"I love sleep. My life has the tendency to fall apart when I'm awake, you know?"

~Ernest Hemingway

Man Sleeping by The Alieness, Gisela Giardino

I never imagined I would be writing on the topic of sleep, but I know what the impact is of not getting enough sleep on my ability to think and act and react. I also know how getting enough sleep makes me feel ready, confident and capable. I prefer getting enough sleep.

Most importantly, as Hemingway implies in the above quote, sleep allows me to get away from it all.

I was surprised to hear that one third of us have bad sleep habits. I really thought this number would be higher. I guess I just move around in a community that is very stressed as this is one of the greatest causes of bad sleep and so many people complain about being stressed lately. Other bad sleep habits include irregular sleep times, caffeine, having your laptop in bed, watching TV in bed, and your environment and physical factors, to name a few.

"The best cure for insomnia is to get a lot of sleep."

~ W. C. Fields

At the most recent Neuroscience of Leadership conference I attended this month, Dr. Jessica Payne, spoke about the importance of sleep.

Here are my take-aways of the impact of getting a good night's sleep:

• Sleep needs do vary from 4-12 hours. You must find your own healthy length of sleep.
• The sleeping brain is highly active in ways that only occur during sleep.
• Sleep improves our memory.
• Our creative cognition is improved with a good night's sleep.
• Sleep helps our brain in its capabilities to make connections.
• Sleep develops our insight. That's why some people get their best ideas upon awakening.
• It helps us regulate our emotions.
• If we are sleep deprived we more easily remember negative information and not positive or neutral information.

The best news from this lecture is that napping 20-30 minutes and no longer than 40 minutes, is as good as a whole night's sleep. Even a seven minute nap is good.

I think as leader's, it is our responsibility to turn our environments into nap-friendly environments for our and our organization's benefit.

It's the right thing to do.

"Sleep is the best meditation." ~ Dalai Lama

Step into leading and play a Bigger Game in your life...don't wait...model leadership...the World needs us to do this.

Lead strong!

Pat

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Dream by H.Koppdelaney

A Night's Sleep Gives Emotional Memories Their Staying Power:
Appears to Help Sort Out What's Worth Remembering

Problems with sleep and emotional memories figure prominently in mood and anxiety disorders, and the consequences of inadequate sleep loom for the third of Americans** whose sleep-deprived lifestyles interfere with work and social functioning at least a few days each month. The new study is the latest in a series by the Harvard group on how sleep helps consolidate memory.

• Could there be a relationship between sleep position and your personality? [video]

• Instead of watching TV in bed try this [video]

• Some great talking points in support of napping. Yay!
  

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Recommended Reads with links to Amazon.com

"Pat is an engaging and inspiring coach and leader. She has the ability to motivate the people she works with to grow, develop, and achieve significant results. I have seen her passion for coaching and skill in working with her on career development workshops and through developing and delivering curriculum for our enterprise-wide mentoring program. Pat is an asset to any company, organization, department and team."

~Theresa LoPiccolo, SPHR

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