Stress Management and Much More!
	The key tools on the Mind Tools site, brought together into one easily downloadable, easily printable PDF. More>>

Getting a Good Night's Sleep

Starting each day fresh, and full of energy

Do you often wake up in the mornings feeling more tired than when you went to bed? Do you regularly wake up during the night for no apparent reason? Or do you have trouble getting off to sleep in the first place?

Poor-quality sleep can quickly lead to reduced performance at work from reduced concentration, poor memory and diminished motivation, impaired judgment and irritability. Lack of sleep can also cause the body to crave high-calorie foods, potentially leading to weight gain. All of these side-effects can increase stress which, in turn can adversely affect your sleep and work.

If you are one of the millions of people who occasionally suffer poor quality sleep, and you want to feel more rested, alert and ready to go, then the good news is that you can improve the quality of your sleep and so maximize your work performance.

Tip: If you have more serious difficulties sleeping or are constantly tired, you may have a sleep disorder that requires medical attention. The web site www.sleepeducation.com does a great job explaining sleep disorders. If you are concerned about your sleep problems, you should, of course, consult a medical expert.

What affects the quality of your sleep?

Good quality sleep is an uninterrupted stretch of roughly 7-8 hours, during which your mind and body rest and recuperate, ready for whatever the next day brings. Some people need as little as 5 hours, and some as much as 10 hours, but the norm is 7-8 hours for most adults...(Sign in to read more.)

Full text of this article is available to members of the Mind Tools Career Excellence Club. If you're a member, please click here for full text, or sign in below.

Where to go from here:		Join Mind Tools		Free Newsletter
		Download & Print		Next Article

New Articles (Not included in the Mind Tools E-book.)
* Shows articles available in full only to Career Excellence Club members

Beating Self-Sabotage - Recognizing and overcoming it*
The Breaking Point - by Bruna Martinuzzi
The Green-Eyed Monster - Keeping envy out of the workplace, by Bruna Martinuzzi
Ready for a Real Vacation? - Preparing to make the most of your precious time*
Thinking On Your Feet - Staying cool and confident under pressure
Rest, Relaxation and Sleep*
Toffler's Stability Zones - Finding peace amid chaos*
How to Relax After a Hard Day - Leaving work at work*
Murphy's Law - Expecting the unexpected

A full list of Mind Tools articles is available here.

return to top

Learn to manage the stress in your life with our sister site, stress.mindtools.com.

Online Training
Mind Tools Store: Mind Tools Ebook, Make Time for Success
 Stress Management Masterclass, How to Lead
 Relaxation MP3s

© Mind Tools Ltd, 1995-2010, All Rights Reserved

We welcome appropriate reprinting and reuse of Mind Tools material,
however, you must get our permission first!
To do this, please visit our Permissions Center.

Newsletter · Store · Corporate Services · Search · Advertisers

MindTools.com is one of the Internet's most-visited career skills resources.
Click here to see analysis.