Are you

getting
enough
sleep?

Employees Lack of
with below average quality sleep can Remember
sleep quality are affect employee
54% more likely to productivity and sleep debt is
experience higher engagement cumulative! 3

stress levels1 levels2

Here are some practical tips on how to get

a good nights’ sleep
1. If working regular hours, establish a
regular routine – go to bed at the same
time every night and get up at the same
time every morning.
2. If working alternative shift times, set your
environment to mimic day and night light
to help your body adjust more easily.
3. Create a comfortable relaxing bedroom.
Use for sleep and relaxation only – keep
free of technology.
4. Finish high impact exercise 3 hours before
bedtime.
5. Finish your last main meal 3 hours before
bedtime.
6. Minimise stimulants such as coffee and
alcohol. Substitute for chamomile tea or a
warm milky drink.
7. Use lavender drops when sleep loss is
due to tension and stress. This is soothing
and can help with headaches, digestion
and depression.
8. Establish the right temperature – 70
degrees Fahrenheit, 21 degrees Celsius.
9. Get worries out of your head and onto
paper.
10. Practice deep breathing if you have
difficulty nodding off.
Did you know, there’s a proven link between
effective leadership and getting enough sleep!

The last part of our brain to evolve was the neocortex,

responsible for functions such as sensory perception,
motor commands and language. The frontal part of
the neocortex, the prefrontal cortex, directs what
psychologists call executive functioning, including all the
higher-order cognitive processes, such as problem solving,
reasoning, organizing, inhibition, planning, and executing
plans. These processes help us get things done.
Sleep is beneficial for a host of cognitive functions that
help us solve problems effectively, including insight,
pattern recognition, and the ability to come up with
innovative and creative ideas.4

Business and travel. How to combat jetlag!

Many of us today travel long distance with our jobs.
Here are some tips to help with that jetlag feeling.
1. Be as well rested as possible before departure.
2. Eat light meals and limit consumption of alcohol.
3. At destination, try to create the right conditions when
preparing for sleep. Get as much sleep in as normal in
the 24h after arrival.
4. Well-timed exposure to daylight, preferably
bright sunlight, at the destination will usually help
adaptation.
5. Individuals react in different ways to time zone
changes. Frequent flyers should learn how their own
bodies respond and adopt habits accordingly.5

For more information on sleep hygiene and support for sleep disorders, visit
mentahealthireland.ie.

Sources:
1. Global Corporate Challenge’s Insights Study December 2014.
2. Global Corporate Challenge’s Insights Study December 2014.
3. Harvard Medical School Guide To a Good Night’s Sleep
4. Nick van Dam and Els van der Helm Harvard Business Review February 16, 20164.
5. The World Health Organisation 2017

ILH50031-17-05