Setting up a new venture takes a lot of time, so it's okay for entrepreneurs like you to lose a few hours of sleep, right? Wrong. First, a good night's rest is essential to keep from getting overwhelmed by stress and making important decisions with a clear head. You will also benefit from better cognitive functioning and higher levels of energy throughout the day. The sleep-deprived, meanwhile, have to deal with slower memory recall while feeling sluggish. Clearly, the path to success is paved with a healthy amount of sleep, meaning seven to nine hours of quality slumber at night. Here's how to get that despite your busy schedule.

Strike A Balance

Finding balance means realizing that there's more to life than just work, even if so much is hanging in the balance. Find some time to have fun, whether that's playing pool with your friends or going out for a glass of wine. That will take your mind off budgets and deadlines, if only for a little while, so you can unwind when it's time to lay your head on the pillow.

Good and Bad Tech Habits

A good book will also help you break the habit of staring at your smartphone or laptop late at night. Both of those devices emit blue light, which hinders the production of melatonin, the hormone that tells you it's time to shut down and sleep. However, some gadgets are actually good for you when it comes to slumber, just not the smartphone or laptop. A white noise machine can mask those barking dogs and slamming doors that jar you awake, while a blue-filtering light provides the comfort you need to doze off and a vibrating alarm clock gets you up and ready to go. And how about a temperature-controlled mattress pad that keeps your body at between 60 and 68 degrees Fahrenheit, which is optimal for sleep? That's the cutting edge.

Get Some Exercise

Besides keeping you fit and trim, physical activity relieves stress and calms your mind, making it almost indispensable when it comes to getting the sleep you need and staying cool under pressure. If you're worried about long jogs eating into your cramped schedule, try something shorter and more intensive, such as Crossfit, to break a sweat.

Improve Your Diet

For one thing, meals should be balanced to ensure you get all the nutrients your body needs. Also, eat dinner no later than two and a half hours before bedtime to avoid indigestion. As far as when you should eat, foods high in tryptophan, such as turkey and chicken, could make your eyelids start to feel heavy at just the right time.

Meditate

If you're still stressed after fixing your diet, getting some exercise, and having some fun, meditation might be just what you need. Sitting in the lotus position, being in the present, and focusing on the sensations running through your body engages your parasympathetic nervous system to soothe your mind. That, in turn, encourages sleep, according to Headspace.

Establish a Routine

Establishing a healthy routine could include that meditation session, as well as other sleep-inducing activities, such as taking a hot shower, enjoying a hot cup of herbal, tea and taking a magnesium pill.  Soon enough, this will all become a ritual that tells your body “goodnight” in no uncertain terms — as long as you stick with it.

Read Something

It's about time you tucked into Napoleon Hill's Think and Grow Rich, one the most influential business books of all time, according to business Insider. There's a lot to learn in there, and reading also helps you to nod off sooner. With these tricks, you should have no trouble getting your 40 winks — and good ones at that. Make the move now if you want the energy to push your business forward.

Article Submitted by Larry Mager

Larry is currently building his tutoring business and studying mental fitness techniques. He is the creator of readybrain.net.