How Sleep Impacts your Productivity and Mental Health

Do you ever feel extra tired during the work day right after lunch? Do you feel like you need one more cup of coffee to make it through the day?

If you are a hard working professional who has experienced burning the candle at both ends.....this blog is for you.

If you have a job that requires a lot of time and attention to details, you may convince yourself to stay up late into the night to get a certain project completed. You may also convince yourself that this is a normal thing to do in your line of work in order to get promoted. However, there may be some unintended consequences to this type of thinking. Long story short, you need sleep.

While you might think avoiding sleep to finish work will make everything run smoother and give you satisfaction because work is being done, skipping sleep can actually have the opposite effect on your productivity. The average number of hours an adult should spend sleeping has been determined to be between 7 and 9 hours per night. Sleeping less than this amount of time for a prolonged and consistent period may negatively impact your job performance.

A lack of sleep can also cause issues in areas besides work, such as your mental health and personal life. For example, you can have mood swings and act irritable towards those around you, including co-workers, friends, and loved ones. Your quality of life as a whole may be affected as well because increased stress levels and low energy levels are linked to depression and anxiety.

By maintaining a consistent sleep schedule of 7-9 hours, you may be able to minimize these problems and improve your physical health. In fact, sleep can actually enhance productivity. Your increased alertness will allow you to be more focused on your tasks. You may make better decisions throughout the day because you will be in a more coherent state of mind. You may even be more efficient and productive when working because you won’t be as distracted. There is a correlation between a good sleep schedule and higher energy levels for many people.

Here are some tips on how you can improve your sleep hygiene:
• Set a sleep schedule by creating a bedtime ritual
• Limit naps, caffeine, and screentime before bed
• Relax your mind in order to wind down (Reading, playing calm music, light stretching, etc.)
• Exercise regularly
• Reduce alcohol and nicotine consumption
• Wear an eye mask or use dark curtains to reduce light

A good night’s rest can do wonders for your mental health and wellbeing. You should not have to sacrifice your sleep hygiene and mental health in order to climb the success ladder and get that promotion.

Give your body the proper sleep it needs and deserves.