The Importance of Sleep and Why You Need More of It – with Drew King

Entrepreneurs need more sleep – This episode explains how sleep helps you succeed more.

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Drew King on the Importance of Sleep and Why You Need More of It

Sleep matters because it’s 1/3rd of our lives. ? We should take sleep VERY seriously. When most people think about a healthy lifestyle, they think about eating healthy foods and exercise. Drew King tells us that sleep is equivalent to the other two. The three go together. They are like a 3 spoke wheel, each spoke needs to be the same size or the wheel is not going to turn smoothly.

The sweet spot is between 7 and 8 hours. People who are only getting 5 are not operating at their optimal level. (If you are getting less than 7, you’re more prone to getting sick. Sleep affects the majority of the organs in your body.)

People who sleep less than 7 hours per day are 30% more at risk of becoming obese. A prolonged lack of quality sleep can lead to depression and anxiety. Routine and consistency are important. You cannot bank sleep. If you’re “averaging” 7, but it’s 4 one night and 9-10 the next night, that’s not healthy.

Do not skip sleep to work. Your mind will not be as sharp. Good quality sleep makes your mind sharper. If you want a sharper mind, better focus, better decision making, you need to take your sleep very seriously.

Related Content: Need help sleeping? Listen to this episode or read the notes: Doing Less so You Can Accomplish More

In order to have a quality night sleep, here are a few things you need to do:

  • Don’t look at screens before bed. Turn off phones and TVs one hour before sleep. The idea is avoiding stimulation. ??
  • No caffeine 8 hours or sooner before going to sleep. ?☕
  • Don’t eat any heavy foods or meals 2 hours prior to going to sleep. ??
  • The hour leading up to falling asleep should be focused on reading or having a light conversation. ?

The enemies of good sleep:

  • Caffeine is the number one inhibitor of good quality sleep. – Caffeine is in your system for 8 hours. A sleep doctor would tell you not to have any caffeine 8 hours before going to bed. (Drew King says a good rule is no coffee after 2:00 PM) – If caffeine is in your system, it will disrupt your sleep architecture.
  • Eating sweets (Chocolate specifically) can be a problem.
  • Don’t eat large meals before bed.
  • Not being able to fall back asleep.

If you wake up in the middle of the night and realize you don’t have much more time to sleep before you have to be up, here’s a trick for getting back to bed: If you wake up and don’t fall asleep within 10 minutes, you need a change of environment. Go into another room, turn on a dim light (NO TV NO PHONE) and grab the most boring book you own. Read it until you feel like you’re going to pass out – Then go back to bed.

Entrepreneurship and sleep are more connected than you may think. Proper sleep leads to longevity – expands your mental capacity as a result taking you further in life and in business.

There are 4 stages of sleep. BUT, Stage 3 is where your body and brain physically rests. (It takes 30 – 60 minutes to reach this sleep) In stage 1 and 2, your body isn’t fully resting/recharging and stage 4 is when you’re on your way to waking up or can wake up easier. It’s also where you do a lot of your dreaming. Fun fact about dreaming: Every two hours you sleep you dream for 20 minutes. You won’t remember your dreams if you don’t wake up during or right after that 20 minutes of dreaming.

How to diagnose sleep apnea:

Look out for SOS – Snore, Obese, Sleepiness. OR if you’re holding your breath while sleeping. It’s a gasp for air every 20-30 seconds. (You can tell this by asking a bed partner or recording audio while you’re sleeping for a night)

If you’re sleeping well, don’t overthink it. There’s nothing proactive you need to do. Just focus on getting the right amount of sleep.

The goal is a healthy mind and a healthy body. You cannot have this without a good night of sleep. Entrepreneurs need to be on their game. Sleep plays a bigger part in this than most people ever realize. For optimal efficiency, you need to get 7-8 hours of sleep.

About Drew King:

He was the founder and CEO of a massive sleep testing company with clinics all over the nation. Which he successfully sold. Drew King is now a Pastor at Celebration Church in Jacksonville Florida and oversees many of the business aspects of the church.

How many hours of sleep do you get per night – And is it enough?