The real cost of lack of sleep

In our last ‘Thrive in 5’, we discussed the importance and benefits of sleep. In this issue, we highlight why sufficient sleep is not just a good-to-have, but is in fact critical - and how its lack can cost us dearly.

Where are we now?

Lack of sleep can have serious health consequences, including an increased risk of hypertension, diabetes, obesity, depression, and even strokes and heart attacks.
Sleep deprivation also reduces our cognitive ability, which means our brain takes longer to process information and react to it.
For sleep-deprived employees, such reduced reaction times can lead to mistakes. In the US alone, inadequate sleep led to financial losses between an estimated $300 and 433 billion in 2020.

What can you do?

To avoid such financial and mental repercussions, employers must first recognise the link between sleep and job performance, and then empower their employees to create healthy boundaries at work that can help prevent sleep deprivation.
This is in addition to things individuals can do to help themselves sleep better, like reducing screen time close to bedtime, identifying and addressing stress-causing issues, and reducing caffeine and alcohol intake.

What’s next?

Sleep deprivation is often ignored, as it’s not seen as a serious issue.
By recognising it for the problem it is, we can put an end to the harmful effects of a lack of sleep.

Working adults are no strangers to stress and work pressures. However, by letting it ruin our sleep, we end up not only hurting ourselves but also being less productive than we could be with a good night’s rest.