Sleep Matters and We Need to Get More of It to Be Productive
Posted June 22, 2016 & filed under Productivity, Work, Work Environment, Work Life
Sleep much? Just how much sleep do you get? Do you think you are sleep deprived? Let’s explore.
“The problem of chronic sleep loss is treated as a personal one, hashed out between patients and doctors, most often with sleeping pills, which themselves prevent normal sleep, and which have not been approved for long-term use. But we can’t fix this problem without addressing its systemic causes. Organizations like the CDC are beginning to recognize sleeplessness as a public health issue, but little action has yet been taken to address it.”
The quote is from a recent article posted on the Huffington Post that explores the topic of sleep and how it matters in life. We have explored the idea of work life balance and the way we all have to juggle multiple things in life. Being dedicated to work is a great thing. It is also nice to have a busy and thriving social life. But, how does sleep fit in with the busy social life and dedication to working long hours while also adding exercise to the mix.
As seen in the above quote, chronic sleep loss is problem in America. How can we get enough sleep while also keeping up with social plans and staying dedicated to our jobs? What can we do to focus on sleep as an important part of life that also affects the work we do everyday? We must set guidelines for ourselves, because sleep is not regulated. As a society, we are in charge of changing the narrative on sleep. As the article states, “… there is no government entity or set of regulations to make sure that Americans are able to get enough sleep, and we all suffer the consequences to our quality of life, to our productivity, and to our health and longevity.” Sleep loss can make us more irritable and less focused.
Not getting enough sleep can affect our productivity in a negative manner and this idea needs to be focused on because it is clear that many of us could be more productive in our jobs. It seems like there is never enough time in the day, but if we all focused on the importance of sleep, we would most likely not have to work extra hours. Instead, we would work normal hours but we would be more productive due to our ability to stay focused and active due to the power of restful sleep. We must focus on sleep as a societal issue. Let’s be productive in our jobs but also let’s be happy and well-rested at the same time! The article stresses the critical nature of this sleep issue and how it affects our work lives and personal lives, and the following excerpt really highlights the importance of sleep in our current environments:
“We can, as a society, choose to live differently. Our bodies were designed by millions of years of evolution to function well under particular circumstances. When we flout the needs and rhythms of our bodies and instead follow the rhythms of the factory floor, we are setting ourselves up for failure, for struggling against our schedules rather than flourishing within them.” Let’s try to solve the sleep problem. We can take it as we go and work together to get more sleep and be more productive.
The article ends with wise words about this grave sleep issue and we had to share their wise words:
“Better rested people are better workers and students, parents and friends. They are also healthier and happier. In the wealthiest nation in the world, we should all be able to afford a good night’s sleep.”
