Sleep and The Workplace

Published on:

By: Adam Smith

In: General Health, Stress Mental Health

Sleep and Performance

Poor sleeping habits can be detrimental to succeeding in the workplace. Not getting enough sleep can cause fatigue, impair creativity, and make it difficult to concentrate. If you’ve ever felt the drowsy effects of sleep deprivation during working hours, then you know the negative effects it can have on work performance. It’s important to recognise that this dynamic works both ways, sleep and work both influencing each other.

Establishing a divide between the workplace and home life can be complicated, yet it is a fundamental step to both better rest and more consistent productivity. People who sacrifice their sleep to get more done at work can find themselves stuck in an exhausting cycle; however, being aware of the correlation between sleep and job performance allows them to break out of that cycle. Understanding this connection provides the insight needed to end this pattern and make the changes necessary to improve their daily lives.

How can sleep affect work?

Sleep is an integral part of overall health, as it supports the various functions of the body. During sleep, we slow our breathing, relax our muscles, and our neurons switch to a sleeping state. This transition triggers the biological processes that rejuvenate both our physical and mental state. It is especially critical to our cardiovascular and immune system, as well as our cognitive abilities and emotional stability. Thus, sleep plays an important role in regulating different aspects of a person’s health.

The National Sleep Foundation and National Library of Medicine report that adults in the UK need an average of 7-9 hours of sleep, yet a recent study found that over a third of people get less than 6 hours each night. This sleep deprivation doesn’t stop at the bedroom door; it extends to the workplace, with 61% of UK employees struggling to be productive due to tiredness, and 42% looking to improve their energy levels. Clearly, Britons are struggling to get enough sleep, and this is having an impact on their ability to function while in the workplace.

A lack of sufficient rest can have a dramatic effect on work performance. When people don’t get enough rest, their bodies and brains don’t function properly. This can result in slower thinking, physical reactions, and an overall feeling of exhaustion. Over time, the effects of sleep deprivation can worsen, leading to weight gain, heart disease, decreased cognitive abilities, and even dementia.

What are the effects of sleep loss?

The effects of sleep deprivation on focus and attention are known to be significant. It can be difficult to stay alert and maintain concentration while feeling drowsy, which can exacerbate the difficulty of completing a longer task requiring sustained focus. It’s further been linked to microsleeps, which are brief episodes of inactivity lasting between half a second to fifteen seconds and leading to a momentary lapse in attention. All of these impediments can make it increasingly trickier to retain focus, attention, and vigilance.

When people experience chronic sleep deprivation, their resulting poor emotional state – including heightened irritability, anger and vulnerability to stress – can have a profound effect on their work life and home life. This can lead to overreacting in negative situations outside of work as well as during, further impacting their mental health by increasing the risk of conditions like anxiety and depression. This is why it is important to ensure that one gets adequate sleep, in order to remain productive both at work and at home.

How much does a lack of sleep cost?

Fatigue in the workplace can be extremely costly for employers. It is estimated that the economic implications associated with decreases in productivity, motivation, and health care costs could amount to an astonishing 200,000 working days lost per year. Combined, these losses lead to losses in the billions of pounds for UK companies, estimated to be around £37 billion per year.

Striking a good work/life balance

Thanks to the improved accessibility of remote work, employees may find it hard to differentiate between work and home. This may lead to people disregarding their own needs and dedicating all their time to work. Research indicates that it is essential for people to psychologically separate from their work after finishing a shift, in order to minimise the damaging effects of workplace stress.

The boundaries between work and home life have been increasingly blurred due to the demands of certain occupations, such as doctors, on-call workers and people who work from home who must be reachable 24/7. Additionally, industrial workers, nurses, pilots and those who work on shifts may be required to work at times that clash with the hours necessary for a good night’s sleep, which can lead to the development of sleep-related disorders like shift work disorder.

The debilitating effects of sleep deprivation can have serious consequences, with significant evidence that it has contributed to catastrophic events such as the Chernobyl nuclear disaster, the Challenger Space Shuttle Explosion, and the 1989 oil spill in Prince William Sound. Although these were major events which were caused by a specific series of events, it is nonetheless essential for all workers to take necessary measures to ensure they are getting sufficient quality sleep on a regular basis to reduce the risk of a negative effect on their job performance.

Improving job performance

If your work performance is suffering due to lack of sleep, it’s time for you to make some lifestyle adjustments. Ensuring that you get consistent, quality rest can help to improve your performance at work. Better rest can also fast-track your reaction time and provide you with the motivation to get through your day. To get started, here are some tips for prioritising your sleep for improved results.

  • Think about your priorities – Often people give up sleep to complete tasks, watch television, or spend time with friends. Examine the reasons why you stay up late and consider if these activities are really worth the adverse impacts of inadequate rest. If you often choose work or leisure pursuits instead of rest, then it may be time to rethink your priorities and create a clear divide between work and leisure activities.
  • Give yourself space – Interested in improving your concentration and productivity in the workplace? If you are having trouble sleeping due to an unpredictable work schedule, it would be wise to discuss this with your boss, or your HR department. Evidence suggests that employees who are given the space to disconnect after hours and properly rest are more likely to be alert and productive during the workday.
  • Be realistic – For those unable to adjust their work hours, strategies can be implemented to remain alert and productive during their shifts. These may include lifestyle changes, like appropriate sleeping patterns and healthy eating habits, as well as other approaches in order to effectively manage their work schedule despite the conflicts with their ideal sleep-wake cycle.
  • Sleep hygiene – Creating a restful sleep atmosphere is key to successful sleep hygiene. To do that, you should make a plan to optimise your bedroom, develop a consistent sleep schedule, craft a bedtime routine and break any habits that make it difficult to sleep during the day. Doing so will enable you to take advantage of the positive effects of good sleeping habits.
  • The GP Helpline – If you’re experiencing sleep problems, talking to a doctor or sleep specialist is a great way to start. The GP helpline can provide a customised plan to improve your sleep and provide useful advice to combat work-related exhaustion. Get the help you need today by contacting the GP Helpline today!

Contact Us

If you want to best support your teams and help them with their sleep hygiene, contact the team today and we’ll create a tailored plan which supports your team best. Contact the Valentine team at 0800 020 9913 or email us at service@valentineoh.co.uk.

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