Better sleep: sleeping on the way to a productive day

A nice trip to the beauty salon sounds like a day well spent. Yet, this is not always possible. Especially during cold winter months when all you want to do is stay in bed the whole day. But why not make your very own spa day at home? Simply take a full day, half a day or even one hour to fully relax in the form of a spa treatment. This is all you need to do to achieve that long-desired relaxation just for yourself.

Be more productive by sleeping better

For many of us who now work from home while caring for young children or old relatives, it can be difficult to stay focused and function at 100%. In pursuit of productivity, it is important to be aware of the role that your health, and especially your sleep, plays.

Productivity is often associated with doing even more and prioritizing your job. As a result, there is less time left for sleep. In reality, your productivity and performance suffer if you place less importance on your sleep.

The link between sleep and productivity is no surprise. Many people feel the effects of a bad night's sleep. In fact, the annual Philips global sleep survey shows that 61% of adults think their memory works less well when they haven't slept well, while 75% admit to being less productive after a bad night's sleep. This makes sense, given the important role that sleep and deep sleep in particular has been shown to play in optimal memory consolidation and improved performance.

If you want to tackle sleep problems and improve your performance, it's important to understand the value of sleep and healthy sleep behavior.

Sleep and wellbeing

Research has shown that poor sleep negatively affects memory, alertness, decision-making and problem solving, all of which play an important role in achieving optimal productivity [1]. According to Dr. David White, Chief Medical Officer Philips Sleep and Respiratory Care, "One night of insufficient sleep (usually seen as less than seven hours) can already have its impact on mood, performance and general well-being. Several such nights in a row have greater effects."

Research further shows the link between sleep and overall well-being. For example, a survey of more than 4,000 employees at four major US companies found that participants who suffered from insomnia or insufficient sleep experienced the largest drop in productivity. Among other things, they spent three times as much time on time management, felt less motivated and had difficulty with focus, memory and decision making.

"One night of insufficient sleep (usually seen as less than seven hours) can affect mood, performance and general well-being. Several such nights in a row have greater effects."

Dr. David White

Chief Medical Officer Philips Sleep and Respiratory Care

Sleep is irreplaceable

Quick solutions, such as coffee and energy drinks, are popular remedies for a bad night's sleep. And while many poor sleepers swear by caffeine, which has been proven to actually improve performance in certain cases, Dr. White points to some negative side effects. Caffeine increases heart rate and blood pressure and has a diuretic effect. In addition, it is not a sufficient or comparable substitute for sleep, as it does not provide the same benefits, such as enhancing memory and removing toxic proteins from the brain.

Rather than relying on stimulants, Dr. White recommends the following to improve sleep:

Spend seven hours in bed. It's impossible to get seven hours of sleep if you only spend six hours in bed.
Maintain good sleeping habits. For example, if possible, go to bed and get up at the same time as much as possible, and avoid caffeine and alcohol right before bedtime.
Talk to your doctor if you constantly have trouble falling asleep or staying asleep. Your doctor can help you change your sleep patterns, which can lead to improvements in the quality of your sleep.

[1] https://www.sleep.org/articles/sleep-and-productivity-at-work/