Sleep well - summary of the episode

In this episode of Sound of Finance, our host and zeb consultant Jonas Schneider talks to sleep expert Jan Burmeister about sleep myths, sleeping advice and how folding towels can make a difference. Do we really need the “magic” eight hours of sleep to be productive? Does it make sense to have a good night’s rest at the weekend to simply catch up on the sleep you missed out on during the week? And how can a towel help me fall asleep faster? In this episode, Jan and Jonas provide answers to all these questions.

During his work as a management consultant, Jan Burmeister was paying more and more attention to his sleep and observing the many positive effects on productivity, concentration and his own energy levels. He was also noticing that his colleagues were greatly interested in the topic. Despite this, sleep is rarely given the priority it deserves, especially in the consulting industry. Recognizing this need for action, Jan developed a coaching program specifically designed to optimize the sleeping habits of consultants.

Jan explains that the widely discussed sleep hygiene that advises people to sleep in a cool room or to stop drinking coffee in the afternoon, for instance, is definitely an important factor. From a clinical perspective, however, there are far more important aspects that need to be considered. Yet, they rarely receive the appropriate attention, which may be one of the reasons why 43% of Germans suffer from sleep problems.

In the course of the episode, Jan and Jonas dispel some myths about sleep.

Jan first addresses the widespread myth that the more sleep you get, the better, and that you should stick to the “golden rule” of eight hours’ sleep. In fact, the mortality risk is lowest with seven hours of sleep and even higher with nine hours of sleep than with five hours. This can be explained by the fact that increased sleep goes with less exercise and less sunlight. Sleep is also more fragmented, so you wake up more often. Despite this, seven hours should not be seen as a “golden rule”, as the need for sleep is different for everyone. However, it is true that 90 percent of adults need six to eight hours of sleep.

Jan also debunks the myth that it makes sense to catch up on missed sleep with a good night’s rest at the weekend, as research shows that getting up regularly helps to feel more rested and perform better.  Developing a routine is therefore more important than the duration of sleep.

Optimized sleep is characterized by falling asleep peacefully, sleeping through the night and waking up relaxedly. The positive effects of such sleep include improved performance at work. Regular sleep patterns provide structure and promote other everyday routines beyond sleep.

But how do you achieve this optimized sleep? First of all, it is important to spend no more than one hour awake in bed. The worst thing you can do when suffering from insomnia is to lie in bed and stare at the ceiling. The so-called 30-30 rule helps to associate the bed only with sleeping. Towels can actually help here. As soon as you realize that you can’t fall asleep, Jan recommends that you leave the bedroom, fold a towel and unfold it again until you get tired from this monotonous activity. The aim is for the brain to associate the bed only with sleep and not with other activities. In this context, Jan notes that mobile phones should of course also be banned from the bedroom.

He also dismantles the widespread belief that less sleep directly reduces performance. In fact, just five and a half hours of sleep is enough to be productive. This period already covers 100 percent of deep sleep, which is the most important sleep stage, and 50 percent of REM sleep, the second most important sleep stage. Jan clearly emphasizes that this does not mean that the five and a half hours of core sleep are enough in the long term, because core and optional sleep are needed to feel as fit as a fiddle. However, this information can certainly help you not to put yourself under too much pressure if your sleep time is shorter than intended.