Brain Rule #7 – Sleep well, think well – John Medina, Brain Rules, 2008
Confession of the author . . . this is a challenge for me.  
As with many of these rules, there is a time when and a place where “stuff happens.” We know that exercise is important. We know that we must create experiences for events to transfer to memories. Come on man . . . there is only so much time in a day!
Yes, people vary in the amount of sleep they require. Some are blessed with the ability to function on 6-7 hours of sleep . . . other may required 8-9 hours per night. Regardless, my guess is that there are days – maybe weeks – when you never feel rested and rejuvenated. There are times – and we know it – when we are not at our best.
We create predictable events when we don’t get enough sleep. Our filter becomes porous -some of those self-talk thoughts are actually verbalized (and often with negative consequences.) We forget to press pause. We lose patience quickly and we process information with less accuracy. This is predicable . . . it can’t be a surprise.
Our sleep habits require prioritization. If we don’t take care of ourselves we will be unable to serve and take care of others. Furthermore – and taking this to the next level – when you know you aren’t at your best, don’t put yourself in a position to make bad decisions. When a meeting runs really late and you don’t get a good night of sleep, keep that at the forefront of your mind during the next day.  
There are some preventable mistakes if we remember our Brain Rules. You are in control of you – and you are part of a great collaborative team. Ask for help when you need it – give help when others need it. There is great power in the team!