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THURSDAY, JANUARY 8, 2025 (HealthDay News) -- Experiencing brain fog? Struggling to focus due to a poor night's sleep or hardly any sleep at all?
According to the National Sleep Foundation (NSF), tiredness and fatigue resulting from lack of sleep are prevalent issues. Insufficient rest can negatively impact personal mood and health, as well as decrease work productivity, creating challenges for teams, managers, and employers alike. To investigate these consequences, the NSF conducted research.
About 60% of adults surveyed reported negative impacts of inadequate sleep; 70% of them said not getting quality sleep hurts their general level of work productivity, according to recent survey results.
In fact, data from the National Sleep Foundation's survey shows that 2/3 of participants said they have difficulty handling their workload and avoiding mistakes when they’ve had compromised rest.
The quality of sleep affects not only a person's health but also their performance, efficiency, and overall productivity at work.
According to the NSF survey findings revealed this week at CES 2025, the annual electronics trade show in Las Vegas, employees who suffer from inadequate sleep can negatively impact business performance.
A crucial reminder for managers, owners, and supervisors: Inadequate sleep can significantly hinder productivity. It’s essential for companies to prioritize the importance of having well-rested employees.
“Whether an organization employs 20 people or 200,000, focusing on sleep health and safety in their own community of colleagues can benefit performance and productivity at work and in daily living,” Dr. Joseph Dzierzewski, the National Sleep Foundation Senior Vice President of Research and Scientific Affairs, said in a release from the organization.
As companies strive to bounce back from the pandemic, with employees either returning to the office full-time or adopting a hybrid model, the need for quality sleep and well-rested staff is becoming increasingly important.
The authors of the NSF survey report stated, "Lack of quality sleep significantly affects both the workplace environment and the well-being of employees." They noted that "more than half of respondents reported that inadequate sleep adversely impacts their overall work productivity, which encompasses completing necessary tasks, minimizing errors, and effectively engaging with colleagues."
In other words, when employees doze off, it’s a setback for everyone.
Poll Results Indicate...
The findings from the recent NSF survey were derived from a nationwide online survey that employed a probability-based random sample of 1,372 U.S. adults, with a focus on oversampling Black and Hispanic participants. Conducted in both English and Spanish, the survey explored the negative effects reported by employees regarding the lack of healthy sleep.
The research revealed that the lack of sufficient sleep among employees led to various detrimental effects in the workplace, particularly affecting their capacity to:
Work the required number of hours (55% of respondents)
Get going at the beginning of the day (72%)
Think clearly (69%),
Do work carefully (58%)
Interact with people in person, in meetings, or on the phone (47%)
Control their temper in front of people (48%)
Although numerous studies have focused on the adverse effects of inadequate sleep health, including alterations in mood, cognitive impairments, and various physical health issues, the authors of the report note that there is limited understanding regarding the detrimental impact of insufficient sleep on workplace performance and employee effectiveness.
The NSF observed a consistent rise in the creation of innovative sleep-oriented personal gadgets, commonly referred to as sleep tech, including various devices and wearables showcased at this year's CES exhibition.
Additional Details
The American Academy of Sleep Medicine has more on sleep, productivity and safety.
SOURCE: Sleep and Employee Performance: A National Sleep Foundation Population Study of the Consequences of Not Getting Healthy Sleep, news release, Jan. 7, 2025.
What This Implies for You
If you find that fatigue is affecting your job performance and you think you might be experiencing insomnia or another sleep issue, consider speaking with your doctor about a possible evaluation.
