How Sleep is affecting your work and health
Sleep is a vital part of our daily lives, with the average person spending about one-third of their life asleep. It not only impacts how awake or tired we feel each day, but also plays a crucial role in our overall health, productivity, and performance at work. September, known as Sleep Awareness Month or “Sleeptember,” is dedicated to raising awareness about the consequences of poor sleep.
Despite the fact we all know sleep is important, Nuffield Health reveals that two in five Brits report worsening sleep.
A survey conducted by T2M Resourcing on LinkedIn found that over a quarter (26%) of workers sleep less than six hours on an average work night, well below the NHS recommendation of 7 to 9 hours for adults.
Sleep plays a crucial role in maintaining physical, mental, and emotional health, so here is exactly why you should be prioritising it:
Sleep is key to keeping us healthy, both physically and mentally. It has a big impact on our overall wellness. Not getting enough sleep can increase the risk of problems like heart disease, diabetes, obesity, and a weaker immune system.
Sleep also plays a major role in muscle repair and recovery. During deep sleep, the body works on healing tissues, building muscle and bone, and boosting the immune system. So, getting enough rest is really important for staying strong and healthy.
Nearly half of Brits who say they don’t get enough sleep report that it has negatively affected their mental health.
Sleep is essential for emotional balance and mental well-being. When we don’t get enough rest, it becomes harder to manage emotions, which can strain relationships and even impact our work life.
Poor sleep is also linked to mental health issues like anxiety, depression, and mood swings, as it disrupts the brain’s ability to handle stress and make decisions.
Sleep is also crucial for cognitive functions such as memory, focus, problem-solving, and creativity. During the REM stage of sleep, the brain processes memories and new information, boosting learning and retention.
While sleep affects everyone, poor sleep seems to have a slightly worse effect on particular demographics, with 55% of women reporting that poor sleep had a negative impact on their emotional wellbeing, compared to 41% of men.
When looking at different age brackets, it was 35–44-year-olds’ emotional wellbeing which was most affected by poor sleep, with 57% of this group agreeing that not getting enough was having a negative impact on their mental health.
According to the Healthier Nation Index by Nuffield Health, 37% of workers said they were less productive after a poor night’s sleep. Sleep plays a big role in productivity for several reasons:
- Focus and Attention: Lack of sleep makes it harder to concentrate and stay focused, leading to more mistakes and slower work. Sleep-deprived people often struggle to maintain attention, which can affect their decision-making and ability to complete tasks.
- Decision-Making and Problem-Solving: Without enough sleep, it’s harder to solve problems, think critically, and make good decisions. A well-rested brain processes information more clearly and makes better judgments.
- Creativity and Innovation: Sleep, especially REM sleep, helps with creative thinking by allowing the brain to form new connections between ideas. Without proper rest, the brain becomes less flexible and less innovative.
- Energy and Motivation: Sleep boosts energy and motivation, making it easier to tackle tough tasks and stay proactive. In contrast, sleep deprivation leads to low energy, less motivation, and an increased tendency to procrastinate.
Sleep quality and duration have a major impact on work performance in several ways:
- Error Rates and Accidents: Not getting enough sleep leads to more mistakes and a higher risk of accidents, especially in jobs that demand focus or physical effort, like engineering, manufacturing, or healthcare. Research shows that sleep deprivation can slow reaction time and reduce alertness to levels similar to being legally intoxicated.
- Absenteeism and Presenteeism: Workers who don’t sleep well are more likely to call in sick or be physically present but not fully productive (presenteeism). This not only lowers individual output but also affects the performance of the entire team.
- Interpersonal Relationships: Sleep impacts mood and emotional control, which in turn affects how people interact with co-workers. Those lacking sleep are more prone to conflicts, misunderstandings, and reduced teamwork. They may also struggle to pick up on social cues, causing communication issues.
- Learning and Skill Development: Sleep is crucial for memory and learning. Well-rested employees are better at retaining information from training and developing new skills, leading to improved job performance and career advancement.
Getting enough sleep is crucial for both your health and how well you perform at work. Good sleep boosts your mood, helps you think clearly, and keeps you focused and productive. On the flip side, not getting enough rest can lead to mistakes, trouble concentrating, and even issues with co-workers. Prioritising sleep is key to feeling your best and doing your best at work, making it something we all should take seriously for both personal well-being and professional success.
If you’re losing sleep over your current job and thinking about a new opportunity, or maybe the stress of building a new team is keeping you up at night, reach out to T2M. Let us take the weight off your shoulders so you can rest easier!