October Reset: The Hidden Power of Sleep
As October begins, many of us are pushing through heavy workloads, endless notifications, and the feeling that the year is slipping faster than our energy levels can keep up. It is tempting to sacrifice sleep to “get more done,” but the science is clear: cutting corners on rest undermines both learning and leadership.
Sleep and Learning
Your brain isn’t idle while you sleep. It is sorting, filing, and integrating information. Deep sleep helps consolidate facts and skills, while REM sleep strengthens connections and creativity. If you’ve ever struggled to recall what you studied late at night, you have already experienced the cost of poor sleep. The hours you gain by staying up are often lost in slower recall, weaker focus, and higher error rates the next day. And the next. And the one after that.
For learners, whether in formal education or professional training, this means sleep is not optional. It is part of the learning process itself. Without it, new knowledge doesn’t stick.
Sleep and Leadership
Leadership is not just about decision making, it is about presence, judgment, and emotional regulation. A well-rested leader is more likely to:
- Read the room accurately
- Respond rather than react
- Weigh risks with clarity
- Inspire trust through calm consistency
Sleep deprivation, on the other hand, is linked with riskier choices, shorter tempers, and weaker problem solving. In a world where leaders are expected to balance urgency with empathy, cutting sleep is cutting your advantage.
Practical Takeaways for October
- Light rules the clock: Get morning light exposure within an hour of waking. Dim lights a few hours before bed.
- Anchor your wake time: Choose a consistent wake-up hour, even on weekends (if you can). This keeps your body clock steady.
- Caffeine cutoff: Stop caffeine at least a few hours before bed (the more common recommendation is six hours but I’m trying to be realistic).
- Cooler room, calmer sleep: Aim for a bedroom temperature around 65–70°F. Or cool enough to be comfortable but not feel too cold.
- Wind-down ritual: Create a repeatable 20–30 minute routine that signals your body it is time to sleep.
Bottom line: If you want to learn better and lead better, sleep is not the thing to squeeze out. It is the foundation to protect. This month, instead of pushing for one more hour of work at midnight, try protecting one more hour of sleep. Your brain (and your team) will thank you.
