The key to success is in our habits and not what is already in our pockets. So many people spend a lot of time thinking over what they can do to make money, or spend time grinding away at jobs they hate just to put food on the table. Working is a necessity, but life is so much richer than spending every day wishing you had more. You can change your sleep habits to make yourself happier, your life richer, and the path to being more financially stable much easier. 

Many people think that waking up earlier is the key to success. We’re told that entrepreneurs have hacked their sleep routines to be more productive. We’re told that productivity is success, but what if there was another solution? If you are a mother of three who works a nine to five job or you are a student who works in a cafe when you aren’t studying, the chances of you “hacking” your sleep pattern to get three hours sleep and wake up for pre-sunrise yoga and three hours of journaling before your daily routine is absolutely preposterous. And so should it be.

If you wake up without an alarm, you’re either lucky that you don’t have to worry about when your day starts, or you’ve already got your circadian rhythm “hacked”. Your body already knows the best time for you to wake up, and if you’re getting around seven hours of sleep each night, then you’re doing the right thing. 

Sleep experts suggest that outdoor activity can also help the quality of sleep. This doesn’t have to be a twelve-mile run. It could just as easily be a walk around the block to get some fresh air. A lot of people work in air-conditioned offices and spend much of their time in a cubicle with little exposure to natural light, which can confuse our bodies into thinking that we’re not ready for sleep. However, the biggest culprit for confusing your circadian rhythm is your screen. Consider switching off several hours before bed in order to feel well rested in the morning.

Feeling well rested may seem like a luxury reserved for a privileged few, but getting a good night’s sleep isn’t something which we can take for granted. Getting into bed with worries on your mind is likely to lend itself to a sleepless night of tossing and turning, which is a recipe for sluggish feelings the next day. Clearing worries from your mind can be as simple as writing them down, or you may want to try meditation. If you’re worried about the future and feel as though you may want to seek some guidance, consider taking clear steps to gain some insight into the future and into why it worries you. One way to do this is through contacting professional psychics such as those at TheCircle, who will not only look into your future but your past and present too, to help give you guidance to face your problems and worries. Others prefer to consult a therapist, or confide in a friend or family member – the goal here is to verbalize your thoughts and worries so that they don’t bottle up inside and disturb your sleeping patterns.

“Hacking” a sleep cycle is a myth reserved for entrepreneurs who are likely sleep-deprived and addicted to productivity. Having an awareness of your sleep cycle is the best “hack” you can find, and training yourself to sanitize your sleep regime will vastly improve other areas of your life. 

[info_box type=”alert_box”]If you want to practice self-care, you have to care for your finances.  My book, The Happy Finances Challenge, is designed to help you learn to make money decisions that will lead to long-term financial happiness in just 42 days. [/info_box]