Matthew Walker has written a comprehensive book on the benefits of sleep, Why we sleep.

There are three major benefits to getting enough sleep:

• You’re more creative.
• You’re less emotional.
• You have better memory.

There are some major downsides of not getting enough sleep, including:

• Suppressed immune system.
• Higher risk of dementia and alzheimer’s.

In short, getting a solid eight hours sleep every night can give you a major edge as an entrepreneur.

Here are some tips for good sleep:

• Stick to a routine. Go to bed at the same time every night.
• Avoid caffeine and nicotine after noon.
• Don’t drink alcohol. If you do drink, don’t drink late in evening.
• Don’t nap after 3pm.
• Exercise, but not after 5pm.
• Have a hot bath. The cooling off process triggers sleep.
• Get direct sunlight exposure (without sunglasses) in the afternoon.