Pffff... did someone say coffee? You sometimes have those days when you are slow to move forward. While you were so productive yesterday! Chances are it has to do with your sleep. Sleep plays a very important role in our productivity. You will probably recognize that you immediately pay the bill for a short night: thinking clearly is no longer possible and you forget what you were doing. How exactly does that work? In this blog we tell you everything about sleep and productivity.
Make the most of your day
Petting, cooing, crazy, napping: every night we crawl into our proverbial nest. It's amazing how we lie down and about 8 hours later our battery is charged again for a new day. At least… that's the point. Ready for a calendar full of appointments and a to-do list full of tasks. But many workers don't get the recommended seven to nine hours of sleep a day. How does that affect our productivity?
What sleep deprivation does to your productivity
Our society praises the 'driven' entrepreneur who works a lot, sleeps little and seems to achieve the impossible. We give up our sleep for productivity, but ironically, lack of sleep – despite the extra hours we spend at work – actually results in a loss of productivity. Sleep deprivation leads to forgetfulness, lack of concentration and mental absence. You know it, you are present but little comes out of your hands.
What happens in your sleep
During sleep, your brain is flushed, you process your emotions, and your memory is refreshed. If you structurally sleep too little, these processes cannot be completed.
1. Your brain rinses clean
Good sleep means that your brain has the time and opportunity to cleanse itself. Cleaned up neatly! Your hard drive is empty again for the next day.
2. Processing emotions
A good night's sleep also ensures that you can properly process your emotions during the day and that you remember what you have learned during the day (Hersenstichting, 2021).
3. Memory
As we lay on one ear, important information is repeated, organized and stored.
Conclusion: Sleep hard, work hard!
Long workdays are regularly touted as a way to get work done faster and have more time to relax. Surprise: This attitude is ultimately counterproductive. Then your to-do list can be so beautiful, your schedule still so tight, but without enough sleep you will not get the most out of your day.
What do you notice about your productivity after a short night?
