“People know about food and exercise, but not sleep. The myth is that an hour’s less sleep leads to an hour’s more productivity.”
But in reality, Gomes says, not having enough sleep dramatically affects work performance. “Only having five or six hours’ sleep for a few days is the same as being functionally drunk,” he says. “Imagine being constantly drunk at work. How would you solve problems?”
As if that wasn’t bad enough, not getting enough good-quality sleep is also linked to a host of diseases, from cancer to heart disease. Plus, recent research from wellbeing consultancy The Tonic found 56% of executives say taking control of their sleep routine was the most important lifestyle change for a positive impact on work performance.
Gomes advises raising awareness of this among employees and giving them advice on how to sleep better, such as turning off electronic equipment an hour before sleep and avoiding alcohol or spicy food before bed. Some companies such as Google have gone as far as having spaces for employees to grab a power nap if necessary but although Gomes says a 20-minute nap can get you back on form for a few hours, nothing beats a good night’s sleep.
