How Sleep, Or Lack Of It, Affects Our Productivity

They say Albert Einstein had up to 10 hours of sleep a day during his lifetime, while Elon Musk gets only six hours of shuteye, sometimes in his own Tesla factory. The amount and quality of the sleep you get has a direct impact on your productivity – something that many successful folk can vouch for.

A recent worldwide survey revealed that only 49% of people agreed they got enough sleep. Similarly, a high percentage of adults claimed that their daily lives were affected by sleeplessness. This included 41% reporting feeling moody and irritable after a night of poor sleep, while 39% said their motivation was affected, with 39% reporting that their concentration also suffered.

So how exactly does poor quality sleep affect our productivity? We’ve listed the top risk factors that go hand-in-hand with sleep deprivation. Head over to Simba Sleep to shop the mattress that could change your nights for the better, and have a read of their blog for hints and tips on how to sleep healthier.

Little Sleep = Little Energy

Missing out on deep sleep, the restorative stage where our body essentially ‘repairs’ itself, means that we wake up feeling listless and depleted of energy. Without this replenishing process, our brain, hormone secretion, muscles and organs fail to recover leaving us with that familiar foggy feeling and much less likely to get through our ‘to do’ list.

Lowers Decision Making & Problem Solving Skills

Decision-making is an important aspect of our lives, but without adequate sleep we are less likely to properly apply the thought processes needed to solve everyday problems. Scientists believe that sleeplessness creates short-circuits in the brain that prevent us from making the right choices which can lead to human error and bad decisions. This not only puts your reputation at risk, but in a professional setting could cost you your job.

Slower Reaction Times

Insomnia and sleep deprivation also influences our reaction times. This can be incredibly unsafe in environments where high levels of due diligence and safety are involved, such as industrial workplaces. In fact, tired workers are said to be 70% more likely to be involved in workplace accidents that their well-rested counterparts.

Reduces Memory and Concentration

Have you ever stayed up all night before a test, cramming in extra research at the final hour? The likelihood is that it’s been more difficult to concentrate and actually remember vital information you would usually recall with ease.

This is because our brain is missing out on REM sleep. This is said to be the stage of sleep where our brain consolidates memories. Without this important stage of rest, your brain is not having the chance to process what it has learnt that day, leading to a ‘fog’ in memory which prevents you from completing a task to your best ability.

Hinders Creativity

Creative thinking is also stifled by chronic tiredness. As mentioned, studies show that sleep is an essential part of ‘brain maintenance’, and allows the neural networks to be strengthened. This creates connections between what the brain retains as important information, later allowing you to access this information more easily.

As memory and concentration are essential to the development of creative ideas, it won’t come as a surprise that writers, artists and musicians tend to perform better after a decent snooze.

Skews Our Communication Skills

An inquisitive attitude and good communication are key to productivity. However, studies suggest that sleep deprivation is heavily linked to mood as well as our mental wellbeing. Even one night of poor sleep can amplify feelings of irritability and vulnerability, which can end up deteriorating our interpersonal relationships.

When in the throes of low mood, we are less likely to seek support, ask for help or effectively communicate with those around us, leaving us less productive and sociable.

It Costs Money

It was reported in 2016 survey that a lack of sleep costs the UK economy £40bn, and the US economy an estimated $411bn a year. These figures are a culmination of increased sick days and lateness, which can cause delays with a project and team morale – not to mention the consequences of employees being less focused on tasks and at greater risk of fatigue related errors, including accidents.

Overall, a lack of sleep has a significant impact on our productivity, which is why it is important to practice good sleep health to get the nights that you deserve.

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