Here’s what the world’s most successful people do before bed

We’ve heard time and time again what the world’s most successful people do first thing in the morning, whether that’s rising at 5am for a quick jog before meditating for half an hour followed by a cup of green tea on their commute into the office (chauffeur driven, naturally).

The point is, everything we’ve heard so much about the lifestyle habits of the world’s rich and famous and it’s pretty clear that most of the time, they’re out of our reach (if he wants to last a whole working day as switched on as he was when he woke up, at least). But what about the stuff they do before they go to sleep? These habits, we’re glad to tell you, are surprisingly normal:

Read a book

The likes of Bill Gates and Barack Obama have cited reading before bed as being the key to them switching off after a tough day in the office. It’s not rocket science, but it works and many sleep therapists see reading before bed as a non-negotiable for a decent nights sleep.

Switch off from work

Working right before you get into bed, or worse, while you’re actually in bed, is not the way to go. Successful people don’t obsessively check their emails nor do they lie in bed thinking about any work related issues. Boss giving you grief about something you didn’t even know was your responsibility? Figure it out in the morning. Studies have found that the moment you start to associate your bed with work is the moment you start to find it harder to relax there.

Leave the devices outside

Arianna Huffington has said that the blue light from all of her devices humming away next to her bed are to blame for her sleep deprivation – and she’s not the only one. Leaving your phone, iPad, computer and Kindle outside of your bedroom has been tried and tested as one of the best things you can do for your sleep pattern.

Exercise

It’s not rocket science that the more you move your body during the day, the better you’ll sleep. But some studies have also shown that if you take a stroll or go for a light jog right before you go to sleep, you’re even more likely to sleep well. Joel Gascoigne, CEO of Buffer, said in a recent blog post that he takes a 20-minute walk every night before bed:

“This is a wind down period, and allows me to evaluate the day’s work, think about the greater challenges, gradually stop thinking about work, and reach a state of tiredness”

Clear your mind

Putting your emotions down on paper is said to be one of the greatest forms of therapy there is – even if you don’t actually do anything with that piece of paper – the idea being that once it’s written down, you should forget about it entirely. Kenneth Chenault, CEO of American Express, writes down three things he wants to accomplish the next day – and then he rests easy.

Required reading: See how one CEO manages his 18-hour working day.

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