• Have you been, or come close to, nodding off while driving?
• Are you having a hard time concentration or completing tasks at work?
• Are you experiencing more illness than usual?
• Are you feeling groggy or lethargic after waking up in the morning and then struggling to stay awake?
• Have you become increasingly grumpy and irritable with others in your life?
• Are you becoming increasingly more forgetful?
• It is becoming harder for you to find and maintain the energy you need to get through your day?

If you found yourself answering yes to these questions, you may be sleep deprived. Sleep deprivation undermines our mood, clouds our judgement, and increases the risk of accidents.

In the fast-paced, never-have-enough-time-to-get-everything-done coaching world, we seem to operate on less and less sleep. We allow our schedules to become hectic as we try to cram in as much as possible each day. Sleep has become a non-priority for many of us. Ahead of sleep, we put recruiting calls, studying video...doing just one more hour of work, or just worrying about tomorrows needs, or what happened in today's practice.

Everyone - including you needs a certain number of hours of sleep each day to revive brain cells and other body systems so they'll continue to function effectively. Our natural sleep patterns are controlled by an internal mechanism called a circadian clock. It regulates body temperature, hormone levels, heart rate, and other vital body functions. If we experience chronic loss of sleep, these important functions become impaired and our overall health, as well as our memory and mood, are usually affected.

If you answered yes to any of the above questions, review your sleep schedule, sleep habits, and any other underlying causes that might be robbing you of a good nights rest. Here are a few simple strategies to help you get a more restful sleep.

Sleep needs to be a priority, just like planning practice and reviewing competitions on video tape. Be very clear with others that you need your sleep and set limits with other activities and other people's demands on your time (speaking engagements, etc.).

• Create a comfortable sleep environment. This includes a firm mattress, good air circulation, comfortable temperature, and the absence of light and noise.
• Make sure your stomach is not too full or empty and cut back on fluids before going to bed.
• Exercise regularly.
• Do not drink alcohol or caffeinated drinks before bedtime.
• Keep both a consistent bedtime and wake-up time during your work week.
• Unwind in the evening and try to resolve worries and distractions before going to bed.
• Develop a sleep ritual. Do the same things in the same order each night before bed.