We all work very hard, and sometimes we need to pat ourselves on the back. Lots of us sit at our desks and work every day, Monday to Friday. We stare at the computer screen for 8.5 hours a day - that's 42.5 hours per working week not including your lunch break! Although, let's be honest, most of us spend that looking at our phone screen too.
Do you feel like you're spending too much time at the office? Is it difficult to keep concentration levels up? Could it be that some of our time spent at work is being wasted due to lack of efficiency and tiredness?
Recent findings by us at Hyde & Sleep show that each of us cost our employers £3,000 per year just by being sleep deprived. On average, we waste at least two hours a day at work as a result of being tired - time which we could spend investing in ourselves, our overall well being and having fun! Better productivity at work could lead to an earlier promotion, being in a better mood or even getting greater job satisfaction.
If we made sure we slept between seven and nine hours per night, not only would we be more productive, but we'd probably end up spending less late nights in the office. What's more, sleeping for less than the seven hours has the same effect as going without sleep for up to two days, or drinking three glasses of wine!
Lack of sleep has a knock-on effect on how we feel on the inside, the quality of work we produce when in the office, and how we interact with our friends and family. Research has proven that sleep deprivation has a profound effect on problem solving, planning, organisation, memory and data retention - basically everything you need to ensure a good work-life balance.
Sometimes, this is easier said than done and we're unable to get the full recommended amount of sleep. To help with this, Hyde & Sleep have put together a list of top tips to help you get the best night's sleep possible:
- Encourage a caffeine free afternoon - Change up your work-coffee culture and avoid the afternoon slump with a lunch that will boost plummeting afternoon energy levels. Nuts, spinach, mushrooms, sweet potato, eggs, salmon and seeds all naturally boost energy, without the need for coffee.
- Eliminate interruptions and sleep on the best - The right mattress will ensure you can't wait to get into bed. Create an environment you dream about sleeping in: no lumps or bumps from stray springs, fresh clean sheets and a big enough mattress to spread out in your favourite starfish position.
- Digital free evenings - Those late night emails from clients and colleagues can wait until the morning. The light coming from your favourite device stops your body from producing melatonin, which is the sleep-inducing hormone, so put down your phone at least 45 mins before bedtime. You could pick up a book wind down, or practice meditation.
- Temperature - If you're too hot or too cold, you won't sleep well. Control the temperature of your room - sort yourself out with the right tog duvet, ventilate the room, make it nice and cosy.
- Learn how much sleep you really need - The recommended amount of sleep you need is seven to nine hours, but listen to your body and learn what suits you best to maximise your productivity levels at work.