How lack of sleep affects your productivity at work

Did you know sleeping can boost your powers of productivity along with refreshing your brain? Yup, a good night's sleep can make a huge difference in your ability to be productive at work. From generating new ideas to thinking of ingenious solutions to problems, sleeping well can bring enormous changes to your life. The American Academy of Sleep Medicine emphasizes the importance of seven to eight hours of sleep for an average adult for optimum utilization of their cognitive functions and overall performance. Some of the major problems that emerge out of sleep deprivation are a decline in cognitive performance, impaired memory, lack of spatial awareness, poor decision-making and slowed reaction time. These are some of the short-term problems that emerge out of sleep deprivation. However, studies show that prolonged sleep deprivation can have adverse long-term effects like reduction in immunity and lifespan, negative impact on learning and memory and symptoms of ADHD. Here's how a lack of sleep can affect your performance at work...

Impaired decision making

When you lack sleep, you are deprived of a sound mind which fuels the abilities to evaluate scenarios and pass judgment based on those assessments. These abilities are crucial to the execution of any task that requires logical reasoning from complex cognition. Without an adequate grasp of a sound mind, you may be more prone to making mistakes at work due to an increased tendency to make impulsive and poorly thought-out decisions or merely slowing down work progress in the more difficult attempt to prevent the former.

Limited learning and memory capacities

The process of learning, retaining and improving skills and abilities heavily rely on your working memory capacity, one which determines the performance of your cognitive online (real-time) processing. Research suggests that while you are asleep, your memory systems are still active and sleeping significantly strengthens existing memories.  During Rapid Eye Movement (REM) sleep, your brain also cuts off unnecessary neuron connections while maintaining others; meaning sleep improves your memory by selectively both strengthening and eliminating formed neural connections. In a state of sleep deprivation, your capacity for efficient memory retention is substantially disrupted, hindering productive growth.

Toxicity towards physical and emotional health

Health implications of insomnia, while never usually the priority, should never be trivialized. Sleep plays an essential role in your physical health by both reinforcing your immune system against infections via boosting protective cytokine production and lowering your risk of diabetes, obesity, and cardiovascular diseases. Insufficient sleep will positively contribute to a decline in your physiological state, negatively impacting your work performance. It has been found that sleep deprivation can compromise your cognitive processing and amplify the smallest amount of emotional turmoil, making you more irritable and erratic. This impedes your executive functions, rendering you less productive. Not getting enough sleep or poor quality of sleep affects your ability to deliver in almost all facets of life. Be it work or home, insomnia or not sleeping well can make things really difficult for you. But getting a proper sleep can undoubtedly solve all your issues and can improve your ability to be productive. An abnormal sleep cycle is associated with mild depression and anxiety disorder, especially in people who are facing emotional battles. Snoring can also be a reason for abnormal sleep, different snoring solutions can ultimately save you from this serious disorder. We've covered what can happen with a poor night's sleep, but all of these functions can improve with a solid 7-8 hours. Here's how a good night's sleep can help you become more productive...

It makes you energetic

This seems obvious but it's a known fact that getting a good night’s sleep can give you lots of energy and a mood boost. It relaxes your body and mind and prepares you for the next day. From improving your job performance to helping you stay productive at home, sleeping well can also optimize your health.

Boosts memory

Remember when we talked about what happens during REM sleep? The brain removes unnecessary neural connections and strengthens the cognitive bonds building your memories while you snooze. Go too many nights without REM sleep and your memories become hazy. With a consistent night's sleep, you actually have a chance of remembering that report you're supposed to submit at 9 AM.

It makes you a faster learner

Learning new things comes naturally to a fresh mind. Your brain becomes stronger and works faster. So whether you're at work or in class, never compromise your quality of sleep. With a strong body and sound mind, you'll open the doors of opportunity. While we constantly focus on how we can intensify our workload to pump up production, we often jeopardize our health to get it all done. Remember that sufficient sleep is paramount to a successful life. Sleep tight, everyone! About the Author: Katherine Dilworth is a wife, mother, and blogger on caseydilworth.com, a blog that focuses on providing snoring solutions for everyone.