HEALTH SPECIAL..................... 4 ways to catch up on your sleep

 4 ways to catch up on your sleep

Last week, Yahoo CEO Marissa Mayer was criticised for missing a meeting because she overslept. On Wednesday, Congress VP Rahul Gandhi was caught napping i n Parliament . Whi le that might even f ly in India, given the late night football telecast, IPG CEO Michael Rot h with whom Mayer had scheduled a meeting with at 8.30 am, was not amused. He left as she walked in. With hectic deadlines and backto-back meetings, do business heads find it difficult to catch up on sleep?
Vikram Chopra, CEO, Fabfurnish. com, says, "I had once spent many sleepless nights at work and didn't realise I missed a meeting. I just dozed off." According to Dr Pradeep Parekh, general physician, Jaslok Hospital, if you're overworked and not getting enough sleep, this is bound to happen. He says, "People need eight hours of good quality sleep per night. As you get older, you can get away with six." Here is how you can achieve that: 

1. Quality matters

It doesn't matter if you lay in bed on the weekend for 10 hours straight, when it comes to shut eye, quality trumps over quantity. Krupa Mhatre, Nutrition & Wellness Expert, Gold's Gym India, says, "Broken sleep disturbs your body and releases stress hormones, which is physically and mentally harmful." 

2. Make the time

Look at sleep as part of your schedule or to-do list. Ravneet Gill, CEO, Deutsche Bank India, says, "If people say they have to cut down on sleep because they want to accommodate something else, there is clearly a case for better time management. I don't believe that anybody is so busy that they can't get enough time to sleep. I have seen a lot of my seniors, who have more responsibilities than mine, finding time for everything." 

3. Power Naps

A short sleeping stint during your day can help keep your brain on track and most medical experts are in praise of the brief sleeping break. Dr Pradeep Parekh, says, "A 15-30 minute power nap can really refresh your brain and make you alert. A power nap can even increase your effectiveness." The best time to take a power nap is post lunch or while you are commuting. However, taking a nap in the middle of an open office could make you the butt of jokes. 

4. The setting

When it comes to power naps or sleeping while commuting, the same rules for your bedroom should apply. "Make sure you switch off the lights in your cabin and play soft music that helps you relax. You can also use a light fragrance, such as lavender, that promotes sleep." 

By Glynda Alves