{"id":824,"date":"2013-09-11T16:09:33","date_gmt":"2013-09-11T16:09:33","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.poly.com\/?p=824"},"modified":"2013-09-11T16:09:33","modified_gmt":"2013-09-11T16:09:33","slug":"is-lack-of-sleep-affecting-your-small-business-productivity","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.poly.com\/is-lack-of-sleep-affecting-your-small-business-productivity\/","title":{"rendered":"Is lack of sleep affecting your small business productivity?"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"smb-tech-trends\"<\/a>If you are like many small business owners, the long hours and pressures of running your business may be affecting your sleep. Earlier in the year, a survey <\/a>of over 1300 small business owners by online business community Manta found that among respondents, 37 percent (nearly four out of 10), indicated they averaged less than six hours of sleep every night. That\u2019s not enough say sleep experts, although exactly how much sleep you need depends on the individual. According to Health.com,<\/a> \u201cmost adults need seven to nine; others manage fine with just six.\u201d<\/p>\n

The key is to find out what your body needs and make sure you get enough sleep. Lack of sleep affects your productivity; it makes it harder for you to concentrate, pay attention and solve problems.\u00a0 And that\u2019s not all. Not getting enough sleep can make you sick, leading to heart disease, strokes and high blood pressure. Also when you are tired, you tend to overeat since sleep helps the body control the hormones that balance hunger pangs.<\/p>\n

In \u201cThe 7 Sleep Habits of Successful Entrepreneurs<\/a>,\u201d sleep specialist Dr. Lisa Shives provides some tips for getting a good night\u2019s sleep. Among them:<\/p>\n

Turn off electronics:<\/strong>\u00a0 It\u2019s becoming more and more difficult to disconnect. A Harris Interactive survey<\/a> of American smartphone users conducted last year for security technology provider Lookout \"Boring<\/a>found that 54 percent of those surveyed said they check their smartphones while lying in bed: before they go to sleep, after they wake up, even in the middle of the night. Not only do our mobile devices <\/a>force our brains to stay active when we should be relaxing, Shives says that the light from the devices puts our neurotransmitters into an awake position.<\/p>\n

Write your worries away:<\/strong> Keep a worry journal to write down issues that are troubling you. Also write down a to-do list if you can\u2019t get to sleep thinking about all the things you need to do.<\/p>\n

Exercise: <\/strong>Shives points out that exercise releases serotonin and dopamine \u2013 the same neurotransmitters that are important for regulating the 24-hour sleep-wake cycle, known as the circadian rhythm.<\/p>\n

Here are some other tips for a good night\u2019s sleep from the Mayo clinic:<\/a><\/p>\n