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The Startup Guide to Sleep

During the past few years, public perception about sleep and its importance has started to shift. While some founders and CEOs may still brag about how little sleep they need, many others are waking up to the significance of getting enough sleep. A sleep industry has begun to develop, with apps, mattresses, and devices to assist us in getting enough shut-eye. Here is my post about blogging tips for startups, by the way.

Is Sleep the Secret to 2 World Series Wins in 5 Years?

San Francisco Giants’ Sleep Coach

Perhaps you’ve heard that the San Francisco Giants have won three titles in the past five years. But did you know that for each year that they won they had a sleep coach? Dr. Chris Winter, whom the Huffington Post calls “the sleep whisperer,” coaches the team on getting the most recuperation so they can play at their best. Although the Giants pay more in hotel bills (to allow the players to rest rather than fly home immediately after a game), their players are well rested and perform better. And by the way, the Giants can improve your game in other ways, too.

Napping is Your New SuperPower

Your New Super Power: Napping

Napping is your new best friend for more reasons than one. A nap can rejuvenate you so that you can work longer and can also extend your life. If you’re driving while tired, a few minutes napping at a rest stop lets you continue your drive safely. And did you know there’s a perfect time of day to nap? According to Dr. Sara Mednick, you can design your own nap using her nap wheel. Many companies are now allowing employees a place to nap at work.

Hack Your Nap

If you can’t get a solid eight during the night because of early-morning meetings, there is another way: hack your nap. According to this article in Forbes, a quick look at Google trends reveals that search interest in sleep has risen by 50% in the past decade and interest in napping has doubled. Ultimately, what are people looking for? Power nap info, of course! Of the power hacks, choosing between the 20-minute nap or the 70-90-minute nap is the most interesting. Nick Meyer, who is working on A Guide to Optimized Napping, explains this in more detail in his article.

Arianna Huffington’s Big Secret is Sleep

Arianna Huffington’s Story

Arianna Huffington, in her TEDx talk, explains that she “learned the hard way” about sleep deprivation. Her “small idea,” one that includes more joy and productivity, is to get enough sleep. She describes sleep as a feminist issue, and jokes that we women are literally going to “sleep our way to the top.” She goes on to say that a high IQ does not mean you’re a good leader. You may be making a lot of stupid mistakes because of sleep deprivation. Sound like any startups you’ve worked for lately?

Perchance to Dream

Founders and startup members may want to use their sleep time to find answers to their problems. They may not have the time to become lucid dreamers, as outlined by Stephen LaBerge, the father of Lucid Dreaming, but they could use their dream state to solve difficult problems or rethink some issue. For instance, they may decide to “sleep on” a decision to take on a new team member.

Have a Personal Sleep Success Story?

How does sleep help you? I’d love to hear your story! Unless it cuts into your nap time, that is.