5 Ways to Hack Your Sleep for Increased Productivity

Everyone knows that to feel and perform your best during the day, you need to get a proper night of sleep at night. Despite this, one third of adults don't get the amount of sleep they need each night and many more report not getting sleep of a sufficiently high quality. The solution? Biohack your sleep like your job depends on it—because it sort of does. Here are five hacks to ensure that you get the sleep you need in order to perform at peak productivity the next day.


Exercise on the reg


Regular exercise is associated with lower levels of anxiety and depression, both of which are common causes of poor quality sleep. In addition, scientific studies have shown that individuals who exercise regularly get more slow-wave sleep, which is the most restorative segment of the sleep cycle. But be careful: engaging in rigorous exercise less than two hours before bedtime can arouse your body and make it more difficult to go to sleep.


Skip your nightly cocktail


While many people unwind at night with a drink or two, this habit is actually harmful to sleep—because when your blood alcohol level returns to a normal level in the middle of the night, your body is agitated, often waking you up and making it difficult to fall back asleep. Many experts recommend capping off the day with a soothing cup of tea instead.


Unplug from devices


Study after study has linked computers, tablets, and smartphones with disturbed sleep. Despite this fact, many people fall asleep watching Netflix on their computer in bed, a habit which makes it both more difficult to fall asleep and—once asleep—makes sleep less restorative in general. Instead, gently lull your mind out of consciousness by reading a book or listening to a book on tape.


Create an ideal sleeping environment


In order to achieve the highest level of sleep, it is essential that your environment is primed for high-quality sleep. This includes making sure that your bedroom is free of clutter and mess, as well as taking steps to ensure that your sleeping environment is as dark as possible by installing a blackout curtain and taking the necessary steps to block out any other light sources.

Make sure your mattress isn’t holding you back


The average American will spend one third of their life in bed. This means it’s absolutely essential that you are sleeping on a high-quality, well-designed mattress. Companies such as Molecule use cutting-edge technology and materials to produce mattresses that help your body get the deep, slow-wave, restorative sleep it needs. Purchasing a mattress is certainly a big financial decision, but view it as a long-term investment that will pay dividends on your productivity and quality of life for years to come.