You spent your weekend partying and having fun without wasting any time on sleep, and now it's Monday and it is hard for you to concentrate and finish your work. Contradictingly, when you sleep well at night, you’ll feel more energetic and ready to tackle tasks the next day. This shows that there's a strong connection between sleep and productivity, and understanding it can help you make the most of your day.

Just like a phone need to recharge to work properly, our body needs sleep to function well. In this blog, we’ll learn more about the link between sleep and productivity and how you can get better sleep at night to perform your best during the day.

How Does Sleep Affect Productivity?

  1. Better Focus: You must have noticed that when you get enough sleep, you can focus better on your tasks, whether it be school homework, office presentations or anything that requires your complete attention. By getting enough good sleep at night, you ensure that you can pay attention to details and avoid mistakes. On the other hand, if you’re tired and haven’t slept well, your brain struggles to concentrate, and it can take longer to complete tasks.
  2. Improved Memory: Do you remember, our teachers used to suggest that we get good sleep before the exam. There is a scientific reason behind this. Good sleep helps your brain store and organize information. This means you can remember things more easily. If you don’t sleep well, you might forget important details or have trouble recalling information. So, before any important exam or presentation, sleep well.
  3. More Energy: When you sleep well at night, you’ll have more energy to be active and motivated the whole day. When you don’t get enough sleep at night, you’ll probably feel sluggish and less likely to tackle your to-do list with enthusiasm. A good night's sleep is very important for performing actively during the day.
  4. Better Decision Making: It can sound absurd at first, but sleep also affects how you make decisions. Most road accidents happen due to a lack of sleep, as the person loses its ability to make effective decisions when sleep deprived. When you’re well-rested, you can think more clearly and make better choices. Lack of sleep can make you more impulsive or lead you to make poor decisions.
  5. Mood and Motivation: You’ll feel moodier and more irritable if you are sleep deprived. Sleep impacts your mood and emotions. If you sleep well at night, it helps you stay positive and motivated, which boosts your productivity.

How Much Sleep Do You Need?

Most sleep experts recommend that most adults need about 7 to 9 hours of sleep each night. Although, the exact amount of sleep someone needs varies from person to person. It’s important to find out what works best for you and make sure you get enough rest regularly. Below, we’ll show you how much sleep you need as per your age group.

Age group Recommended Sleep
Infants 4 to 12 months 12 to 16 hours per 24 hours (including naps)
1 to 2 years 11 to 14 hours per 24 hours (including naps) 
3 to 5 years 10 to 13 hours per 24 hours (including naps) 
6 to 12 years 9 to 12 hours per 24 hours
13 to 18 years 8 to 10 hours per 24 hours
Adults 7 or more hours a night

 

Tips for Better Sleep

Now that we know how sleep helps us tackle everything better and be more productive, let's learn some tips to get better sleep at night.

1. Stick to a Routine

What disturbs sleep the most is that we don’t follow a consistent sleep routine (someday we sleep at 9:00 p.m. and the next day at 1:00 a.m.). It is important that you go to bed at the same time and wake up at the same time every day of the week. This helps regulate your body’s internal clock and signals your body when it's time to sleep and wake up.

2. Create a Sleep-Friendly Environment

We love decorating and organizing our bedroom. We make sure that it feels most comfortable when you go to sleep. The three things that you need to take care of the most are that your bedroom should be quiet, dark, and cool. Comfortable bedding and a good pillow and mattress also help.

3. Use a Microfiber Pillow

A pillow can cause back pain and also can help you sleep better. Completely depends on the kind of pillow you are using. A microfiber pillow can support your neck and back and keep your spine aligned. It is also hypoallergenic, making it the best option for people with allergies. It ensures proper air circulation and regulates temperature as you sleep.

4. Limit Screens Before Bed

The hard to do but most effective solution to get better sleep at night is that at least 1-2 hours before sleep, you should keep your phone away and switch off all the light emitting devices. The blue light from phones and computers can make it harder to fall asleep.

5. Relax Before Bed

Don’t just lay on Bedford for hours overthinking every decision of your life, it is important to unwind and relax before bed, to do so develop a calming bedtime routine. You can include activities like reading a book, listening to soothing music, or taking a warm bath. You can also try doing meditation or light stretching before bedtime.

6. Watch Your Diet

We Indians have this bad habit of eating spicy and heavy meals before bed. As people become more aware of their diet and health, they have started taking light meals for dinner. It is better to avoid large meals, caffeine, and alcohol before bed. These can interfere with your sleep quality and make it hard for you to fall asleep at night.

Conclusion

Quality sleep is very important for being productive and performing well the whole day. Now that you understand the link between sleep and productivity, you can sleep better at night by following the tips given. You can improve your focus, memory, energy, and overall performance if you sleep well at night. So, make sleep a priority and watch how it positively impacts your life.