Freelancers determine their own earning potential. Many people go into freelancing because of the freedom it brings. However, the truth is that freelancers work without assurances, and therefore need to hustle to get paid on a regular basis.

More often than not, freelancers work when they can, wherever they can, to put food on the table. You could be working long hours to get a project completed on time. Granted, freelance work does come with its share of perks - it opens up time for important things like taking your kids to school, exercising daily, and other essential activities. 

When it comes to sleep, freelancers generally don’t get enough of it. Deadlines regulate the amount of sleep they obtain. However, most people are sleep deprived, to begin with. A Fitbit study revealed that their users get an average of 6 ½ hours of sleep per night. 

This begs the question: how can a freelancer get a good night’s sleep every night, no matter what their schedule entails?

Procrastination is a habit of many freelancers. At times, some of them bite off more than they can chew. Due to procrastinating, deadlines for multiple projects build up in a short amount of time. Project buildup results in freelancers working late hours to accommodate deadlines.

Freelancers are encouraged to finish projects as fast as they can and curb procrastination habits. By finishing work in a timely manner, a consistent sleep routine can be maintained. The more stress you’re under because of a surplus of work, the less sleep you’ll get. Insufficient sleep and stress go hand-in-hand, so it’s prudent to realistically handle what you’re capable of on a daily basis.

Keeping a schedule and sticking to it is of paramount importance for a freelancer, particularly for those that work from home. Start working at a set time, establish intervals to take breaks at, and finish your day at a specified time.

Freelancers have a reputation for checking their emails all day. A timetable can help you keep your body rested and your mind sharp. Keeping a schedule is a key aspect of getting a good night sleep consistently.

It can be challenging to balance your personal and work life as a freelancer. No matter how long you’ve been a freelancer for, there will be times where you’ll spread yourself too thin. The result: problems with customers and clients as you hastily work to accommodate their expectations. Work ethic and productivity can decline – as can your health – when you are sleep deprived.

Working late hours to get something done is a business practice that is discouraged, as doing so can negatively impact your health. An immune system breakdown can ensue, impeding your work hours as you recover from whatever ails you.

What’s more, if client meetings are on your schedule, or if you need to provide a customer with an update on a project, you may not be at your best. Working late hours on a project may enable you to finish it, but it could cost you other clients down the line.

Freelancers may find it troublesome to stay out of “work-mode” on their days off. There are a number of approaches that can be used to get a better night’s rest and even ease off snoring and other sleep disorders. A natural sound or noise generator can produce a sleep-inducing ambiance. 

Rounding out the workday with some exercise is a tactic many freelancers use to exhaust their bodies. Yoga can rejuvenate your batteries and adjust your posture if you’ve been sitting down for hours on end.

The responsibilities of a freelancer can wreak havoc on your sleep habits, body, and overall health. Freelancers arguably work harder than the average employed individual, and that is why a good night’s sleep is important to maintaining your business.