The science of sleep and productivity (Video)
We feel we’re not getting enough sleep because we're working too much. And we're not working efficiently because we're not getting enough sleep. Do you relate to this?
Sacrificing sleep seems like a good “quick fix” in order to finish work, watch your favorite movie or show on TV, or engage with friends and family on social media. And increased connectivity has made it easier to work from anywhere, not only at the office, so this blurs the line between being at work and being at home, allowing us to work more and rest less and less.
We basically use precious nighttime hours for daytime activities, but this negatively impacts our physical and mental health because sleep is a basic necessity in our life, it’s like a reset button that we must include in our busy schedules every single night. This is when nearly every system in the body is affected by multiple biological processes: cell creation and repair, memory consolidation, regulation of different hormones, the immune system strengthens, and more.
Most importantly, and this is where I get very excited, sleep impacts brain function: it’s very helpful for our “brain plasticity,” or the brain’s ability to rewire; and it promotes the removal of waste products from brain cells.
The sleep habits of our society have dramatically changed over time, but the way our bodies work have not, and we need to support them with sleep if we want to reach our full potential.
According to a recent article by the Sleep Foundation:
Almost 50% of Americans say they feel sleepy during the day between three and seven days per week.
32.6% of working adults in the U.S. reported sleeping six or fewer hours per night in 2017-2018, up from 28.4% in 2008-2009.
Sleep deprivation results in a significant number of working days being lost each year. Just to give you an idea, the U.S. loses an equivalent of around 1.2 million working days annually due to insufficient sleep.
As you can see, science tells us that we have to listen to your bodies and follow their natural rhythms. We have to sleep more and better. We have to prioritize sleep in order to be healthier and also get better results.
Benefits of Sleep
If you’re able to give your body much needed rest consistently, you can benefit from the following:
Energy
While you sleep, your body resets different physical functions to align with your internal clock (or circadian rhythm), and you’ll be ready to get started on your to-dos when you get up in the morning and keep your energy high all day.
Focus
You can stay focused on your tasks for longer times and, if you get interrupted while working, you’ll be able to go back to what you were doing quickly if you’re rested (and you’ll finish that project in less time). Also, you make fewer mistakes because the centers of the brain that control speed and accuracy are more active when you get good sleep, so this means enhanced productivity and performance.
In the video above, our coach expert Sabrina Cadini shared more benefits of sleep, cool details about Chronotypes and how to find out which type you are, and also tips for your sleep hygiene such as creating the perfect environment in your bedroom and more.
Mana can be very helpful to ensure that you and your team or employees are taking care of themselves, including sleeping enough and well. Thanks to our Reports tool, they can send you a summary of their activity (at work but also in their personal life if they’d like) and this creates opportunities for the entire team to improve their work schedules and project assignments.
Want to know more about Mana? Download the app today and schedule a call with one of our coaches to learn how to spend your time better!
Enjoyed this video? Subscribe to our YouTube Channel to get fresh tips and tricks delivered every two weeks!
