How a good night’s rest can improve your work performance

A good night’s sleep is vital to your overall wellbeing. Rest and sleep are integral parts of a person’s health and welfare. Getting the recommended hours of sleep every night will essentially boost your health and optimise your productivity. When you combine enough rest and sleep with a healthy, balanced diet and regular exercise, the results are positive energy, boosted health and increased performance.

The modern-day life has everyone on their toes, always busy, and most people overlook the importance of getting enough rest when they clock an extra shift. So, before you think of cutting short your sleeping hours, read through this article and learn how good a night’s rest improves your work performance.

Increased concentration and focus

Lack of sleep can severely affect your concentration, learning and communication. This can negatively affect your work and relationships. Now, you don’t want to make any decisions when you are critically tired or sleep-deprived. Resting and sleeping enough at night is the natural way to reboot your body and your cognitive functions. But this will only be achieved if you’re living in a quiet and serene environment. 

Having gadgets and gizmos only helps to keep you busy rather than fall asleep. Investing in devices with low noise levels will be the first step towards helping you sleep better at night. One thing to note is that bringing technology into your bedroom can in many ways be more harmful than remedial. For instance, the glare from your television, the noise from a rotating fan and bright lights can all contribute to disrupting your peace. Thanks to advancements in technology, the various contraptions that were once considered as disruptive are now quieter and dimmer; and in addition to this, they are now being promoted as vital to enhancing relaxation. 

Low risk of contracting illnesses

Anything that compromises or puts your health in jeopardy doesn’t promote productivity. This is exactly what happens when you deprive your body of sleep and rest. It’s been found that along with poor eating behaviour, sleep deprivation is a big factor when it comes to unhealthy weight gain and obesity. Poor sleep patterns and lack of sleep will also weaken your immune system. This makes you more susceptible to diseases, and you know what this means in your work life, right? Absence, poor productivity and constant medical bills.

Reduces the risk of work-related accidents

Sleep deprivation increases the risks of accidents in any working environment. Every day you deprive yourself of enough rest, you put others at risk, as well as working less efficiently. If you’re an employer, you’ll severely suffer the consequences of being sued by an employee who got involved in a workplace-related accident just because they didn’t have enough sleep and rest. This calls for measures that help employees have a break from work from time to time to allow them time to reboot and rejuvenate. 

Emotional stability

Optimal rest will help to stabilise your hormones. This means that you’ll be less irritable and this will make it easier for you to focus on the most important things in your work. Additionally, a good night’s sleep will be crucial when it comes to developing a positive attitude towards your work. Emotional stability and a positive attitude towards work are key to your productivity and in fostering lasting workplace relationships.

Low risk of mortality

Let’s face it, everyone wishes to live longer so they can see their dreams come true. This includes seeing their business plans come to fruition or getting promoted to a better position. But with all those sleepless nights, your dreams of seeing your great-great-grandchildren can seem a little far-fetched. In rare cases, disorders such as fatal familial insomnia, a genetic condition where a person is unable to sleep at all, can lead to death if not managed. Insufficient sleep also puts you at a high risk of contracting cardiovascular diseases such as heart failure and heart attacks. 

People who sleep the recommended eight hours will not be spared either if they are not leading healthy lifestyles. But when sleep and rest are combined with a good diet and lifestyle, as earlier mentioned, the results can be boosted productivity. One night of sleep deprivation may not kill you, but when you pile up all those sleepless nights, you may not get the chance to see your business grow.

The importance of a good night’s rest should not be underestimated in any way. Resting and sleeping are the natural ways to ensure your body’s cogwheels are fully functional and moving right for optimum performance. From now on, make an effort to meet the daily recommended dose of sleep. If you do this, rest assured your performance will improve.

The editorial unit