How Can Sleep Affect Your Career

How Can Sleep Affect Your Career A lot of us live extremely busy lives and for this reason our jam packed schedules often mean that we dont get as many hours sleep as we could really do with. But did you know that by staying up late and sacrificing our precious Zs, you could be hindering your work performance? So its important that you get enough shut eye before a busy day at work! Heres how sleep deprivation can affect you at work and what you can do to avoid it, courtesy of Sleepy People. How much sleep do you really need? An adult needs between 7-9 hours of sleep each night, those who get less than 6 hours of sleep are generally less productive at work. By going without sleep for just one night  it  can cause differences in your brain, similar to those caused by a knock to the head! And by sleeping for less than 5 hours, several nights in a row, you will exhibit similar levels of impairment to somebody who is over the drink drive limit. So going to work tired is much like turning up drunk when your productivity is concerned! How can a lack of sleep affect your work performance? Sleep deprivation can also have a negative affect on your level of creativity and innovation. Not getting enough sleep  can also contribute to increased stress levels, which can hinder your work performance and motivation. What are the signs of sleep deprivation? Feeling irritable and moody. Forgetting things that you need to do and taking a long time to complete tasks. Falling into micro-sleeps, where you experience and lapse in attention. In extreme cases it can even cause hallucinations and anxiety. How can you avoid sleep deprivation? It may not be possible to do this at work, however taking a short nap when you feel productivity levels drop could help to give you the boost you need. This is probably more achievable if you work from home, or your office has some of those snazzy nap pods introduced by Google! Ensure that you get a good nights sleep by getting into a routine and sticking to it. Research has found that checking your phone, laptop, etc. right before bed can hinder your sleep, as the bright light of the screen delays the release of melatonin to your brain, making it harder for you to fall asleep. Avoid caffeine before bed and get regular exercise. Make sure that you sleep with the right kind of bedding that you sleep comfortably on. [Image Credit: Shutterstock]