Are you a sleep deprived business owner? Do you often find yourself tired and unenergized? In this episode of the Business & Life Conversations Podcast, I give you the truth about the negative effects of sleep deprivation and how it can kill you and your business. I also discuss my top 6 benefits of getting enough sleep and how it can turn the growth and success of your business around.
This episode is sponsored by Angela’s 4-day, 3-night Women in Business Retreat happening in Australia on October 24-27, 2019. Click here to learn more.
Important Links Mentioned in the Show:
Australian Business Collaborative Facebook Group
Finding Balance in Business Women’s Retreat
Angela Henderson Active Business Facebook Group
Angela Henderson Facebook Business Page
Prefer to read Sleep Deprivation is Killing You and Your Business? Here’s the transcript:
ANGELA:
You’re listening to the Business And Life Conversations Podcast with Angela Henderson, Episode 45.
Hey there, you’re listening to the Business and Life Conversations Podcast. My name is Angela Henderson and on this show, we talk about improving your business, life or both. By having amazing and rich conversations with brilliant guests who will inspire you and who will give you tips and tricks to help you grow both in life and in business.
Well hey there, and welcome back to another episode of the Business and Life Conversations Podcast. I’m your host, Angela Henderson from Angela Henderson Consulting, where I help women in business develop the foundational framework they need to grow a sustainable and profitable business. As always, thank you so much for tuning in today. During today’s show, I’m going to be hitting home with you and on some home truth about how sleep deprivation is killing you and your business, but also sharing with you the benefits of getting sleep and how this can have such a positive impact on the growth and success on your business. And I’ll wrap this episode up with some tips for better sleeping.
But before we jump in today’s episode, I just want to let you know that this episode is sponsored by my 4-day, 3-night exclusive Women in Business Retreat where we focus on women having the chance to connect, refocus, learn and grow in order to grow both in business and in life. This particular event is being held on October 24th through October 27th, 2019 at the Gold Coast in Queensland, Australia, and it’s an exclusive event with only 50 tickets being sold. From 8 of Australia’s top female entrepreneurs speaking, to surrounding yourself with amazing women that will lift you both up at the conference and after the conference, to daily masterminds to get individual help on your business from both peers and the speakers, to amazing food, being able to sleep in, and eat a meal uninterrupted by children; you’re not going to want to miss this event. To learn more about the Retreat, head to www.angelahenderson.com.au and simply click on Retreat.
Alright, let’s jump into today’s episode. Let me start by saying that, sleep is not a luxury, people. It’s a necessity for optimal functioning both in your business and your personal life. Two years ago, when I was at my lowest moment with my depression and anxiety, I didn’t sleep much. I’ll be 100% honest on that factor. Now, it was fairly for a variety of reasons, you know, my mind going a million miles an hour worrying about almost everything. I mean I worried about my worry, or it could also been the sheer fact that at that particular stage of my life, I also had a 7-year old and a 4-year old, I was trying to be a good mom, whatever the hell that means. I was also working full time as a Mental Health Clinician, running both my Finlee and Me and Angela Henderson Consulting Business. And let’s be honest, life in general; I didn’t make sleep a priority. Regardless, I didn’t sleep much at all.
Now I’m almost sure, most of you listening to this particular episode can probably relate with not being able to sleep at some stage in your life. Even maybe right now. But what’s really starting to piss me off is seeing so many people on social media or at the conferences I attend, talking about burning the midnight oil and wearing it like it’s some freaking badge of honour. How hard they work and how this being awake at all hours of the night is the only way to success. Most of you know, I’m a pretty frank person, and in this instance, I’m going to call bullshit on this; because sleep deprivation is killing you and your business. This is not the badge of honour that you want to be wearing in business. In fact, according to the Division of Sleep Medicine at the Harvard Medical School, short-term productivity gain from skipping sleep to work are quickly washed away by the detrimental effects of sleep deprivation on your mood, ability to focus, and access to higher-level brain functions for days to come.
The negative effects of sleep deprivation are so great that people who are drunk outperformed those lacking sleep. Let’s repeat that. The negative effects of sleep deprivation are so great that people who are drunk outperformed those lacking sleep. Now I can confirm this because when I worked as a Mental Health Clinician, I work closely with our local police to discuss our homicides, suicides, and a variety of other day to day running on my particular role. And one day, one of the sergeants by the name of Leon, we were talking about my newborn child, at the time, Finley, and the lack of sleep I was getting. Having to drive 45 minutes each way to work was absolutely killing me. With some days, I didn’t even remember how I got to work. I’m sure many of you are nodding your head that you can relate to that.
Leon, the police sergeant, confirmed exactly what the Harvard Medical School Division of Sleep said, the negative effects of sleep deprivation are so great that people who are drunk outperformed those with lack of sleep. He told me that on a regular basis, weekly basis, he attends accidents, some small, just little fender benders, to those that are big. But a large percentage of those accidents are moms in particular, who said, they have a newborn child or young children in the back. They’re either screaming, crying, and they can just tell, and ask a mom; are you tired? And to response of yes. Sleep deprivation could kill you, your family, your children, and even ultimately loss of your business.
Now, let’s be honest, it’s not rocket science, but sleep deprivation is linked to numerous, serious health problems such as, but not limited to, stroke, obesity, heart attacks, type II diabetes and many other health problems. When you are sleep-deprived, your body overproduces a stress hormone cortisol, and when you have high levels of cortisol, there’s also many negative impacts especially around your immune system. Not to mention, it makes you look physically older and so many more negative impacts. In addition to physical health problems that you get with the lack of sleep deprivation, there are also a variety of mental health problems that may present too. That these can come in a variety of different ways but some of the ones that I’ve seen as working as a Mental Health Clinician are, you could have increased risk of impulse behaviour, increased risk of depression, increased risk of anxiety, paranoia, suicidal ideation, and for some, the act of committing suicide.
So, as you can see in this episode, you’re probably already getting in the picture that lack of sleep is killing you and your business. Now I don’t want to be the Debbie Downer, so let’s start to focus on some of the benefits you can see in yourself and your business when you make sleep a priority. As I say often, running a business is already hard as fuck people. And we all need any help we can get to grow that sustainable and profitable business. So when you choose to make sleep a priority, you’ll see many benefits that will help with your business and your personal life in general. Now, I’m not going to be able to go through every benefit. But I’ve chosen, I think it is my top 6 benefits that I have seen or I see when people make sleep a priority.
Benefit number one; is you will be smarter. 100 legit smarter. Sleep improves your ability to problem solve and recall information, which means by getting a solid night sleep, you will perform better the following day.
Benefit number two; when you make sleep a priority, is you will ultimately be happier. And when you’re happier, this comes through your emails, it comes through phone calls, it comes to face to face interactions. You feel it. And when you feel happier, your business ultimately feels happier, the people you surround yourself pick up when you’re happier, and naturally, that will help you to grow that sustainable and profitable business.
Benefit number three; when you choose to make sleep a priority, is that high quality of sleep sustains the energy levels you need to grow and run your business. As I said, running your business is hard as fuck, especially when you’re in the startup phase. So getting a good night sleep is going to help sustain those energy levels that you need.
Benefit number four; getting plenty of sleep increases your social interactions and decreases your social isolation. I can’t tell you again how many times I’ve had conversations with people that, “I’m so tired. I can’t get out of my pyjamas. I’m so tired. I can’t get out of my house.” And this becomes their story. This becomes the pattern of behaviour. And when they do that, they start to isolate themselves from their community, their people, and they see a natural correlation or direct correlation of their business on the decline. So getting a good night sleep actually will help you to get motivated. And when you’re motivated, you’re more likely to get into your community. And when you get into your community, you’re not going to isolate yourself.
Benefit number five; having a solid night sleep will help increase your ability to think clearer, and make fewer mistakes, make sound decisions, be more productive, and ultimately allow you to perform at your best. If you have been working 10, 15, 20 hours, and you’re trying to make like really big financial decisions, and you’re running on nothing, you’re going to compromise your business, dramatically. And so by having that solid night sleep, you will increase your ability to think clearly and make fewer mistakes. I promise you, embrace the sleep people.
And benefit number six; you will have the energy left in the bank to allow you to be present with your family and friends. So often again at startup phases, particularly those first years of business, our friends and family get pushed to the side. In fact, we push ourselves to the side. Because we’ve got no energy left in that bank to be able to give any more because we’ve given it all to our business. But a solid night sleep will give you that energy. It will allow you to be present with your family and friends and ultimately grow that business.
Now, tips for better sleeping; again there are variety of tips that I can give you. Like, go for a nightly walk, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah. But these are the ones that I think are super important. Most people have to be sleeping and they need between 7 and 8 hours of sleep. So again, tips for better sleeping, really try to aim for 7 to 8 hours of sleep. Now make time for getting yourself during the working day to take moments to switch off. Back away from the computer, back away from the technology. Go and just have a rest on the chair, and go outside in the sunshine. I cannot tell you how good that sun will feel on you. Go for a walk around the block. Read a book. But disconnect.
Set an alarm to go to bed. I know it sounds kind of cheesy, but if you can get into this habit, it will make your pattern of sleep so much better. Stop watching all things screen late at night. Get off your phone, get off the telly, get of your Ipad. Again, pick up a book. Have a conversation with your family. Have a conversation with your husband. Pick up the phone and call a friend. But stop watching the boxes until late at night. And one of the biggest things that has helped me to improve my sleeping, is don’t have your mobile phone in your bedroom. Don’t. It’s tempting; the lights, the notifications, the blue light itself reduces sleep quality. Just take it out. You don’t need it. Go old school and buy yourself one of those alarm clocks, set it, and be good to go. Not to mention, your kids don’t need to see you first thing in the morning on your phone. You don’t need that. Show them that you’re putting yourself as a priority; you’re putting sleep as a priority; and those behaviours and those natural observations that your kids see will have a positive impact on their future.
So as you can see, I am super passionate about business owners ensuring they get enough sleep. Understanding the actual negative impacts these can have on your physical and mental health, while at the same time understanding the benefits of getting sleep, and leaving you with these tips for better sleep. Remember, sleep deprivation is killing you and your business. So what are you going to do to change your sleep patterns before it’s too late? And just as I started this episode, I will leave you with this – sleep is not a luxury. It’s a necessity for optimal functioning both in your business and your personal life. Sleep is not a luxury. It’s a necessity for optimal functioning both in your business and your personal life, people. Make sleep a priority.
Now, that’s a wrap for today everyone. My team and I will also be putting together this whole transcription for this episode at www.angelahenderson.com.au. And of course, I cover all sorts of related business and life topics inside my amazing Facebook community, The Australian Business Collaborative with over close to 5000 amazing community members. Make sure you head over to Facebook and join us now at again, The Australian Business Collaborative. Have an awesome day everyone, and I look forward to having you join me next week for another episode of Business and Life Conversations with me, your host, Angela Henderson. Bye for now.
Thanks for listening to the Business and Life Conversations Podcast with Angela Henderson, Sleep Deprivation is Killing You and Your Business. www.angelahenderson.com.au
