Are you sleeping enough to be productive at work?

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A lack of sleep can cause a decrease in productivity within the workplace. If you have only one bad night’s sleep you can feel slow at work the next day, so imagine how this would impact you if you didn’t sleep well for a week or a month? A lack of sleep can have a detrimental effect on your mental and physical health. With that in mind, we want to help you to recognise when you are lacking sleep and help you to combat it, so you are happier and healthier in your workplace.

Feeling tired isn’t the only sign that you aren’t sleeping enough. Lack of sleep can present itself in many ways, and it is important to recognise your symptoms as they arise, so you are able to rectify the issue.

Here are some of the key signs of sleep deprivation.

1. Mood swings

When we’re tired, it can be difficult to care about how we present ourselves at work. It can be difficult to be able to act chirpy with minimal sleep behind us. If you find yourself suffering from uncharacteristic mood swings, this could be due to lack of sleep.

2. Lack of concentration

We all know how frustrating it can be when you’re finding it difficult to concentrate at work, especially when you have a deadline. This can not only be infuriating, but it can also affect your overall performance and cause you to miss deadlines. Lack of concentration can be caused by fatigue, so it is important to get a full night’s sleep before heading into the office.

3. Forgetfulness

Not all of us have a great memory, but when you’re struggling to remember the details of a task from the morning or an email from the day before, it can be detrimental to your productivity at work. Forgetfulness can be difficult to pin on tiredness, but it can sometimes be the cause.

4. Underperformance

If you are in a new role and you are trying to impress, you may stay later in the office or wake up in the night worrying about the tasks you have to complete the following day. Even though it can be difficult, try to relax when you get home. This will boost your performance at work, and you will reap the rewards.

If you find that you are suffering from insomnia and you aren’t sure how to cure it, get in touch with your GP who will be able to offer you sound medical advice to help you.

How to improve your sleeping pattern

Improving your sleeping pattern can be done in a number of ways. The recommended length of sleep you should be having every night is between seven to nine hours. Here are a few tips to help you get to sleep and feel better at work as a result.

Avoid caffeinated drinks in the afternoon and before you go to bed.
Relax in the lead up to sleep. Taking a bath or reading promotes natural sleep.
Avoid using your phone and tablet before going to sleep. The light on these devices mirrors that of natural sunlight and can trick your body into thinking it isn’t tired.
Regular exercise can help you to feel more tired in the evenings as you burn more calories throughout the day.
Separate your bedroom as a place for sleep. Sitting up at night or laying on your bed throughout the day can cause your mind to associate that area with being awake.
Be sure to create a comfortable environment to sleep in. This includes a good temperature, lighting, and bedding.

Changing your work life to promote better sleep

If you find that your work life balance is having a detrimental effect on your sleeping pattern, it is important to address this issue with your boss. Lack of sleep can lead to lack of concentration and eventually cause illness. Taking sick days from tiredness isn’t uncommon, and it is important for businesses to help solve these issues as it can directly affect the bottom-line.

Lack of sleep can cause stress in the workplace, ask if your work can cater for flexible or dynamic working as this can boost productivity, decrease stress, and promote a healthy work-life balance for employees.