how sleep deprivation can hurt your career

Have you ever slept through the night for a consecutive seven or eight hours? Did you wake up feeling energized, refreshed and mentally capable of taking on whatever the world sent your way?

But, then life gets in the way and you find yourself struggling to get five or six hours of decent sleep a night.

You find yourself sluggish in the morning, somewhat coherent during noon, and then by 2:00pm, you’re ready for a nap regardless of your current surroundings.

You are suddenly more impatient with your peers and family, irritated by little inconveniences way more than you should be, and struggling to remember what it was you needed at the market on the way home that evening.

These are all signs of sleep deprivation.

Sleep deprivation can affect both your physical and mental health. The effect on your mental capabilities can lead to a decrease in work efficiency and deterioration of work relationships.

While sleep deprived, the simplest tasks associated with your job suddenly seem like climbing a mountain one step at a time.

Bosses and co-workers will notice the change in the speed of the completion of tasks and also how you converse with them.

This can damage your chances of being promoted at work or being asked to head teams for special projects.

According to mattress expert Jessica Jones, having the proper mattress that offers support can help with many issues associated with sleep. Things like spine alignment, helping with lower back pain, shoulder pain, and even insomnia.

But, first, let’s take a look at some of the issues that may be plaguing you which a good mattress will help solve.

1. A Drowsy Brain does not Process the Same

If a person is sleepy or lacking in several nights of solid sleep; basic information can be difficult to understand and concepts a struggle to gasp.

If you find yourself not remembering the tasks assigned by a manager, your short-term memory does not process the way a person who is well-rested does.

When discussing previous projects and former conversations, a person who is sleep deprived will not be able to easily call information to mind without prompts.

Distractions occur easy to you and you are unable to focus your mind to a particular task, creating a racing mind that bounces from point to point. Managers and recruitment personnel will note this change and think you unfit to lead a team of your own.

2. Emotional well-being is affected by Sleep Deprivation

As touched on earlier, a person who is not sleeping well at night will be quick to anger, irritation, and overall be a more emotional person.

Snarky answers or visible frustration while at work and dealing with consumers, staff, coworkers, and even managers can hurt the relationships formed during the period of working together.

If you work in an office setting, you typically spend 40-50 hours a week with the same people. Sympathy levels drop, creating a cold persona when helping co-workers through a rough time or listening to staff/consumers recount their problems.

Your moods can also swing in the opposite direction to the point when you are easily distraught when things are not working out according to plan.

Being overly emotional will affect your ability to problem-solve and think of a new solution or alternative route to take to complete a task.

 

3. Your Physical Health decreases

If you find your body aching, limbs sluggish, and your head pounding by a certain time throughout the day, this can affect your work performance.

The last thing the majority of people want to do if they feeling unwell is go to work where a focused mind and a strong body is required.

You may find yourself calling in sick for the entire day or having to leave your job early to go home to rest.

These absences are noted by managers and other co-workers who complete a full shift. Should you find yourself ill or injured, a sleep deprived body will heal slower, causing an increase in missed shifts.

You could be passed over for promotion for a co-worker who is always on time and eager to learn.

4. Reaction time is extremely Delayed

When a person is sleep deprived, their reaction decreases almost by the hour. Perhaps a crisis just happened at the workplace and people are looking to you for guidance.

You find yourself not quite understanding what is going on. Your reaction to a crisis is not at the same level of your co-workers, which can cause your boss to wonder just how well you can perform your job.

Conclusion

Experts suggest that the average adult get anywhere from seven to nine hours of sleep a night. There are numerous tips to achieve this, from a proper mattress to a cool, darkened bedroom.

Ditch the phone, tablet, or smart TV while trying to fall asleep to allow the mind to relax and stop. Use a sleep mask to remove any possible light source that could disrupt your slumber. Turn the phones and stereos down.

Try the above and see how solid sleep can change your career and ultimately your outlook on life!