How Sleep Plays a Part in Your Job Performance

Many distractions throughout the day cause people to quite literally lose sleep at night. Putting off tasks because something else takes priority, or procrastinating until hours before the deadline takes a toll on the mind and the body. Over time, lack of sleep causes a noticeable decline in overall job performance. Here are some specific ways that proper sleep enhances or diminishes daily accomplishments.

Better Ideas

When we sleep well at night, we awake with the energy and mindset to make good decisions throughout the day. High performers across many industries attribute their ongoing success to proper rest and adequate nutrition. There is strong evidence for the link between sufficient rest and increased cognitive abilities. This connection has been well-documented for decades and remains true today. People who wake up refreshed are sharper and have better ideas than their peers who toss and turn all night.

Emotional Intelligence

We all know someone who gets a little grouchy when they do not get enough rest the night before. Drowsiness and fatigue not only cause us to think and respond slower at work, but they can also make us become irritable. Individuals who struggle to sleep soundly can find themselves easily agitated by others. And, because they are still sleepy or feeling a bit lazy, they may even snap at their coworkers. Others may approach their work in a sulking or negative manner and lose interest in the outcome. Because others find them abrasive and unapproachable, sleepy individuals are at risk of losing connection with their peers. If moody employees are unable to remain emotionally stable in the workplace, others will not want to collaborate on important projects. In other words, it is vital to get plenty of good sleep to avoid a loss of potentially lucrative opportunities at work.

Consistent Energy

Those who sleep well at night not only wake up refreshed, they also experience higher energy levels throughout the day. Forget about a second or third cup of coffee for these high achievers. Their body is not stiff or tense and they have clarity of both their mind and their muscles. These are the coworkers who seem to have boundless energy to take a walk during lunch and still not get the mid-afternoon slump of laziness. All that extra energy translates really well in the office, too. People who have more energy tend to meet deadlines and metrics, submit better-end products, and interact with their coworkers and customers in a more positive manner. Who knew that sleep plays such a big part in our lifestyle and job performance?

There is an obvious question about how much sleep each person needs, and that answer tends to change with age. Teenagers need more sleep than young adults, and many lifestyle factors can impact the recommended number of sleep hours per day. Those who are tasked with significant manual labor may require more solid rest than someone who answers phones or sits behind a desk all day. No matter what the job description entails, sleep has a direct impact on job performance.