Farming is known for being an around-the-clock job. With early mornings, time-sensitive work, and hours of manual labor, quality rest is necessary to complete work efficiently and safely. From losing focus at the wheel to drifting attention when operating heavy machinery, there have been too many times when I’ve seen a lack of sleep lead a hardworking farmer to a harmful and threatening situation.
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Apart from avoiding the many downsides of not getting enough good sleep, there are real, tangible benefits to improving your sleep habits.
3 Ways Better Sleep Can Benefit You and Your Crops
1. Sleep can improve your concentration and productivity. Being well-rested can help you stay focused during the day and get more done in a shorter amount of time.
2. Good sleep can improve your physical performance. If you are spending hours harvesting crops or working with livestock, being physically alert is necessary to work efficiently.
3. Sleep supports immune health and keeps you from getting sick. As a small business owner, getting sick is not an option for me because I can rarely afford to take time off–I’m sure you can relate. Take precautions and get your rest before it’s forced upon you by illness. The list of good sleep benefits goes on! Check out some more benefits of relaxing your mind and getting better sleep here.
As an independent crop insurance agent, my number one priority is the well-being of my farmers and their crops. My goal is to help my farmers sleep better by knowing they have protection from causes outside their control. I believe in the power of a good night’s rest to help my farmers do their work to the best of their ability. While I’m not a doctor, over the years, I’ve come by a few helpful tricks to sleep better each night, and I hope they’ll help you too.
3 Tips and Tricks to Sleep Better
1. Keep a stable sleep pattern regardless of weeknight or weekend nights. As farming often doesn’t stop on the weekends, I’ve found this is often an easier trick for my farmers, but a reminder to keep to a schedule and support your body’s internal clock is always helpful
2. Limit your caffeine and alcohol at night. This one can be tricky, especially on the weekends. Letting yourself cheat every once in a while is okay. However, if you know you have a long day of driving heavy machinery ahead of you or working with potentially dangerous tools, take a break from your favorite beverages. Doing so can help you keep your brain from becoming overstimulated and having a restless night.
3. Take a break from technology. Avoid looking at emails and social media before bed. Not only can the bright screens interrupt your sleep patterns, but often the content you’re consuming, whether it’s work-related or not, can increase anxiety and make your mind more active when you are winding down. Save those things for the morning, and if you absolutely have to, use “dark mode” or “night shift” if possible and reduce your screen brightness.
“Normal sleep” is different for everyone. Find out what other practices can help you sleep better at night and feel well-rested in the morning here. Bonus tip! If you worry about your crops being damaged by unforeseen disasters, make sure you have a good insurance plan in place. This anxiety can be a major factor in your sleep whether you realize it or not!
If you are looking to rest easy knowing that all your hard work and investment (your crop) is safe, get in touch with us today to learn how we can help.