8 Ways Sleep Can Help (or Hinder) Your Work Performance

Americans have a sleep problem, and that means we have a work problem. We're getting less and less sleep (especially on work nights), to the point that the CDC has declared sleep deprivation a public health epidemic. Entrepreneurs are particularly susceptible to sleep deprivation given the pressures and massive workloads that are common for business owners of all stripes. But insufficient sleep will cost you in just about every way -- physically, mentally, financially, and on the job. In contrast, high-quality sleep can up your game and give you a competitive edge over the caffeine-addicted zombies wandering the office hallways. Here's a run-down of the many ways that sleep can help (and harm) productivity. How Sleep Helps If anything remotely like a panacea for all problems exists, then sleep might be the closest thing to it. Here's just a sampling of the ways that getting enough sleep can improve work performance. 1. It repairs our brains. Sleep is critical for repairing the neural pathways in our brains, a process that's necessary for maintaining memory functions and learning new skills. In short, the only way to keep growing and improving at work is to consistently get a good night's sleep. 2. It keeps us firing on all cylinders. Sleeping well on a regular basis keeps us sharp by improving logical thinking, heightening our sensory perceptions, and enhancing our abilities to problem solve, pay attention, be creative, and make good decisions. In other words? Sle...
Source: Healthy Living - The Huffington Post - Category: Consumer Health News Source Type: news