I’m in this battle with you – I love information!
@sittingpugs: how about some warm hot chocolate instead?
I think what’s different about our generation is the abundance of choice. We have so many options to keep us busy as opposed to the older generations where you might have been busy but you had fewer options (e.g. working long hours, cleaning the entire house, etc.) We have always been taught to finish things and complete tasks and then move onto recreation/rest. I’d like to call it the “Clean Plate Mentality”. We still have that in our heads today – unfortunately, work and tasks don’t seem to end at 5:30pm anymore. Mo’ distractions, mo’ problems.
@Jonathan: yep, your body adjusted but I bet that if you gave it a chance to get the rest it wanted, you would eventually get into a more restful groove. Some people say that if you need an alarm to wake up on mornings, you aren’t getting enough sleep. I’m still trying to figure out that sort of inner alarm clock zen…not looking too good so far!
@MrFresh: Glad you enjoyed the post! I guess part of being a parent is finding that “you time” that we all so desperately need. Have you ever invited the fam into the studio with you? Maybe you could spend quality time and pursue your passion simultaneously with those moments – then get rest! Just a thought. Kudos on the fatherhood status by the way. Very important role.
@waynesutton: Thanks for dropping by Wayne! You got it man – we have to CREATE time for ourselves and that means our own health and well being.
@Sleep Foundation: Thank you so much for giving us the news about the Sleep Challenge! You’re right about sleep beginning in the bedroom – if we have the TV blasting and the laptop humming in the place where we sleep, we eventually will think its a multitasking office and not a place for rest and rejuvenation.
Better sleep basics begin in the bedroom. With so many Americans working longer and sleeping less, the National Sleep Foundation created the Great American Sleep Challenge. It is easy, educational and interactive and provides tips to help get better Zzzzs. Log on to http://www.sleepfoundation.org/challenge ; take the Sleep Challenge – and be on your way to better sleep tonight.
The National Sleep Foundation
Wow, I think I fall in this group: “The sleep-deprived group had trouble paying attention, had slower reaction times and developed impairments in memory”
Which is not good, as you know from twitter, I’m trying to manage my time better. That also includes sleep. We’re busy and wired and as we create our to-do-list we have to add get some rest on it too.
This blog post and the associated articles are very on point. While I have been mildly guilty of most if not all at some point, the most detrimental online activity with respect to sleep deprivation (speaking for self) has been IM.
I am a morning and a night person. I desire and often enjoy starting my day at 4am for the same reason I have stayed up in to the wee hours of the morning (i.e. 2am, 3am and on) for one reason: The Quiet. I do my best concentration and work, as well as artistic creativity during those times. Being a husband and father of pre-teen children, those are the times I crave being undisturbed. Being a musician that has a home project recording studio, the desire becomes even stronger. All and all, at 45, I really can’t continue to keep late nights/early mornings as such….but those times are wonderful. I have never had a problem sleeping (it seems I can on the way to the pillow), but I have suffered, at times, during the day, especially since I am not a coffee or Red Bull drinker…
Thanks for the post! I’ll bookmark this one.
This is so true. I get about 5-6 hours of sleep per night. And my body seems to have adjusted to that in the sense that I can’t seem to sleep longer. One on end, I usually take an hour or two to catch up on things after my son goes to bed. On the other end, my dog usually wakes me up because he sees sunlight and wants to go out/eat.
If I tried to sleep more, I wouldn’t be able to.
But it’s just so hard to say no to a warm, caffeinated beverage after 8pm–especially if you’re cold.
A lot of people remark that they’d never bring a child into today’s world because of all the inhumanity…forgetting that child labor laws are younger than the United States of America and that if one wasn’t born into the social elite, then life pretty much was destined to be anything but roses (maybe some lilies or sunflowers if your parents were decent people and you lived long enough).
A lot of people also hold this romanticized view of certain eras of the past–the Medieval Times, the Age of Enlightenment, the Victorian Era, the Jazz Age, the 1950s. But again, life was only peachy if you were a member of the social elite and your parents were decent people.
Today, however, the decent parents is still important, but one doesn’t have to be a member of the social elite. I bring all of this up because your entry made me wonder if the American working class (suits-and-ties and blue collar) of the last quarter of a century was just as busy and had other reasons not to go to bed (by choice or lack thereof).
Electronic communication devices certainly distract and compel people to stay up just thirty minutes more (lather, rinse, and repeat). Do the laptops, fax machines, internet search engines, and computerized databases make insomnia sufferers less likely to seek help?
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