Why Sleep Is Essential For Productivity

Sleep is at the heart of our health and effective bodily functioning. The amount of quality sleep we get each night can have a direct correlation with how productive we are and the quality of work produced. The ‘hustle culture’ that has taken over the internet recently promotes the idea that minimal sleep highlights your drive to work harder and longer, even if a night of restful sleep is sacrificed. This misinformation is not only damaging to the people who are buying into this fad, but it is also damaging the health of these individuals.

It is one thing the hustle culture encourages people to sacrifice sleep for working hard, but a lot of people simply struggle to fall asleep regardless. Studies have shown that 36% of adults in the UK struggle to fall asleep at least once a week. Insomnia is a national crisis at present, with many people resorting to medical prescriptions to encourage their sleeping.

Taking drugs to encourage sleep should only be a temporary or last possible option. Guiding ourselves to fall into a natural, frequent sleeping schedule is key for sustainable rest, and also making the most of our productivity and energy reserves.

What happens during sleep?

We spend one-third of our life sleeping. If sleep was not an essential component of natural functioning, we would have evolved to need less sleep, or even not require sleep for rest and recovery at all. We still need a large portion of sleep daily, and some essential things happen during our sleep cycles:

• Hormone levels increase and fluctuate during sleep, which also contributes to how your hormones fluctuate during the day
• The brain stores all of the new information and memories that have been experienced during the day, and gets rid of any unneeded information
• Our energy is restored, repairing our cells and releasing extra molecules

These are just a few of the most important processes that occur during sleep, all of which will affect our energy and productivity the following day if sufficient sleep is not maintained.

How does lack of sleep affect productivity?

A lack of sleep is sometimes unavoidable, especially for night shift workers and new mothers who have to attend to their children. It is however for the rest of us who do not have unavoidable distractions to push for a proper night's sleep. If you have minimal sleep, you can expect to have poor attention and alertness to essential tasks. Whether these are tasks that are needed for your 9-5 working day, or perhaps during the exercise you are trying to complete each day, you will not have the same amount of energy that would be possible with a full night of sleep.

When lacking sleep we also tend to crave foods that store a lot of energy such as carbs and refined sugars. Large amounts of these foods can have adverse effects on our health, so not only will your body not be receiving the appropriate levels of rest, but you will also be worsening the problems through a high-sugar diet. If you are trying to exercise for weight loss but you are constantly craving fattening foods, you should look at your sleeping schedule and reflect on whether this is the cause of the problem.

Why can some people operate for fewer hours?

Thousands of people online claim only to need 5 hours or less of sleep to complete their excruciating days. The reality is that many of these people are experiencing severe burns out, or they simply are not doing the ‘productive’ routines they claim to do. A very small population of people has been found to have a rate mutation of genes that allows them to have a shortened sleep cycle. It is important to keep in mind how rare this circumstance is, and that a lot of the people who do not prioritise sleep are often catching up on this time when they experience complete burnout.

How to improve your sleep for productivity

If you are looking to make the most out of your productive days and encourage a positive sleep-wake cycle, there are some things you can do to improve your sleep. Whether you have fallen out of a good routine or you have been suffering from insomnia for a long time, these small changes have been proven to encourage sleep to make a more productive and energetic day.

Dim the lights

Hundreds of studies have been conducted assessing light's effect on our sleep-wake cycle. Our circadian rhythms ideally need little to no light before we go to sleep, as this encourages us to wind down and fall asleep. This can also work adversely, so if you are experiencing bright light within 2 hours of going to sleep, this can make you feel more awake and inhibit your ability to fall asleep quickly. Make sure you are dimming the lights for the bed.

Avoid screens

If you spend your time before bed scrolling through your phone or watching TV on bright screens, this is likely one of the reasons why you are having poor sleep. Much like the previous point, our circadian rhythms are disrupted when we are exposed to too much light, which essentially disrupts the melatonin surge needed for a good night's sleep.

Invite comfort

A lot of people neglect the importance of making the bedroom as comfortable and peaceful as possible. Investing in a quality mattress is just one way to encourage a better night's sleep. You might also opt for extras that are proven to encourage sleep, such as using blackout curtains or using sofer duvet covers that are comfortable and cosy.

Do relaxing habits beforehand.

If you are looking for habits that are ideal for winding down, you, first of all, need to put away the phone. Your mobile might feel relaxing and comforting when looking for peace, but the reality is that scrolling through endless posts encourages dopamine release that can keep you alert and addicted to the repeated act. Instead, consider taking a bath to relax your muscles, reading a book to expand your knowledge, or even consider journaling.

Writing down what you are proud of from the completed day is a great way to boost your morale and productivity for the next day.

Bottom line

Overall, sleeping is an important element of boosting productivity and making the most out of your working days. There is such a thing as bad sleep, and also having a good night's sleep. On average, adults should be having 7-9 hours of sleep each night, so if you are rarely hitting these hours and find yourself to be drowsy and unable to concentrate during the day, you must take the correct measures to encourage better sleep.

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Recommended reading

If you enjoyed this post and have time to spare why not check out these related posts and dive deeper down the rabbit hole that is the bedroom.

• The Stay In Bed Playlist Perfect For Your Next Duvet Day
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Tags: Sleep , Mental Health, Health , Guest Post