In today's fast-paced world, many of us compromise on sleep, often unintentionally, to meet work demands or pursue other activities. Work schedules and stress affect sleep and sleep deprivation can leave you feeling unmotivated and less creative, making it more difficult to stay focused on important projects. It’s time to end the exhausting cycle and find remedies for a better night’s sleep.
Why sleep matters for productivity
It’s easier than ever to work remotely, so when the boundaries between work and home life get blurry, you might find yourself sacrificing personal needs - like sleep - to complete work-related tasks. The symptoms of poor sleep often manifest the following day, leading to poor productivity and added stress.
Brain fog
Do you struggle to remember things, concentrate during meetings or problem-solve effectively after a sleepless night? When your brain is sleep deprived, you may experience ‘brain fog’, which can hinder your ability to think clearly and make sound decisions. Tasks may take longer than usual to complete and you’re more likely to make errors.
Tip: Set a schedule and be mindful
Setting a regular bedtime can help you get into the rhythm of getting at least 7 to 8 hours sleep a night (even on weekends). This will allow your mind to rest, regenerate and regulate your stress levels. If you’ve had a bad night’s sleep despite going to bed on time, prioritise taking a break from your desk. You could go for a quick walk, grab a glass of water, or even meditate - whatever works for you and gets you away from a screen for a few minutes. Giving your eyes and mind a break and staying well-hydrated can help improve focus.
Many factors can contribute to a sleepless night. Heavy meals, caffeine, alcohol and too much screen time can all interrupt our sleep, so aim to find more mindful ways of winding down and relaxing before bed.
Missed deadlines
The combination of decreased attention span and cognitive impairment can lead to missed deadlines or incomplete projects. This can be frustrating and have a negative impact on projects, working relationships or career progression.
Tip: Seek support and "tool up"
If you’re not getting much sleep because you’re working into the night and struggling to keep up with deadlines, the first thing to do is talk to your manager. They’re there to support you and help you find ways to lighten your workload or better manage your time. Prioritising your tasks, assigning personal deadlines and creating to-do lists can help you organise your time and keep you accountable. You could also ask for time management training or shadow someone skilled at using productivity tools or systems.
Feeling irritable
A lack of sleep may cause us to start the day groggy, irritable and more reactive in stressful situations. This emotional instability can negatively impact workplace relationships and lead to conflicts with colleagues, which only increases your stress levels further. This can quickly overflow into your personal life.
Tip: Step away and release
You might not be able to remedy the hours you’ve spent tossing and turning, but you can take mindful action to help manage the impact throughout the day. If you find yourself feeling irritated with a colleague or situation, take a break. Get outside for some fresh air and maybe try some breathing exercises - these will help calm your nervous system and release endorphins to help you relax.
If you’re still feeling irritable, move your body. A high-intensity workout can help you reset and release negative emotions. Even a short exercise session or a brisk walk can improve your blood flow, giving you a burst of positive energy to help you deal with challenges throughout the day.
Seek professional support
Sleep is invaluable for our overall wellbeing and productivity. Understanding the profound impact it has is the first step toward making positive changes. An occasional bad night’s sleep is common, but continuous poor sleep can cause increased stress and reduced productivity. Sleep deprivation has been linked to a variety of health risks including heart attacks, high blood pressure, weakened immune system and diabetes Footnote [1], so it’s important to tackle the issue.
If you’re doing all you can to achieve a peaceful slumber but still struggling to sleep, it may be a sign you have a health condition causing insomnia such as anxiety, depression or stress Footnote [1], or a physical condition such as sleep apnoea or a heart problem Footnote [2]. Your doctor or local healthcare professional is there to help, so speak with them to identify any underlying condition and discuss solutions and strategies to help you have sweet dreams and a restful night.
