The Benefits Of Sleep

Sleep is something that most people enjoy and thankfully, it’s a natural body function that is required. But what differs among people is exactly how much sleep they get, for some people it’s up to 9 hours while others can easily function on only 5.

We always hear that 8 hours of sleep is supposed to be the ideal number, but as just discussed, this may be impossible for some people. But what is incredibly important, particularly for those working, is that they have a consistent sleep schedule.

That is because sleep can directly affect your work performance. If you have too little sleep, then you will not be as productive as compared to someone who gets a full nights rest. This is obviously very undesirable as a poor work performance can attract the attention of your manager in a negative light.

How Do You Change Your Sleeping Habits?

One of the best ways to get more sleep is to try and condition your body into a more acceptable schedule. This will obviously not be immediate, but could take weeks or even months for your body to change onto your preferred schedule. It may also be advisable to try out a few different schedules, just to see what makes you feel best.

For example, you may discover that 7 hours works much better than 8, leaving you feeling refreshed and energized. Or instead you may find that you need longer to achieve the same, but the most important factor is that you discover what makes you feel best. Your sleep is about you, not someone else.

What Are The Other Benefits?

Aside from the obvious benefit of increasing your productivity at work, getting the right amount of sleep can have a lot more positive effects on your life. You may discover that you become more amenable and happier in all aspects of your life. This is because being sleep deprived can increase any negative feelings you have, so grumpiness is not just something you see on TV shows!

You may work better if you are sleeping better

If you don’t have a good sleeping habit then you may be aware that headaches and migraines are an unfortunate side effect of this. A study found that those who suffered from poor sleep were also associated with frequent headaches, in particular episodic migraines. So by getting some good quality sleep, you will be helping to reduce the chances of you getting sleeping-related headaches or migraines.

You may also find that you will learn better if you have are fully rested, as you will be more alert and focused on your work compared to a bad night’s sleep. After all, if you haven’t slept properly then you may be grouchy, irritable and may find it impossible to focus on something for more than a few minutes.

It will also allow you to retain any information that you have learned during the day much easier. That is because while you sleep, you will go into a deep sleep. During this time, your brain will be moving your memories from short term to long term, so there is more chance of you remembering some important information in the future.

A study from the BBC showed that if you do not get enough deep sleep, then you may even lose memories forever. Their study focused on asking a group of volunteers to sleep for seven and a half hours and then reduce that to six and a half. Another group did the opposite. They found that genes associated with inflammation, immune responses and even responses to stress became more active when they reduced their sleep.

A Good Sleep For A Good Day

So in summary, a healthy sleep schedule is incredibly important and can have influence in all areas of your life, from work to your health. Do you have a sleep schedule that works for you? Why not let us know?