Is Sleep Deprivation Harming Your Career?

The daily grind, working over time, or being the best at your job all take a toll on your physical well-being. Many people work as much as possible and rely on massive amounts of coffee to get through the workday for a variety of reasons. You want that promotion. Work is at an all time high. You have deadlines to reach. So, to answer the question, yes, sleep deprivation does more harm for your career than good. Let’s discuss why.

According to Harvard Medical School’s Division of Sleep Medicine, sleep deprivation’s negative effects are so great that someone who is drunk will outperform someone who is sleep deprived. Missing out on quality sleep limits your ability to problem solve, process necessary information, increases stress levels, creates greater emotional reactions, and limits your creative skills. If you continue to miss out on sleep in hopes of professional success, you will never reach your full potential and you pose the risk of having long-term, negative health effects.

According to the National Sleep Foundation, less than half of American adults get the required 7 to 9 hours of sleep at night. On average, many working adults are functioning at work with less than 6 hours of sleep each night. This amount of sleep deprivation costs businesses more than $63 billion in productivity. To get more sleep at night, you must stop working when the “workday” is over. For some this is easier said than done. However when you can, stop checking your phone or work emails while you’re at home. Instead, cook dinner or read a book and relax. Your job performance and your overall health will thank you.

Here are some of the side effects from sleep deprivation: