Sleep revolution: Productivity and sleep!
According to research conducted by Philip HealthTech, about 93% Indians are sleep deprived. This has given birth to an insomniac hub in India. Fast changing lifestyle and increased usage of electronic gadgets have aggravated this problem. This affects our health, relationships and also our job performance. It reduces our tolerance, patience and results in mood swings. Research shows that you need to sleep at least 8 hours per day because after 16 hours of being awake you are ineffective. Here are some ways in which you can get the much needed sleep you need!
- Plan and prioritize: Plan your day out, both your personal and professional goals. Include your sleep time and wake time in th plan. Categorize your work under urgent and important task and set deadlines. Work effectively so that you don’t waste time. For example, if you are travelling, reply to pending mails or make critical calls. If you are able to complete your tasks during office hours, you can sleep happily without stress! Delegate tasks when needed. Interestingly, about 38% people have witnessed a colleague falling asleep at work due to lack of adequate sleep!
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- Leverage technology: Exciting new applications and products have been launched to help sleep soundly. For example, a product called Chrona created by Ultradia is a memory foam that can be slipped inside your pillowcase, where it tracks your sleep on the movement of your torso and head. Similarly various smartwatches like Samsung Gear S includes sleep tracking in its fitness app. Jawbone’s UP3 band tracks steps, meals, heart-rate and sleep. There are many other interesting applications and products in the market that can help you track your sleep!
- Relax: It is understandable to be effective at work you still need to replenish and nourish yourself. However, dedicate some time to yourself. Exercise daily and do yoga to keep your mind and body healthy. It will help you sleep better and fight insomnia. Perhaps decrease the intake of caffeine! Electronic devices or the blue light tends to distract you from sleeping. Therefore, try to reduce your screen time after work and right before bed.
The assumption is that people who sleep too much are lazy or not as conscientious. We are often encouraged to work non-stop and push ourselves in competitive environments. However, recent research on the importance of sleep and its link with productivity is negating this non-stop culture. Rested people can actually be a bigger asset to organizations than sleep deprived ones!
