You probably know some coders who view sleep as an obstacle – in fact, you might have been one of them at some point in your career. After all, many of the software developers work at night. Some have trouble sleeping because of blue-screen exposure, while others might find the evening hours best for constructing ideas and plans.
But sacrificing your sleep doesn’t only result in fatigue, a weak immune system, and poor health. An experiment performed a year ago proved that sleep deprivation cuts productivity in half for programmers. The consequences are, as you can expect, multiple. To prevent them from affecting your life and your career, you’ll want to try and improve the quality of your sleep.
Here are some tips that can help.
Form a healthy sleep routine
In the world of software development, establishing a regular sleep routine may seem like an impossible undertaking. Nevertheless, it is a necessary one. Try to organize your day in a way that enables you to go to bed and wake up at approximately the same time every day. To help your body adjust and truly maximize the routine, you’ll need to maintain this same rhythm even on the weekends. Afternoon naps shouldn’t be a problem, as long as they don’t last longer than half an hour.
Create a sleep-friendly environment
We usually don’t pay much attention to bedroom design. After all, it’s not like we’re going to be lounging or hosting parties there. However, it’s not only a matter of design. The furniture, the colors, and the arrangement of the room have a profound impact on the quality of your sleep. To design a sleep-friendly bedroom, you will need a set of cool neutral colors on the wall, a supportive mattress and pillow, and soft lighting. Avoid cluttering the room with too many details, because clutter stresses your mind and makes it more difficult for you to fall asleep.
Avoid blue-screen exposure
For coders, this is probably the most difficult thing to do. Exposure to blue light (the light coming from screens) before bedtime can interfere with your circadian rhythm and suppress the release of melatonin. All of this will lead to difficulties in falling and staying asleep. So, if you need to work in the afternoon, put down your work at least two or three hours before going to bed.
Relax before bedtime
Aside from avoiding devices before bedtime, you can also implement certain relaxation techniques that will ease you into sleep. They can include deep breathing exercises, meditation, yoga, a warm bath, or similar soothing activities. For some people, reading a book before going to sleep can be helpful.
Stay clear of other stimulants
Alcohol, (too much) caffeine, and cigarettes are not only bad for your health, but they can also interfere with your sleep cycle. If you’re using them (who are we to judge!), try not to consume them too close to your bedtime. Sure, alcohol can make you sleepy at first, but it will also decrease the quality of your sleep and cause you to wake up during the night.
Giving up is an option
If you’re lying in your bed for one, two, or three hours, struggling to fall asleep, don’t push it too hard. This can only lead to frustration, and all of us know that it is much more difficult to get decent shuteye when we are anxious and frustrated. Go to bed when you are really tired, and if you can’t fall asleep, then get up, take a walk, do something relaxing until you feel sleepy.
Seek help
If your sleeping problems continue, don’t grab the first sleep meds you can get. This is not a long-term solution. Instead, ask for professional help. Your doctor may prescribe you some pills, but they will be adequate for your needs. In some cases, the medical professional will recommend an overnight sleep study to establish if there are any issues with your sleep patterns. Your insomnia or sleep deprivation could also be caused by emotional trauma or other mental health issues. In that case, don’t hesitate to talk to a therapist. Trust me – it’s worth your time.
Final word
There should be a consensus in the coding world that the need to sleep is not a weakness. Until we are all ready to accept it – it is every man/woman for himself/herself. Take this advice and take care of yourself by getting enough sleep.
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