We don’t need any fancy research to know that lack of sleep can affect our work the next day. Insufficient sleep can cause drowsiness, lack of focus and tiredness which can negatively impact productivity. However, sleep is usually the first to go when you’re busy with work or school, parenting or have irregular work schedule. The busyness usually takes up lots of space in our lives, leaving little room for restful sleep. Here are some ways your lack of sleep can affect your business.
More Sick Days
Lack of sleep can lead to more sick days. Lack of sleep impacts the immune system so you are more likely to contract disease like the common cold and can affect how fast you recover from a virus. People who are sleep deprived are also at risk for hypertension. Lack of sleep affects stress hormones, which in turn can raise blood pressure levels.
Lost Productivity
According to a Harvard study, lack of sleep is costing the United States up to $63 billion due to lost productivity. People who do not get enough sleep or suffer from forms of insomnia cost US employers up to 8 days of lost productivity per year. This is because the less you sleep, the less productive you become. You are drowsy, tired, and unfocused at work, resulting in inefficiency.
Helps Prevent Burnout
Burnout can be a big problem in the workplace. Not only does it sap inspiration, but it can also cause job dissatisfaction. Studies show that getting more than 6 hours of sleep every night can help prevent job burnout. It also causes “difficulties detaching from thoughts of work during leisure time”.
Slows Thinking Process
Scientists discovered that sleep deprivation slows down the thinking process. In their study, people who lacked sleep had difficulties concentrating, had reduced capacity for attention and some activities led them to become confused. All of these can affect your abilities to do tasks that call for complexity or logic. People who are sleep deprived find it hard to make decisions because they find it more difficult to assess the situation.
Makes Learning Difficult
Sleep deprivation affects learning 2 ways. First, it makes it difficult to assimilate information because you are having a hard time focusing. Second, lack of sleep does not give neurons enough time to recover, which affects memory negatively. Lack of sleep also slows down reaction time, which is needed when you are driving or doing activities that require speed.
When you get enough sleep, your working memory capacity improves. According to studies by Michigan State, this memory is associated with problem solving, decision making, vocabulary and reading comprehension. This means getting enough shut eye makes you a better decision maker, communicator and troubleshooter.
