A case for sleep

Attitudes to sleep are ever-changing. In fact, they seem to be diverging at a rapid rate, based on current evidence on sleep habits.

In the US - there appears to be billions of dollars stuffed in the mattress! Or at least that might be how the sleep industry views it - billions are spent every year on bedding, white noise machines, medication, sleep coaches, eye masks, ear plugs, blue-light blocking glasses. 

The list goes on.

But despite the phenomenal numbers spent on ‘a good night’s kip', 1 in 3 Americans don’t get enough sleep.

These numbers parallel the obesity rates in these countries (this might not be too much of a coincidence, as we will come on to shortly).

Although the importance of sleep is in little doubt - at least in the scientific community. There are still the remnants of the ‘I’ll sleep when I’m dead’ culture that was so common in previous generations. Indeed, not sleeping much was seen as a badge of honour.

However, as far as I’m aware - there are no prizes for businesses with the lowest average sleep per employee. Nor is there a ‘most hours worked in the day’ prize.

Now you might argue that businesses and their employees have to work, in order to meet deadlines, targets and make profits. I’d be inclined to agree.

But this argument is flawed - it assumes a perfect relationship between time spent awake, and time working at full capacity.

This doesn’t happen.

Your ‘Best Work’ battery life.

If we view ourselves as ‘batteries’ 

With our battery life showing the capacity we have to do good, meaningful, productive work.

And sleep being ‘time spent on charge’.

If we never recharge to 100%.

Although we might be present ‘at work’ for more time, and awake for more time - we don’t have the capacity to do much meaningful work - maybe an hour or two per day.

A percentage of ourselves

Another example.

If we compared ourselves to someone less talented at our job - they look after themselves, and they’re ok at their job - but they’re not a natural at work like we are.

Let’s say that we’re a 10/10, and they’re a 7/10 - it only takes a 30% deficit to bring us back down to their level.

To take this a step further.

What if you are similar to our ‘bang-average’ friend in a lot of ways when it comes to work. You can do the mundane, admin type work to the same standard, at the same speed for the same amount of time as them.

But what makes you stand head and shoulders above? Your performance when the going gets tough.

Your ability to adapt and thrive in uncertain and testing circumstances, or when things are changing quickly.

Is your main USP your ability to thrive in a fast-paced environment?

Not without sleep, it isn’t. 

Sleep studies have shown that sleep-deprived individuals lack cognitive flexibility, the ability to use your brain’s resources to adapt to changes, is significantly diminished. This is highlighted in settings such as military operations, disaster management, emergency response - any situation that relies on reacting to streams of new information and making informed decisions.

What was once your industry advantage, is now the thing that you struggle with the most.

And then there’s the mistakes.

Drivers that sleep under 6 hours per night have been shown to be nearly 18x more likely to have an accident than those that have 8 hours sleep or more. The National Transportation Safety Board says that in 20 percent of the crashes it investigates, fatigue is the cause of operator error.

If we were to conduct a similar investigation into your mistakes at work? We’d likely see the same thing.

The solution?

Well, we could return to the investments people are making in their sleep environment - pillows, duvets, weighted blankets, sunrise alarms. The sleep industry in the US is worth $30-40 billion, rising by 8% annually. 

But these would be mere sticking plasters over the gaping wound that our lifestyles are creating. As stress levels rise, inactivity peaks and obesity rates climb - as shown by the correlation between poor sleep and obesity rates in Western countries.

We are hit with the revolving door of poor lifestyle choices leading to poor sleep patterns.

Our poor sleep patterns lead to poor work performance.

Poor work performance meaning more hours working to try and close that deficit.

Which leads to poor lifestyle choices.

Negative change begets negative change.

Begets negative change.

Any remaining hangover from the ‘sleep when we’re dead’ culture must be removed from businesses, with a top down approach that focuses on emphasising the importance of a healthy lifestyle and positive habits with regards to nutrition, sleep, exercise and stress management.

Because the saddest irony of all.

Is if we wait until we’re dead to sleep.

We might not have to wait all that long.