Sleep well to perform well

Sleep consists of a series of stages that restore and refresh your body and mind, but is the age-old myth of eight hours of sleep daily, really affordable and practical in today’s hectic modern life?
A person’s ‘basal sleep need’ — the amount of sleep our bodies need on a regular basis for optimal performance — is different for each individual. Incidentally, the loss of minimal sleep can take a toll on a person’s mood, efficiency, energy and ability to handle stress.
However, actors, models, chefs, and even students cannot afford to sleep for seven or eight hours every day. Different and inconvenient work shifts, competitive exams, tight work schedules are factors that can contribute to inadequate sleep. Manu Chandra, one of Bangalore’s busiest chefs, says, “It is difficult for me to get enough sleep considering I work two shifts a day, but I do take afternoon naps, without which I think the sleep deprivation would hinder my work.”
A day has 24 hours and sleeping for one third of those hours might seem like a waste. But research shows that adequate sleep enhances health as well as productivity. Designer Ramesh Dembla agrees by saying, “Life can get hectic with all the work and socialising. But I try and make sure that my night ends early and I get at least six to six and a half hours of sleep every day. I don’t think eight hours is practical in today’s world.”
Actor Sanjjanaa concurs, “I think sleep is very important; with the kind of pressure my work puts on me, I make sure I get at least seven or eight hours of sleep every night and about 10 to 11 hours of beauty sleep at least once a week. I feel exercise plays an important role because going to the gym is what helps me sleep really well.”
Food and exercise play very important roles in a person’s sleep patterns. Wanitha Ashok, who’s helped many women find their fitness regime in the city, says, “Exercise is the best way to ensure you sleep well. Work-outs, yoga, and breathing exercises help to induce sleep. Diet plays the most important role. Overeating, under-eating, and consumption of food that has too much caffeine can disturb a person’s sleep and have severe effects on their health and productivity.”
Caffeine and theophylline (found in black tea), present in foods can artificially wake us up but will have side effects in the long run. Although beauty sleep — any extra sleep or sleeping before midnight — may not be attainable in today’s world, power naps during the day or a few hours at night can enhance a person’s productivity greatly.

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