What do Jeff Bezos, Marie Kondo, and Warren Buffet all have in common?  All three individuals get 8 hours of sleep every night.  In the words of Bezos, “[e]ight hours of sleep makes a big difference for me, and I try hard to make that a priority.  For me, that’s the needed amount to feel energized and excited.”

Studies agree; getting a good night’s sleep has a major impact on success.  Regular sleep improves people’s memory, making routine tasks and fact retrieval easier.  REM sleep, in which people dream, is one of the biggest factors of nurtured creativity and problem-solving skills.  Sleeping well also makes it easier to spot and avoid clerical errors, the embarrassment of many.  A healthy mind is a well rested one, yet it stretches beyond the brain.  Better sleep improves the immune system as well!  In all, people who regularly get between 7 and 8 hours of sleep are 29% more productive than those who sleep less than 5, increasing their chances of success in almost any field. 

Despite all the evidence of sleep’s benefits, many Americans still don’t get enough.  Insufficient sleep costs Americans more than $411 billion every year.  Sleeping less than 6 hours a night leads to higher mortality risks, lost working days, and double the chances of landing in a car accident.  Sleep deprivation is considered a torture method for a reason.  It impairs coordination and fitness, worsens depression and anxiety, and brings with it a lower quality of life. 

Say you’re someone who doesn’t sleep enough.  What can you do to improve your sleeping habits?  There are a number of strategies worth trying.  Some may apply to your life more than others.  First things first, launder your bed sheets more often.  73% of people say they’re more excited to sleep with fresh sheets.  If you can, get a better mattress.  Comfort matters in getting the best quality of sleep possible.  Environmental changes influence people more than they realize.

Now, for actually getting yourself to sleep.  Start by ending all-nighters.  Adults going without sleep for 48 hours have similar mental impairments to the heavily intoxicated.  On the subject of alcohol, don’t drink too much.  Having more than 2 servings of alcohol a day reduces sleep quality by nearly 40%.  And in addition to giving yourself a bedtime, limit your blue light exposure by putting electronics away before it gets late.