For one of the world’s most powerful women, president and editor in chief of the Huffington Post, “sleeping your way to the top” has taken on a whole new meaning. Arianna Huffington's crusade to improve your sleep is part of what she terms the “third revolution” brought about by women in society.

According to Huffington, the first revolution was women getting the vote, the second was gaining an equal place at all levels of society, and the third revolution—this one is ongoing—is to change societal ideals and perceptions that have been largely formulated by men.

Huffington says the current model of success is driven by sleep deprivation and burnout, and her crusade for better sleep is part of her “Third Metric” philosophy, which seeks to redefine success. Rather than measuring success based on money and power, “wisdom, wonder, well-being and giving” should all be part of the equation. To encourage her employees to get enough sleep, she has installed beds and sleep rooms at the Huffington Post headquarters in New York City.

The results of sleep deprivation can be serious: without adequate sleep, we are more prone to illness, stress and traffic accidents. Additionally, creativity and good judgment are squelched by lack of sleep. Michael Breus, Ph.D., the author of Beauty Sleep: Look Younger, Lose Weight, and Feel Great Through Better Sleep writes that women are considerably more sleep deprived than men, and notes that in addition to all the health benefits of adequate sleep, it will also do more for women trying to lose weight than exercise(!).

In today’s society, many women feel that if they’re sleeping 7 or 8 hours a day, that means they’re “lazy”--another result of how men have shaped the world, according to Huffington.  In a recent lecture she told the audience, “I'm here to tell you that the way to a more productive, more inspired, more joyful life is getting enough sleep.”

Huffington is not the first celebrity to stress the importance of sleep to building her success: actress, comedian, and writer Amy Poehler also spoke about how treating her sleep disorder transformed her waking life.

If you’re having difficulty getting adequate sleep, it’s a good idea to be evaluated for potential problems, such as generalized anxiety or sleep apnea. To take that first step, contact us. We can assess your sleep patterns and offer solutions to increase your well-being and drastically change your life.

How does sleeping better contribute to your success? Let us know in the comments! 

Photo Credit: C2MTL