08/ 11/ 2006
If you're like many small-business owners today, you're not sitting still for long periods of time. You're busy. And you travel. And you may be tired. You might think of those three hours in a cramped plane as a time to catch a nap and get some rest, but how refreshed are you, really, when you emerge from the jetway?
According to a recent poll by British Airways and Research International, business travelers simply aren't getting enough sleep. Out of 1,000 business travelers surveyed, 25 percent admitted to falling asleep in a meeting, and 70 percent say they felt less productive after travel.
The National Sleep Foundation recommends 7 to 9 hours of sleep each night, but business travelers citing distractions, such as work stress, family demands and frequent travel, are getting much less—sometimes only three hours during overnight travel.
The foundation has several recommendations for getting the most out of your sleeping hours during travel:
- Keep your regular schedule. If you live in New York and usually go to bed at 11 p.m., but are traveling for business in California, go to bed when it's 11 p.m. in New York. Your mind and body will be ready for this usual sleep pattern, and it will help you get back into the swing of a regular schedule when you return home.
- Schedule business dinners or cocktail hours early in the evening and stop eating and drinking two or three hours before bedtime. Going to bed on an overly full stomach may make settling in a little more difficult. And cutting off the drinks will help avoid middle-of-the-night awakenings.
- Make your sleep environment as comfortable and close-to-home as possible. You may not be able to pack your favorite pillow or the warm cat who normally sleeps at your feet, but you can bring a family photo for the hotel bedside table or a favorite coffee mug for your morning kick.
Traveling from one side of the globe to the other also brings jet lag into play on top of a simple lack of sleep. Overnight travelers surveyed for the poll offered the following tips for overcoming jet lag.
- When you can, schedule your travel with plenty of wiggle room before meetings. Use the time to get some fresh air, shower and dress in fresh clothes. You might even be able to squeeze in a nap, not sitting upright with strangers on either side of you.
- Stay hydrated when you travel. Forego the alcohol and caffeine during flights and stick to water.
- If you can, upgrade your flight to a higher class. The higher class may provide more leg room, more comfortable seats and more room for peaceful rest.
For more information and tips on getting the most of your sleeping hours, visit the National Sleep Foundation Web site.
