Sleep helps you feel refreshed and ready for the next day’s activity. Experts recommend every individual should get enough deep and refreshing sleep to perform better in their day-to-day activities. Superficial sleep is not enough. Deep sleep every night is an essential element for increased work productivity.
“An individual’s efficiency at work will decrease if sleep is incomplete, fragmented or superficial. Individuals end up feeling drowsy and the body does not function to its full potential. Not just this, inadequate sleep also affects the hormonal levels. Hormonal imbalance could lead to decrease in productivity. If these imbalances continue for a longer duration of time, it can lead to depression and the individual cannot work properly,” said Dr YA Sheriff, pulmonologist, Rajiv Gandhi Institute of Chest Diseases, Bengaluru.
What is deep sleep?
“There are two main stages of sleep – Non Rapid Eye Movement (NREM) and Rapid Eye Movement (REM) stages. NREM consists of four internal stages which we pass through to enter the REM sleep stage (deep stage of sleep where dreams occur). REM and stage three and four NREM are where the body and brain undergo maximum repair and rejuvenation. It improves concentration, memory and reinvigorates you for the next day’s activities,” says Dr Asfiya Khaleel, a Bengaluru-based psychiatrist.
Sleep is important for learning and memory retention. “Our memory gets consolidated into long term memory when we sleep. When we do not get enough sleep, memory does not get stored in our brain and we cannot recall it later. The REM stage or the deepest stage of sleep is responsible for creativity and better productivity. Lesser the time spent in the REM stage, poorer the sleep quality,” said Dr Sudhir Kumar, senior consultant neurologist, Apollo Hospital, Hyderabad.
He also said that working professionals are prone to accidents due to sleep deprivation.
Sleep deprivation and work productivity
Sleep deprivation brings about physiological changes that are likely to interfere with the efficiency of cognitive processes (e.g., decreased arousal, intrusion of microsleeps). Therefore, the observed deficits in cognitive performance are commonly interpreted as a reduction in the capacity to perform.
“Poor sleep health is going to degrade cognitive abilities, leading to worse decision-making, as well as heightening the risk for mental health problems that can lower motivation,” says Jesse Cook, sleep scientist and clinical psychology scholar at University of Wisconsin.
“Sleep deprivation tends to make individuals irritable, restless and does not allow them to concentrate. Prolonged sleep deprivation will increase the risk of developing high blood pressure, heart related issues, metabolic disorders etc., due to which they cannot perform efficiently at work,” said Dr Suman Mantri, head of the department, pulmonology, Apollo hospitals, Bengaluru.
Not just deep sleep, refreshing sleep is important
“Deep sleep or slow wave sleep is completely mistaken by the larger public. The most important sleep stage is REM sleep. Deep sleep has a purpose. Growth hormones are released during deep sleep in a pulsating manner. But this growth hormone is essential in growing individuals (from day 1 to 16 years of age). As this hormone is not required in adults, the amount of deep sleep is less than five percent of the total sleep time or sleep cycle ,” said Dr Satyanarayana Mysore, head of the department and consultant-pulmonology, lung transplant physician, Manipal Hospitals, Bengaluru.
He added, “Once we understand the actual utility of the growth hormone and deep sleep, we will get to know that we do not need deep sleep, but a refreshing sleep. Refreshing sleep leads to greater productivity.”
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Sleep tips to improve productivity
Dr Sudhir Kumar suggests the following tips to sleep well to aid in increasing out daily productivity:
- Consistent sleep schedule: Maintain a consistent sleep and wake timings. An adult needs around seven to nine hours of consistent sleep to feel refreshed and energised for the next day.
- Comfortable sleep environment: Maintain an ambient temperature and dark room environment.
- Avoid or reduce screen time before sleep: Stay away from gadgets for at least an hour before going to bed.
- Early dinner: Consume dinner at least two to three hours before sleeping. This will prevent an individual from experiencing acid reflux.
- Exercises and warm showers will help you relax and promote better sleep.
- Power naps: Taking power naps during the day for about 15-20 minutes can help increase productivity. Do not take long naps as it will lower your productivity further.
- Avoid or reduce caffeine/alcohol: Caffeine interacts with sleep hormones and delays sleep onset. Alcohol on the other hand has a sedative effect and reduces sleep onset but causes fragmented, low-quality sleep and causes hangover the next day.
- Avoid sleeping pills: Sleeping pills are prescription-based medicine and over-the-counter should not be consumed.
Takeaways
- Deep sleep and productivity are interrelated. Adequate deep sleep will help individuals be productive at work.
- Sleep deprivation can make it difficult to concentrate, increase lethargy, drowsiness and irritation at work.
- Experts recommend good sleep habits for a healthy sleep routine.
