Why Sleep Matters to Success

The world’s highest earners consistently prioritize sleep.  Jeff Bezos preaches the importance of 8 hours, claiming that is the amount of time he needs to feel “energized and excited.”   Warren Buffet, another multi-billionaire, also advocates for a consistent 8 hours.  Sleep isn’t only available to the wealthy, yet many Americans act like it is. Insufficient sleep costs Americans more than $411 billion in lost productivity every year.  Poor sleep leads to 13% higher mortality risk, 1.2 million working days lost, and 2x greater chances of being in a car accident.  People who regularly get between 7 and 8 hours of sleep are 29% more productive than those who sleep less than 5. 

How can the sleep-deprived repair their sleep habits?  First things first, reduce alcohol consumption. 2 or more servings of alcohol in a day reduces sleep quality by 39.3%.  Don’t engage in all-nighters; going days without sleep has the same mental impairment as a blood alcohol concentration of 0.1%.  Perhaps most difficult, limit exposure to blue light before bed.  Blue light from phones, computers, and TV screens inhibits melatonin, a sleep chemical.  Above all, everyone ought to aim for 7 to 8 hours every night. Consistently.