Create a nightly ritual for sleep

- When it comes to being productive in the morning, few things are as powerful as the actions you take the night before. Sleep is a great equalizer. We all need it to function, and the quality of the sleep that we get radically influences our ability to focus and perform throughout the day. This means it's valuable to take just a moment or two to create a plan of how you're going to end every night. Let's take a look at a simple process for setting that up.

Let's start by determining the hour at which you'll go to sleep. Often, there will be a relationship between the time that you need to wake up in the morning and how much sleep you require to function properly. For example, while most people need eight hours of sleep, the National Sleep Foundation says the amount of time people can need can vary from as much as six hours to 10 hours per night. Personally, I've found that I require nine hours of sleep every night to function properly.

I got nine hours of sleep last night before coming into the studio to record this video. This means that if I'm going to start work at 8:00 and it takes me an hour to get ready in the morning, I must be going to sleep, not just getting into bed, but going to sleep at 10:00 every night. Take a moment and do the math. What time do you need to begin work? Then subtract from that the number of hours that you need to get ready.

And then subtract from that the number of hours that you need to properly function in terms of sleep. That will get you to the time at which you need to go to sleep each night. Now, few people can put their head on the pillow and immediately drift off into slumber. So you're also going to need to ask yourself, "How long does it take for me to wind down "and go to sleep once I'm in bed?" Subtract that time from the hour that you set as your sleep time and now you know the time that you need to go to bed each night.

As much as possible, stick to a consistent routine. It's very disruptive to your circadian rhythm if you go to sleep at a certain time on the weekdays and then change it up for the weekends. Of course, occasionally your schedule will need to shift, yet the more that you can be consistent, the better off your body will respond to the sleep that you're getting. Also, you might want to consider what you're doing during that time you're in bed and trying to sleep.

It's best to avoid the glowing screen of technology. This means that while you're trying to go to sleep and wind down in bed, you're not going through your phone. You're not going through your laptop. You're not watching late night TV or binge watching Netflix. Consider reading a book, especially something that's relaxing and allows your mind to calm itself down from the cares of the day. I've found E-ink readers such as Amazon Kindle E-Reader or a Barnes and Noble Nook GlowLight are not nearly as disruptive as the frequency of blue light that full color screens generate.

Some studies show it's still best to turn off the backlight and use a room's ambient light to read for optimal sleep hygiene. Finally, just a few things to keep in mind. It's best to avoid consuming caffeine or any other chemicals disruptive to sleep late in the day. The National Sleep Foundation recommends avoiding fatty meals, spicy foods, or even citrus and carbonated drinks that might lead to problems going to sleep at night.

Also, you may want to incorporate other elements into your nightly rituals such as prayer or meditation. Whatever it is that's helpful for you to get in the state of mind that it's time to stop the day and rest from all your cares, make that a part of your plan. Try out your nightly ritual and test it for a couple of weeks. Make small adjustments until you find a routine that works for you and leaves you feeling full of energy the next morning.