Can Poor Sleep Affect Your Job Performance
Can Poor Sleep Affect Your Job Performance
Sleep deprivation affects every part of your life. If you do not get enough sleep, you may lash at your spouse or have trouble paying attention during your child’s school recital or play. A lack of sleep also negatively affects your job performance in several ways.
Before discussing the relationship between poor sleep and your career, it helps to define what sleep deprivation is. If you Google a phrase such as “how much sleep do I need,” you will see that a typical adult requires seven to nine hours of sleep per night.
Unfortunately, most Americans do not get sufficient sleep. Research shows that the average person has a 9.5 hour workday and then does another four extra hours of work at home each week. The same study found that Americans get less sleep during work days than they do on weekends.
Even a slight decrease in your nightly sleep can have major consequences. Reducing your sleeping time by 90 minutes for one night can make you 32 percent less alert the following day. This low alertness may affect your processing ability and your memory. Poor memory and processing can make you less effective on the job. Here are some other ways that a lack of sleep can impact your job performance.
Reduced Productivity
Individuals who fail to get enough sleep are frequently less productive in the office. Tiredness makes it hard to be creative, multitask or focus. If you are sleep deprived, you may also feel less motivated to learn new concepts or actions.
Poor Teamwork
Most jobs require some form of communication and teamwork. This can be difficult in the best of circumstances. If you or your co-workers are sleep deprived, working together will be even more challenging. One study found that people experiencing poor sleep feel irritable. They also have higher levels of anxiety, frustration and stress. If you experience any of these feelings, you will likely struggle with interpersonal work relationships. You may be less empathetic to the issues that others are facing. You may also be less confident in your own ideas.
Injuries and Illnesses
Poor sleep has been linked to numerous health conditions, including stroke and heart failure. If you suffer from one of these conditions, you may be unable to work for an extended period of time. A lack of sleep can also hinder your immune system, leaving you more susceptible to illnesses such as colds and flus. This, too, can lead to frequent absences from the office and stunt your career growth.
In fact, one study found that individuals with greater levels of sleep disturbance were more likely to be absent from work. They also typically had higher healthcare expenditures. There is also evidence that sleepiness increases your chances of an occupational injury. The risk is particularly high for professional drivers. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration estimates that sleepy drivers cause 100,000 vehicle crashes each year. Those accidents result in 1,550 deaths and 71,000 injuries annually.
Other professionals, including pilots and surgeons, also face possibly deadly consequences of sleep deprivation. That is because poor sleep can affect your judgment, reaction time and decision-making skills. Sustained wakefulness is especially dangerous. Research shows that staying awake for 17 hours consecutively results in the same behavioral changes you would experience after drinking two glasses of wine. Meanwhile, 24 hours of wakefulness is equivalent to drinking four glasses of wine.
Because poor sleep has such negative consequences, you should improve your sleep hygiene if necessary. Create a more consistent nightly schedule so that you get enough shut-eye. Consider giving up other activities or social events in order to sleep more at night. If your work schedule is prohibiting you from getting enough rest, talk to your boss, human resources department or union representative.
Conclusion
With your busy work and family life, it is easy to neglect sleep. However, sleep deprivation can cause stress at home and hinder your job performance. You should thus schedule enough time for proper rest each night. You will feel better throughout the day, and you will be more productive.
