You've probably heard that eight hours of sleep a night is ideal. But don't be fooled by the buzz — everyone's magic number is different.
|'Always on' expectation
You might feel alert and effective on six hours of sleep. Or you might find yourself dragging, caffeinating and making frequent trips to the vending machine without nine hours or more. What's important is that you sleep as much or as little as you need to be your best self.
Sadly, sleep is often a taboo topic in the workplace. Technology has driven the "always on" expectation — so if you're sleeping, you must be slacking. But with lack of sleep linked to serious health issues and decreased cognitive function, sleep-deprived employees are more likely to make poor decisions and be less productive.
In fact, one in four leaders don't get enough sleep, undermining important behaviors such as effective problem solving and supporting others. Even worse, these sleep inefficiencies can eventually hurt financial performance: Insomnia costs U.S. businesses more than $63 billion in lost productivity.
|Unplug and recharge
Sleep isn't a luxury — it's a necessity that drives health and productivity. And it's not just an individual issue. Organizations must support employee sleep efforts — yet 53% of them create schedules that encourage sleep deficiency.
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