One of the most common misconceptions about successful people is that they don’t get enough sleep. We often romanticize skipping hours of sleep and believe it’s rather essential for our journey to success. We think of hustling and lack of sleep as one inseparable entity and that one thing cannot go without the other.
What we often neglect is that sleep is important for our overall health and well-being. Without sleep, our bodies are doomed to crash and burn. We can only go so far before we consume ourselves and wear it out.
The truth is, the number of sleeping hours varies from one person to another. However, it’s safe to say that most people need 7 to 9 hours per night to function. Some people would be perfectly fine sleeping for only 6 hours per night, while others seem to drag themselves around if they don’t manage to sleep their full 8 hours.
So, to answer this question, it greatly depends on your bodily needs and your level of physical activity. And what works for someone, might not work for someone else.
However, what should be taken into consideration is the quality of sleep you get every night. The quality of your sleep defines how your mornings go and how your day passes by.
Below, we have sleeping tips and rituals inspired by successful people.
1- Successful People Have A Bedtime Routine
What you do before you hit the sack is important. You should adopt a bedtime routine that instantly puts you in the mood for sleep and ensures the quality of your sleep. What you do before you sleep is golden.
A sleeping routine means that you have to commit to a sleeping schedule. It’s not a routine if you sleep one night at 10 PM and the other night you sleep at 1 AM. A sleeping routine means that you adopt certain activities and you specifically dedicate them for bedtime.
For instance, a good sleeping routine consists of turning off your phone two hours before you sleep, taking a steamy shower, rubbing your body with lotion, and putting on comfy cotton pajamas.
This will put you in the mood to sleep and you wouldn’t find it difficult to fall asleep.
2- Successful People Dedicate The Bedroom For Sleeping
Your bedroom should only be dedicated for the purpose of sleeping. Your bedroom is NOT your kitchen…we repeat: Your bedroom is not your kitchen. Your bedroom is also not for studying or for working. It should be your haven; the place you go to in order to relax and sleep.
Your brain will find it difficult to shut down if you use this space for other activities than sleeping. You need to program your brain that once you hit the bed, it’s time to sleep!
It’s good to remember to set the room’s mood for sleeping. A dark room and a cool temperature are essential for a good night’s sleep!
3- Successful People Visualize Before Sleeping
Normal people stay up late and watch Netflix until they fall asleep. Normal people sleep with their phones glued to their hands because they fell asleep scrolling through Instagram. Meanwhile, successful people use this time to create scenarios in their heads and visualize their way to success.
This is because successful people know that visualization is key to success. They know that the act of visualization prepares the brain for success and trains it for that glorious moment. Visualization creates momentum and it creates this internal motivation that helps you stay on track.
4- Successful People Are Mindful Of Their Eating Habits
What you eat hours before going to bed is important in determining the quality of your sleep. Binge eating or eating greasy food will only make you stay up late and it’s harmful to your body.
A general rule of thumb is that you should avoid eating large meals 2 to 3 hours before going to bed. Eating before sleeping might increase your blood sugar levels and keep you up all night long.
If you must eat before going to bed, it’s good to eat foods like oatmeal and cherries. A warm cup of milk is also a great choice!
We don’t need to remind you that your last cup of coffee should be eight to ten hours before you hit the sack.
It’s also good to remember that what you eat throughout the day matters as well. What you eat improves the quality of your sleep or makes it worse. You can’t eat unhealthy food all day and only be mindful of what you consume hours before going to bed.
5- Successful People Meditate Before Going To Bed
Sometimes, we do everything we can to ensure a good night’s sleep but we still fail to do so. Why? Because our minds are racing with thoughts and we are relentlessly going over what we need to do tomorrow morning. This stress can keep us up all night and it will keep waking us up throughout the night.
So, you need to focus on relaxing yourself before going to bed. A great technique to relax the mind and the body is the act of meditation.
Meditation calms our minds and puts us at ease. Meditation shuts down your negative thoughts and silences the critics in your mind.
One of the greatest meditation techniques and the fastest to do is mindful deep breathing. Deep breathing calms your nerves and relaxes your body.
Your mind and body will be so focused on your breathing that it will take your mind off the racing thoughts. Instead of worrying about your business meeting tomorrow morning, you will be busy inhaling and exhaling.