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Why Bill Gates Washes the Dishes and Reads for an Hour to Get a Good Night's Sleep The Microsoft founder's nightly routine is based on two simple habits.

This story originally appeared on Business Insider

Leon Neal | Getty Images

Giving your body the rest it needs so you can be productive the next day is one of the most important things you can do.

Bill Gates is clear about what works best for him when it comes to getting the sleep he needs.

If you find yourself struggling to get the recommended amount of sleep each night, you may want to start following Gates' nightly routine.

It's extremely simple and you can give it a try right away.

Wash the dishes after dinner

To sleep well, your mind needs to end the day freed from obligations and problems, otherwise, those repetitive thoughts will keep you awake.

Scrolling through your cell phone, checking your email for the last time, or even the evening news won't do you any favors.

Bill Gates uses a simple trick to clear his mind.

"I do the dishes every night," Gates said on a Reddit AMA in 2014.

Simple tasks like these are helpful for easing anxiety and being more mindful of the present.

Read before going to sleep

Reading is a great habit to get into at any time of the day, but doing it before going to bed is a particularly good time as it helps you to fall asleep.

That's precisely what Bill Gates does.

Known for being an avid reader and for his literary recommendations, reading is a key part of Gates' nightly routine.

"I read an hour almost every night. It's part of falling asleep," Gates told The Seattle Times.

Finishing the day by reading will not only help you become a more cultivated person.

The National Sleep Foundation recommends it as a good way of getting into a state of calm, which will help you to fall asleep.

Read the original article on Business Insider España. Copyright 2021.

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