Alaska Sleep Education Center

Sleep at Work to Boost Productivity?

Everyone, at some point or another, has something negative to say about their immediate supervisor. Many see it as a national workplace hobby. But there is a difference between the nitpicking that occurs daily and the stress-induced dissatisfaction, and so there is a substantial difference between a boss who has a few shortcomings and one who is inept. So, if you want to find out how to cope with an incompetent boss, feel free to check this post. Having to deal with the latter may be a trying and exhausting experience. However, if you adopt the proper mentality and arm yourself with a few useful tools, you will not only be able to survive but also thrive.

Fix Your Sleeping Patterns

For your body to flourish, it must be in harmony with its natural circadian cycle. Getting lots of activity and sunshine during the day, and then relaxing and sleeping in complete darkness in the evening, is the norm for most individuals. It’s also critical to pay attention to the concept of “rhythm.” It might be tough to sleep if you don’t follow a regular schedule for when you go to bed and wake up. This is why having a regular bedtime routine is critical. Establishing a “period of opportunity,” such as between 10 and midnight, throughout which you attempt to go to sleep is normal. A comparable window in the morning should be chosen and followed as much of the time.

Limit Your Caffeine And Stay Comfortable

If you want to be able to relax after lunch, you should try to limit the amount of coffee and energy drinks you consume earlier in the day. You may have trouble falling asleep if you consume caffeine unless you have a cup of coffee immediately before bedtime. Although some individuals nap by resting heads on their workstations or by leaning back in office chairs. You could find it more comfortable to spread out on a couch in the break room and use a cushion as a pillow for your head. It will be much easier for you to fall asleep if you first ensure that your supports are enough and that the surrounding temperature is suitable.

Clear Your Mind Of Unnecessary Worries

When you are taking a quick sleep, you should make every attempt to do so in a stress-free environment. A lot of people frequently make themselves tense due to dozens of things that come through their minds regularly. For instance, in lack of obligations during work time or within the pause period, an employee might start thinking about the ways of implementing publications in their CV. If that’s the case with you, this might serve as a good solution. So, if you want your productivity to shine, but all of your thoughts, anxieties, and problems are out of your mind, for the next 15 or 30 minutes, convince yourself that this is your time. You still have the rest of the day to attend to any other issues or unfinished business that may have arisen.

Enhance Your Hygiene Practices

Your body will find it easier to get into a pattern of restful sleep if you maintain a routine of having to get up to bed at a decent hour every day. Regular physical activity or time spent outside might also assist with sleep. Make it a goal to finish your workout at least a few hours before going to bed. Think about what you eat and drink in the late hours. Both tobacco and coffee are considered to be stimulants because of their ability to keep people alert. If you find yourself having trouble sleeping in the middle of the night, avoiding large meals and alcohol may help.

Set A Loud Reminder

You will need to use an alarm to wake yourself up from your sleep unless you are already an experienced power napper. If you don’t, you run the risk of falling into an unintentionally deeper sleep and waking up feeling sluggish and in a worse situation than when you went to bed. Make sure you don’t miss your train by setting the alarm on your smartphone. You’ll have some say over the time that you wake up if you do it this way. In addition to this, you won’t have to worry about oversleeping since you won’t have the chance to do so. This, of course, is contingent on your phone already having a sufficient amount of battery capacity before you begin, but there are strategies you can do to keep your phone’s battery from running out of juice.

Remove Any Excessive Work From After-Hours Commitments

You read it correctly! A worker’s ability to obtain the quantity of sleep that is advised for their health might be negatively impacted by factors such as late-night work-related emails and phone calls. It may seem that you are enhancing productivity by permitting workers to do work outside of normal business hours; yet, in reality, you are lowering overall productivity during peak working hours due to the disruption of sleep patterns caused by this practice. If you have personal traits constantly on your mind, for instance, it can affect your focus, and you won’t be able to sleep well. If so, reading more info here might get you back on the right track. Nevertheless, not only does staying up all night to respond to said emails and phone calls tamper with going to sleep at the appropriate time, but operating deep into the evening significantly interferes with the mind’s potential to silence itself.

Conclusion

Napping for lengthy periods or irregularly might disrupt your sleep cycle and cause you to oversleep. Take sleep to boost your mood, which will have a favorable impact on how you interact with your co-workers and clients. Showing initiative, not harder or longer, is the way to follow. As a result, maybe more companies should follow the advice of sleep specialists and provide staff with nap rooms after lunchtime.

Be careful not to take a nap longer than 30 minutes.  Longer naps can lead to sleep inertia, which is the disorientation and groggy feeling that happens from awaking from a deep sleep.  Also, avoid napping late in the day, which can negatively affect the length and quality of your nighttime sleep.

Some sleep specialists will caution against napping altogether.  Ralph Downey III, director of the Sleep Disorders Center at Loma Linda University Medical Center in California, stated, “Even just a little bit of a power nap reduces your nighttime sleep drive.  The nap becomes nothing more than another episode of fragmented sleep.”


The best advice is to try napping and see how you feel.  However, if after following these recommendations you’re still feeling tired throughout the day, and constantly fighting sleep, you may have a more serious sleep disorder, such as obstructive sleep apnea.  If this is the case, no amount of napping will help you feel more rested.  

If you live in Alaska and you would like to speak to a sleep specialist about the benefits you can receive from napping, or if you believe you have a more serious sleep disorder, please click on the link below. 

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Alaska Sleep Clinic's Blog

Our weekly updated blog aims to provide you with answers and information to all of your sleeping questions.

Brent Fisher, MBA, FACHE, FACMPE
President and Chief Executive Officer

“Alaska Sleep Clinic has a history of providing the most comprehensive sleep medicine services in the state of Alaska. Its potential has only begun. I am here to take these high-quality, comprehensive services to all Alaskans.”

Experience

Brent Fisher has held leadership positions spanning a wide variety of complex and start-up organizations: manufacturing (pharmaceutical & medical device), software development, hospitals (academic and community), medical groups, consulting, hospice, military, engineered devices, engineered plastics, and private equity.

Publications and Organizations

His writings have been published in various magazines, trade journals, and medical journals, including the Physician Executive Journal, Healthcare Executive, Modern Healthcare, Group Practice Journal, New England Journal of Medicine, and Journal of Healthcare Management (Best Article Award).

He has served on the Board of Directors of professional associations, civic organizations, and businesses.

Hobbies and Activities

Brent enjoys being with his family, serving in the community, hiking, camping, fishing, and hunting.