Sleep is fundamental to productivity. Our bodies run on an internal clock, which releases chemicals to stimulate different moods and behaviors at different times in our sleep/wake cycle. Irregular sleep disrupts that clock, contributing to various physical and psychological problems, including procrastination. If tiredness is contributing to your procrastination, there are many techniques that can help set and maintain your body clock:

• Make sleep predictable:
  • Get to bed at the same time every night.
  • Get up at the same time every morning.
  • Use a pre-sleep routine each night, like showering, brushing your teeth and reading a book in bed. The routine can help your body get ready for sleep.
• Get outside and into sunlight as soon as possible after waking.
• Go outside in the daylight during the day.
• Exercise every day.
• Use sleep meditations.
• Use sleep hypnotism audio tracks.
• Count your breaths.
• Avoid screens near bedtime.
• Keep screens out of the bedroom.
• Only use your bed for activities related to sleep.
• Try melatonin or other sleep aids.
• Avoid alcohol.
• Avoid blue lights at night.
• Avoid caffeine late in the day.
• If napping, aim for less than 30 minutes.
• Reduce noise and light in your bedroom.
• If external noise is an issue, you can try using white noise, like the sound of a fan or recorded tracks of rain, to drown out unwanted noise.
• Adjust your bedroom temperature to a comfortable level.
• Avoid eating immediately before bed.
• If the problem is chronic, consider talking to a specialist sleep doctor. There are many medical remedies that can assist.