The intrinsic link between quality of sleep and productivity

by Startacus Admin

in today’s digital world with a “switched on” work culture, it often means that, as a result, sleep is compromised. Sleep is something that everyone loves and needs, however, when people experience lack of or poor quality sleep, they all too easy brush off the problem and hope for the best the next time they doze off.

Of course, everyone knows you can feel a little grumpy after a bad sleep, but what are the bigger problems associated with poor quality and a lack of sleep? And how does sleep impact performance in the workplace?

The impact of a lack of sleep

It’s recommended that people need around 8 hours of good quality sleep each night to function properly, however a lot of people suffer from a lack of sleep. This can be due to a number of reasons, such as work-related stress, bad sleeping habits and personal worries, for example financial stress.

For anyone who hasn’t had enough sleep, you know it can cause you to feel tired and irritable. A lack of sleep can make for an unproductive day at work. For example, your performance can deteriorate, concentration can decrease and, ongoing lack of sleep can even lead to greater absences. In fact, in the UK, 200,000 days working days are lost every year due to insufficient sleep.  Lack of sleep has also been linked to high blood pressure and heart disease, showing just how important sleep is to our health.

The impact of poor quality sleep

A lack of sleep often equates to poor quality sleep over a long period of time, however, too much sleep can also be damaging. Research shows that the quality of sleep matters just as much, if not more than, the quantity of sleep.

Poor quality sleep can be a result of many different factors, such as your sleep environment, disrupted sleep, exposure to screens and even what you eat before going to bed. Of course, just like a lack of sleep, poor quality sleep also leads to reduced productivity in the workplace. Poor quality sleep can lead to poor reaction times, poor memory and increased risk of errors.

The relationship between sleep and productivity

Over the past few years, more organisations have begun to recognise the link between poor quality sleep and the impact it has on productivity and performance in the workplace. And thankfully, the relationship between sleep and productivity works both ways – just as poor sleep reduces productivity, good sleep improves it.

Having good quality sleep leads to increased productivity, through increased concentration, faster reaction times, improved memory and a whole host of other benefits. As an employer, there are ways you can encourage your employees to improve their sleeping habits too.

Wellbeing programs look to encourage positive behaviours among employees and help them to adopt healthier habits, such as improving their sleep routines. A wellbeing program offered by a company such as Lifeworks, for example, offers employees with personalised help and guidance on health and wellbeing, so they can get the right help they need to improve their quality of sleep. The program also allows employees to track and manage their health goals as well as provide rewards and recognition, encouraging participation.

 

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Published on: 16th September 2019