I've noticed that if I have a productive day, not just an active one, I sleep better at night. Conversely, if I have a lazy day, which is very rare, but I'll enjoy the occasional one, I toss and turn for much of the night.
There are a ton of articles on why and how sleep improves your productivity - one of them on sleep.com states that, "During sleep, your brain creates and maintains pathways that are critical for memory formation and retention." (1) which will obviously help you perform at the office the next day - but what about the other way around.
I have yet to find an article on how productivity effects your sleep.
My guess is that by being productive, you are getting your brain into a good space. You're feeling good about yourself and you're easing your mind. Similar to how getting your To Do list done before bed helps you nod off with a clear head.
So, if you're looking for a way to get better sleep each night, how about trying a few new things to improve your productivity each day:
Wake up at the same time everyday. Roughly. Don't stress over it, but if it takes a little extra effort to get out of bed, dig down and do it, knowing it will benefit you in the long run.
Do something good for yourself. Start your day for you, first and foremost. Whatever it is - reading, yoga, listening to music - give yourself permission to start with something that leaves you feeling relaxed, energized, and motivated.
Prioritize your plan for the day. It’s best to tackle the toughest, most difficult items first. The tricky things are easy to push off, but if you can check those off, things get easier from there.
Don't procrastinate. Without overthinking it, take a small step towards a goal right away and keep following it through to the end.
- https://www.ninds.nih.gov/Disorders/Patient-Caregiver-Education/Understanding-Sleep Accessed on March 25, 2021.
featured image: Photo by S O C I A L . C U T on Unsplash