It’s no secret that without a good night’s rest it can be a challenge to perform your best in daily life, particularly at work. Sleep deprivation can affect you emotionally, physically and mentally. Rather than drinking multiple cups of coffee to get through your workday, you can set yourself up for success by changing your sleep cycle. Here’s how sleep affects your productivity and why you should start prioritizing a five-star snooze.
One of the most important parts of sleep happens during our REM cycle. The REM cycle is responsible for our brains’ consolidation of memories. This can play a role in how well you retain information learned throughout the day and how your brain will perform tomorrow. If you aren’t getting enough sleep overall, you sacrifice REM sleep and consequently remember less information than you normally would.
Sleep is also dictated by our circadian rhythms. This plays a role in the release of melatonin (the sleep regulator hormone) in the brain later in the day and the rise in cortisol (the stress hormone) levels in the morning. When we don’t follow a proper sleep schedule, melatonin production gets delayed which ultimately makes it harder to fall asleep, harder to wake up, and over time affects general body function. By getting on a proper schedule, your body will be able to balance and perform at its best.
Improving your sleep comes with many benefits, which include faster reaction times, better judgment and decision making skills, improved memory, a smoother creative flow, easier problem-solving capabilities and a lower risk of burnout.
To improve your sleep, try finding the right schedule for you. By going to sleep and waking up at the same time each day, your body will start adapting to the schedule, which will allow you to naturally fall asleep faster. Another way to improve your snooze is to induce sleep with a calming bedtime routine. You can do so by shutting off electronics an hour before bed or drinking some chamomile tea. Lastly, your bedroom needs to be a relaxing and welcoming space. Be sure to ditch the clutter a chaotic day can bring and keep your room neat and tidy for fewer distractions when getting ready for bed. By following these tips you can significantly improve not just your sleep, but your productivity as well.
Sweet Dreams!
Sponsored by:
