Studies continue to show the positive impacts sleep has on your productivity. The benefits, of course, mount up when you get proper sleep on a consistent basis. Most experts recommend seven to nine hours of sleep at night and also advise you to nap if you want a powerful productivity boost during the day. The following list shows how getting the right amount of quality sleep will boost your productivity.
Also read:Plan Your Day the Night Before to Boost Productivity
Snap Out of Distractions Faster
Distractions will always exist. And studies show that it takes at least 23 minutes on average to regain your focus after getting distracted. To be productive, you must master the art of bouncing back from distractions so quickly that they have minimal to no effect on your activities.
It can all be made possible by getting quality sleep. When you’re well rested, it’s easy to stay focused for a long time. Also, your vigilance is heightened, so even when you’re distracted, it’s easy to remember your task and resume more quickly.
Better Memory
Think about it. The more memory in a computer, the more tasks you can do simultaneously. That’s why gaming (a complex task) requires more memory than writing on Microsoft Word while listening to music (simple tasks). Similarly, better memory helps you get more done efficiently.
Sleep and memory studies confirm that when you’re sleeping, the brain stores relevant information and discards the excess. This helps you unclutter the brain and reinforce information worth remembering. When you’re awake, you’ll have recall on that information to make you more productive.
More Emotionally Stable
It’s tough to focus on tasks with emotions all over the place, yet the common belief that you should block your emotions when working isn’t really productive. We’re emotional beings. Instead of shutting off your emotions, you should learn to take charge, working through the emotions and stabilizing them. And sleep is one of the best strategies to enable that.
Studies on sleep and emotional regulation reveal that people who consistently get quality sleep exhibit better moods, which leads to lesser emotional outbursts. They’re generally more conscious of themselves and their surroundings, hence ensuring their improved emotional stability.
Make Fewer Errors
Productivity isn’t just getting more done but also getting things done effectively. It’s being effective and efficient at the same time, which leads to fewer mistakes. If you usually get sufficient quality sleep, chances are you’ll impact your productivity by making less errors,
This is confirmed by numerous studies on sleep deprivation. It reveals the errors made by tired professionals in sensitive fields. From nurses to engineers in nuclear plants, most accidents recorded were caused by long, sleepless working hours. Therefore, if you wish to make fewer mistakes, you should be sure to get adequate quality sleep.
Make Better Decisions
When you sleep, you get a load of information off your mind and store more of what you need. This helps you wake up with a clear head that’s better at making decisions than before you went to sleep.
The faster you make good decisions, the more productive you’ll be. Better decisions are made after a good night’s sleep. No wonder people often say, “I’ll sleep on it.” They know they will rise with a clearer decision the next day.
Greater Health
It’s natural to feel energized and healthy after a good night’s sleep. That’s one of the most basic benefits of sleep. Sleep promotes physical health by healing and repairing key systems in your body which can affect your productivity.
Not only do the benefits of the physical health return the favor and help you sleep better, they also:
- Improves your mood
- Better your memory
- Lower risk to diseases
- Decrease feelings of anxiety and depression
It’s all a cycle you need to maintain by getting proper sleep. While getting proper sleep is an integral part of our lives, it especially impacts our productivity. If you just can’t seem to get proper sleep, apply these tips on how to deal with little sleep and stay productive.