Almost everyone has had a difficult time at work when they don’t get enough rest, but how a lack of rest can affect job performance is not as widely known as you would suspect. A good night’s sleep can power new ideas, keep workers in a good mood, and encourage more collaboration in the work place. However, many employees don’t often get the rest they need in order to truly be at their best in the office.
Here are some ways sleep quality can change how well you perform at work.
Mood swings
Having the best mattress possible can go a long way toward helping you get along with your co-workers. One of the main effects of a lack of sleep tends to be a bad mood. This can cause discord in the workplace and make it more difficult to work together with others in order to accomplish projects. Without sleep, the brain’s prefrontal cortex tends to be the area that is most compromised—the part of the brain that deals with higher cognitive thought and decision-making. This can make it harder to work with others in an environment that requires teamwork.
Lower concentration
After a good night’s sleep, you might notice that you are much more likely to accomplish the tasks assigned to you. Without rest, it can take longer to get into the zone and can take longer to turn in your work. Sleep can give you that extra need in order to hand in your work on time. The mind tends to wander when it doesn’t have enough time in REM—the stage of sleep where your dreams and nightmares occur. In order to get a lot done, it might be worth it to tuck in a bit earlier.
Bad decision-making
Making bad decisions at work can lead to an angry boss and potentially getting fired. Not enough sleep tends to cause you to make irrational decisions, like approving a budget you shouldn’t or agreeing to a marketing campaign that isn’t backed by research. Just like if you’ve had a few drinks, it can be harder to evaluate whether something is a good idea or not. Unfortunately, another cup of coffee might not help you get over it, either. The best thing to do is try to get some more rest.
Hand-eye coordination
Just as a lack of sleep can affect your concentration levels, it also can make it more of a challenge for your body to cooperate with your mind. While some jobs need hand-eye coordination more than others, it can also mean that you might create more typos in a document, miss some glaring mistakes on a project, or forget that you have a call. For surgeons or construction workers, the affects can be even more of a problem and can end up harming people. For those who rely on the control of their hands, rest can be especially important.
Getting the right amount of sleep can help you get the job done right. While it might be easy to forget to get enough shuteye, it can greatly make a difference in your work performance and whether or not you will be successful in the office.
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