The Best Kept Productivity & Performance Secret

What is the best kept productivity and performance secret that almost nobody is talking about?
 
Think about it, more often we are busier, working more hours and as our "to-do" lists get longer, we have to cut that time from somewhere, right?
 
Unfortunately, the first place we steal time is from our sleep.
 
Even though during our sleep window, our busy brain cleans up, files away memories, produces HGH (responsible for tissue repair & eslasticity), and balances hormones.
 
As a result of decreased sleep, productivity, communication, creativity, comprehension and memory suffers.
 
Hormonal imbalances such as increased cortisol and grehlin is directly linked to increased hunger and fat storage.
 
Only about 5% of the population require less sleep than the 6-8 hours each night-- which means, unless you are a very rare individual you need 7-8 hours of sleep per night to perform optimally.
 
Missing sleep is compared to drunkeness as the results of getting less sleep is similar to functioning after a few drinks.
 
Studies actually show that after about two weeks of six hours of sleep a night, it's equivalent to missing an entire night of sleep.
 
The good news is that the only way to recover from lost sleep is to sleep.
 
You can break from the crowd and prioritize sleep, while increasing restfulness with a few simple actions starting today:
 

1. Follow a pre-sleep routine-- turn off the phone, meditate, read and/ or reduce lighting
2. Cut caffeine 8 hours before bed time
3. Keep the same sleep schedule every night
4. Go to bed between the hours of 10p.m. and 11:00p.m.
5. Complete exercise early & at least 3-4 hours before bed

 
Creating a sleep schedule is a powerful next step after reading this article!
 
What might be one thing you can do tonight to begin establishing a pre-sleep routine that works for you?