Sleep. One simple syllable… Yet, for anyone struggling to sleep – the word takes on greater significance. It can even signal anxiety and stress, 2 words meeting planners and their delegates would go a long way to avoid when they want to perform at their best.
The Great British Bedtime Report, produced by the Sleep Council, revealed that 27% of us Brits are sleep-deprived and 33% of us only get 5-6 hours sleep a night. Which is considerably less than the 6-9 hours experts believe most adults need to feel mentally and physically good.
More than 4 in 10 Britons feel positive after a good night of Zzzzzs, and 24% feel more productive, it is no wonder that sleep – and getting enough good quality sleep – is an issue for delegates and the event teams who plan their trips.
Getting a good night’s sleep is key to keeping stress levels in check – which is vital for successful event.
Alice Franks, CWT M&E’s event manager, travels often for her job, and as sleep is one of her favourite things, she has to find time to make it a priority.
“I am lucky I can sleep on tubes, trains, planes and in the back of taxis so I try and maximise my nap time whenever I can. I even manage a power nap on the way to work each morning (when I manage to get a seat on the tube!)” she explains.
As sleep is the first thing that’s sacrificed whilst onsite, the week before an event, Alice tends to cut down on social plans. “When I’m tired, I’m not as ‘on my game’ which you need to be when dealing with complex event-situations. For multi-day events, I try and find some time in the day (or night) to have a brisk walk outside or go for a 10 minute workout – it clears my head and helps me be physically tired for a better sleep.”
How to turn off by turning on…
Our guide to the best new sleep gadgets:
All sleep experts agree on one thing – screen-use and sleep are not good bedfellows. But, some technology offers sleep solutions for slumber-filled, stress-free business trips …
New for 2018:
