However, the impacts of sleep go far beyond our health. Everything from our athletic performance to our family life can feel the effects of poor sleep. And so can our careers.

The NHS Livewell campaign reports that the annual cost of lost sleep is around £30 billion, with 200,000 working days lost every year. Poor sleep can impact your mood, memory, and energy levels – all of which can have a detrimental effect on your work.

Decreased productivity and focus

One of the most immediate effects of poor sleep is a noticeable drop in productivity. Sleep deprivation impairs cognitive functions, including attention, concentration, and problem-solving skills.

This can lead to a decrease in work quality, missed deadlines, and a general decline in professional performance. According to the productivity experts at Zapier, poor sleep results in 23-45% of the population losing more than two weeks’ worth of productivity every year.

Impaired decision-making and creativity

You know that sluggish feeling you get when you’ve had a bad night’s sleep? Well, chronic poor sleep can leave you feeling like that all the time.

A well-rested brain is a fertile ground for creativity and sharp decision-making. So it makes sense that, when you’re running on insufficient sleep, your ability to think outside the box and make quick, effective decisions is significantly hampered. This can be particularly detrimental in roles that demand constant innovation and critical thinking.

Emotional instability and interpersonal issues

Most job roles require some level of teamwork – even if it’s just via email. But this becomes a lot more difficult when you’re operating on less than the required amount of sleep.

Poor sleep doesn’t just affect your cognitive abilities; it also impacts your emotional wellbeing. Sleep-deprived individuals often experience mood swings, irritability, and a reduced capacity to manage stress. This can strain professional relationships, leading to conflicts with colleagues and superiors, and might even harm client relations.

Long-term health risks and career longevity

Chronic sleep deprivation is linked to a range of health problems, including obesity, cardiovascular diseases, and mental health issues like anxiety and depression.

As well as harming your health, these challenges can also lead to increased absenteeism, reduced career longevity, and even premature exit from the workforce. The World Health Organisation reports that globally, an estimated 12 billion working days are lost every year to depression and anxiety.

Diminished learning and career growth

Sleep plays a critical role in memory consolidation and learning. With inadequate sleep, your brain’s ability to absorb and retain new information is impaired. Needless to say, this can be a significant barrier in continuous professional development and career advancement, as you’ll struggle to take on new information that’s essential for more senior roles.

Work–Life imbalance

Poor sleep often spills over into other areas of life, disrupting the delicate balance between personal and professional responsibilities. It can lead to a lack of energy for personal pursuits and family time, contributing to overall dissatisfaction and burnout.

Poor sleep isn’t just about feeling tired; it’s about the cascading effects that impact all aspects of your personal and professional life. Recognising the critical role that sleep plays in your career success is the first step towards making positive changes.

Looking to improve your sleep quality? Start by getting the sleep surface right. Explore the Mammoth Perks range today here.

The post The impact of poor sleep on your career appeared first on Mammoth Perks.

With the majority of 2020 having been spent in lockdown, it’s safe to say that this year has been tough for many of us. One of the things that made coronavirus restrictions so tough was the closing of gyms and other fitness spaces. Even as these establishments begin to return to normality, many people still aren’t comfortable to get back to their usual workout routine.

This is part of the reason why weight management has been one of the key issues for a lot of people over the course of the Pandemic. In a BBC survey, 48% of people said they had put on weight during lockdown. Yet a relatively under-covered aspect of weight management during this period is the close relationship between disrupted sleep and weight gain.

As stress and anxiety levels have risen through Covid-19, sleep levels are thought to have depleted significantly for many households – be it due to concerns over job security, fears over falling ill or simply low mood caused by restrictions on movement. In a survey by King’s College London, 63% of those asked said that their sleep quality was worse as a result of lockdown.

Sleep and weight management are intrinsically linked, with sleep having a key part to play in the maintenance of metabolism and the suppression of calorie cravings.

We’re going to take a closer look at the risks associated with weight gain, as well as the role sleep has to play in tackling it.

Obesity is a big issue in the UK?

Although it feels like society as a whole is getting more aware of the need to be healthy, the figures show that weight management continues to be a huge issue for the UK.

In the last 25 years, obesity rates among UK adults have quadrupled, to the point where one in four people now fall into the ‘obese’ category. What’s more, over 60% of adults are classed as overweight or obese in the UK, leaving only 40% of women and 33% of men.

As a consequence of this, the UK has the highest obesity rate in all of Europe, so much so that 525,000 NHS admissions were related to obesity in 2015/2016.

The health risks associated with obesity are extremely severe. The NHS reports that an obese man is five times more likely to develop type 2 diabetes, and an obese woman is 13 times more likely. Obese adults are also 2-4% more likely to develop high blood pressure, which increases your risk of stroke and heart problems.

The relationship between sleep and weight management

There are both direct and non-direct links between sleep and weight management. While we sleep, we burn fat and our body repairs itself. One study published in Psychology Today found that more than half of the weight lost during 8.5 hours of sleep was fat, versus only one quarter of weight lost during 5.5 hours of sleep.

But there are other ways in which sleep impacts our health and fitness. Sleep duration has an impact on our release of hormones like ghrelin and leptin – both of which influence hunger pangs. As a result, when we are sleep deprived we are more likely to turn to food as a source of energy, particularly sugary snacks.

What’s more, lack of sleep leads to increased levels of lethargy and fatigue. This makes us far less like to engage in physical activity, which overtime can make a significant difference to our weight and physical fitness levels.

Improving your bedtime routine can benefit your sleep health

There are simple changes you can make to your bedtime routine which will help you enjoy a better night’s sleep. For one thing, you should aim to go to bed and wake up at the same time every night. This gets your body used to a routine, which will cause it to begin winding down as bedtime approaches.

You should also avoid bright screens in the run up to bedtime, especially your smartphone. Bright lights from screens can disrupt your brain’s release of melatonin – the hormone which is responsible for telling your body that it’s time to go to bed.

Follow a healthy and balanced diet, avoiding the likes of caffeine and alcohol as these can disrupt the quality of your sleep. Keeping your bedroom cool and dark will also encourage better sleep.

A good mattress is key to a good sleep. Explore the range of premium mattresses today, or check out the rest of our sleep blog for more news and advice.

The post “Sleep it off!” Why sleep is crucial for tackling obesity appeared first on Mammoth Perks.

With the majority of 2020 having been spent in lockdown, it’s safe to say that this year has been tough for many of us. One of the things that made coronavirus restrictions so tough was the closing of gyms and other fitness spaces. Even as these establishments begin to return to normality, many people still aren’t comfortable to get back to their usual workout routine.

This is part of the reason why weight management has been one of the key issues for a lot of people over the course of the Pandemic. In a BBC survey, 48% of people said they had put on weight during lockdown. Yet a relatively under-covered aspect of weight management during this period is the close relationship between disrupted sleep and weight gain.

As stress and anxiety levels have risen through Covid-19, sleep levels are thought to have depleted significantly for many households – be it due to concerns over job security, fears over falling ill or simply low mood caused by restrictions on movement. In a survey by King’s College London, 63% of those asked said that their sleep quality was worse as a result of lockdown.

Sleep and weight management are intrinsically linked, with sleep having a key part to play in the maintenance of metabolism and the suppression of calorie cravings.

We’re going to take a closer look at the risks associated with weight gain, as well as the role sleep has to play in tackling it.

Obesity is a big issue in the UK?

Although it feels like society as a whole is getting more aware of the need to be healthy, the figures show that weight management continues to be a huge issue for the UK.

In the last 25 years, obesity rates among UK adults have quadrupled, to the point where one in four people now fall into the ‘obese’ category. What’s more, over 60% of adults are classed as overweight or obese in the UK, leaving only 40% of women and 33% of men.

As a consequence of this, the UK has the highest obesity rate in all of Europe, so much so that 525,000 NHS admissions were related to obesity in 2015/2016.

The health risks associated with obesity are extremely severe. The NHS reports that an obese man is five times more likely to develop type 2 diabetes, and an obese woman is 13 times more likely. Obese adults are also 2-4% more likely to develop high blood pressure, which increases your risk of stroke and heart problems.

The relationship between sleep and weight management

There are both direct and non-direct links between sleep and weight management. While we sleep, we burn fat and our body repairs itself. One study published in Psychology Today found that more than half of the weight lost during 8.5 hours of sleep was fat, versus only one quarter of weight lost during 5.5 hours of sleep.

But there are other ways in which sleep impacts our health and fitness. Sleep duration has an impact on our release of hormones like ghrelin and leptin – both of which influence hunger pangs. As a result, when we are sleep deprived we are more likely to turn to food as a source of energy, particularly sugary snacks.

What’s more, lack of sleep leads to increased levels of lethargy and fatigue. This makes us far less like to engage in physical activity, which overtime can make a significant difference to our weight and physical fitness levels.

Improving your bedtime routine can benefit your sleep health

There are simple changes you can make to your bedtime routine which will help you enjoy a better night’s sleep. For one thing, you should aim to go to bed and wake up at the same time every night. This gets your body used to a routine, which will cause it to begin winding down as bedtime approaches.

You should also avoid bright screens in the run up to bedtime, especially your smartphone. Bright lights from screens can disrupt your brain’s release of melatonin – the hormone which is responsible for telling your body that it’s time to go to bed.

Follow a healthy and balanced diet, avoiding the likes of caffeine and alcohol as these can disrupt the quality of your sleep. Keeping your bedroom cool and dark will also encourage better sleep.

A good mattress is key to a good sleep. Explore the range of premium mattresses today, or check out the rest of our sleep blog for more news and advice.

The post “Sleep it off!” Why sleep is crucial for tackling obesity appeared first on Mammoth Perks.

With the majority of 2020 having been spent in lockdown, it’s safe to say that this year has been tough for many of us. One of the things that made coronavirus restrictions so tough was the closing of gyms and other fitness spaces. Even as these establishments begin to return to normality, many people still aren’t comfortable to get back to their usual workout routine.

This is part of the reason why weight management has been one of the key issues for a lot of people over the course of the Pandemic. In a BBC survey, 48% of people said they had put on weight during lockdown. Yet a relatively under-covered aspect of weight management during this period is the close relationship between disrupted sleep and weight gain.

As stress and anxiety levels have risen through Covid-19, sleep levels are thought to have depleted significantly for many households – be it due to concerns over job security, fears over falling ill or simply low mood caused by restrictions on movement. In a survey by King’s College London, 63% of those asked said that their sleep quality was worse as a result of lockdown.

Sleep and weight management are intrinsically linked, with sleep having a key part to play in the maintenance of metabolism and the suppression of calorie cravings.

We’re going to take a closer look at the risks associated with weight gain, as well as the role sleep has to play in tackling it.

Obesity is a big issue in the UK?

Although it feels like society as a whole is getting more aware of the need to be healthy, the figures show that weight management continues to be a huge issue for the UK.

In the last 25 years, obesity rates among UK adults have quadrupled, to the point where one in four people now fall into the ‘obese’ category. What’s more, over 60% of adults are classed as overweight or obese in the UK, leaving only 40% of women and 33% of men.

As a consequence of this, the UK has the highest obesity rate in all of Europe, so much so that 525,000 NHS admissions were related to obesity in 2015/2016.

The health risks associated with obesity are extremely severe. The NHS reports that an obese man is five times more likely to develop type 2 diabetes, and an obese woman is 13 times more likely. Obese adults are also 2-4% more likely to develop high blood pressure, which increases your risk of stroke and heart problems.

The relationship between sleep and weight management

There are both direct and non-direct links between sleep and weight management. While we sleep, we burn fat and our body repairs itself. One study published in Psychology Today found that more than half of the weight lost during 8.5 hours of sleep was fat, versus only one quarter of weight lost during 5.5 hours of sleep.

But there are other ways in which sleep impacts our health and fitness. Sleep duration has an impact on our release of hormones like ghrelin and leptin – both of which influence hunger pangs. As a result, when we are sleep deprived we are more likely to turn to food as a source of energy, particularly sugary snacks.

What’s more, lack of sleep leads to increased levels of lethargy and fatigue. This makes us far less like to engage in physical activity, which overtime can make a significant difference to our weight and physical fitness levels.

Improving your bedtime routine can benefit your sleep health

There are simple changes you can make to your bedtime routine which will help you enjoy a better night’s sleep. For one thing, you should aim to go to bed and wake up at the same time every night. This gets your body used to a routine, which will cause it to begin winding down as bedtime approaches.

You should also avoid bright screens in the run up to bedtime, especially your smartphone. Bright lights from screens can disrupt your brain’s release of melatonin – the hormone which is responsible for telling your body that it’s time to go to bed.

Follow a healthy and balanced diet, avoiding the likes of caffeine and alcohol as these can disrupt the quality of your sleep. Keeping your bedroom cool and dark will also encourage better sleep.

A good mattress is key to a good sleep. Explore the range of premium mattresses today, or check out the rest of our sleep blog for more news and advice.

The post “Sleep it off!” Why sleep is crucial for tackling obesity appeared first on Mammoth Perks.

With the majority of 2020 having been spent in lockdown, it’s safe to say that this year has been tough for many of us. One of the things that made coronavirus restrictions so tough was the closing of gyms and other fitness spaces. Even as these establishments begin to return to normality, many people still aren’t comfortable to get back to their usual workout routine.

This is part of the reason why weight management has been one of the key issues for a lot of people over the course of the Pandemic. In a BBC survey, 48% of people said they had put on weight during lockdown. Yet a relatively under-covered aspect of weight management during this period is the close relationship between disrupted sleep and weight gain.

As stress and anxiety levels have risen through Covid-19, sleep levels are thought to have depleted significantly for many households – be it due to concerns over job security, fears over falling ill or simply low mood caused by restrictions on movement. In a survey by King’s College London, 63% of those asked said that their sleep quality was worse as a result of lockdown.

Sleep and weight management are intrinsically linked, with sleep having a key part to play in the maintenance of metabolism and the suppression of calorie cravings.

We’re going to take a closer look at the risks associated with weight gain, as well as the role sleep has to play in tackling it.

Obesity is a big issue in the UK?

Although it feels like society as a whole is getting more aware of the need to be healthy, the figures show that weight management continues to be a huge issue for the UK.

In the last 25 years, obesity rates among UK adults have quadrupled, to the point where one in four people now fall into the ‘obese’ category. What’s more, over 60% of adults are classed as overweight or obese in the UK, leaving only 40% of women and 33% of men.

As a consequence of this, the UK has the highest obesity rate in all of Europe, so much so that 525,000 NHS admissions were related to obesity in 2015/2016.

The health risks associated with obesity are extremely severe. The NHS reports that an obese man is five times more likely to develop type 2 diabetes, and an obese woman is 13 times more likely. Obese adults are also 2-4% more likely to develop high blood pressure, which increases your risk of stroke and heart problems.

The relationship between sleep and weight management

There are both direct and non-direct links between sleep and weight management. While we sleep, we burn fat and our body repairs itself. One study published in Psychology Today found that more than half of the weight lost during 8.5 hours of sleep was fat, versus only one quarter of weight lost during 5.5 hours of sleep.

But there are other ways in which sleep impacts our health and fitness. Sleep duration has an impact on our release of hormones like ghrelin and leptin – both of which influence hunger pangs. As a result, when we are sleep deprived we are more likely to turn to food as a source of energy, particularly sugary snacks.

What’s more, lack of sleep leads to increased levels of lethargy and fatigue. This makes us far less like to engage in physical activity, which overtime can make a significant difference to our weight and physical fitness levels.

Improving your bedtime routine can benefit your sleep health

There are simple changes you can make to your bedtime routine which will help you enjoy a better night’s sleep. For one thing, you should aim to go to bed and wake up at the same time every night. This gets your body used to a routine, which will cause it to begin winding down as bedtime approaches.

You should also avoid bright screens in the run up to bedtime, especially your smartphone. Bright lights from screens can disrupt your brain’s release of melatonin – the hormone which is responsible for telling your body that it’s time to go to bed.

Follow a healthy and balanced diet, avoiding the likes of caffeine and alcohol as these can disrupt the quality of your sleep. Keeping your bedroom cool and dark will also encourage better sleep.

A good mattress is key to a good sleep. Explore the range of premium mattresses today, or check out the rest of our sleep blog for more news and advice.

The post “Sleep it off!” Why sleep is crucial for tackling obesity appeared first on Mammoth Perks.

Long hours at work and few hours of sleep: a dangerous combination

Sleep deprivation leads to lower job satisfaction

Studies reveal the damage caused by a lack of sleep

Final word…

A good night’s sleep starts with a great mattress. Find your nearest retailer today by clicking here and discover the iconic Mammoth mattress for yourself.

The post The relationship between a good night’s sleep and a good day’s work appeared first on Mammoth Perks.

For many people, the science of sleep is a bit of a mystery. Some of us seem to able to manage on very little sleep, while others have to strive for at least 8 hours if they have any hope of functioning the next day.

And as such a complex topic, sleep has found itself subject to a great many ‘sleep myths’. Thankfully, it’s also the subject of a lot of research which works to dispel these misconceptions.

A team of researchers from New York University has discovered the world’s most common sleep myths and matched them against scientific evidence.

So we’re going to take a closer look at some of these statements, assessing just how true they are.

“I can cope on less than 5 hours’ sleep”

Many of the world’s most powerful figures have claimed to function on a reduced amount of sleep — from fashion director Tom Ford’s 3 hours a night to Margaret Thatcher’s famous 4 hours.

But the message that this sends, that in order to succeed you need to forego sleep, is dangerous. Sleep is vital, not just for our energy levels and productivity but also for our health overall. Sleeping five hours or less a night can greatly increase your risk of conditions like stroke and heart disease.

Instead, most sleep experts recommend that you aim for a minimum of 7 hours of sleep a night.

“Watching TV in bed helps me relax”

It may seem like a good way to wind down, but watching TV can actually make it more difficult to fall asleep. This is largely due to the way screens and light levels impact our release of melatonin: the body’s natural sleep chemical.

Exposing your eyes to bright lights before bed, whether it’s a TV, a laptop or a smartphone, can inhibit your melatonin release, stopping you from truly relaxing.

What’s more, we may think of watching TV as a calming experience, but for most of us late-night viewing means checking in on the news headlines, which can actually increase stress. Even TV dramas aren’t safe, as they’re designed to be gripping and invigorating, not relaxing.

Consider reading in bed or, better yet, engaging in some meditation before drifting off.

“A drink before bed helps me get to sleep”

A nightcap may help you get to sleep, but at the cost of your overall sleep quality. Alcohol has particularly adverse effects on your REM (rapid eye movement) sleep, which is vital for learning and memory. So while you might find it easier to nod off, you’ll probably still feel tired and lethargic the next morning.

It’s also worth remembering that alcohol is a diuretic, meaning you may find yourself waking up in the night with a full bladder.

“Hitting the snooze button helps me feel more rested”

When your alarm goes off first thing in the morning, it can be all-too tempting to hit that snooze button and try and catch a few extra precious minutes of sleep.

However, even if you do fall back to sleep for the brief period before your alarm goes off again, this sleep is likely to be light and low-quality. So you won’t actually feel more rested for it.

No matter how difficult it may be, it’s important to simply get up when it’s time to get up. Open your curtains and let the natural light help you feel more awake.

Remember, if you have the time to hit the snooze button several times, you also have the time to simply set a later alarm (one you can get up to straight away) and enjoy a longer stretch of genuine sleep. So make sure you don’t fall victim to these sleep myths.

The right mattress can significantly improve your sleep quality, helping you rest easy. Click here to find your nearest Mammoth retailer and test drive our range today.

The post 4 sleep myths that could be damaging your health appeared first on Mammoth Perks.

Whether you want to get fitter, healthier, more productive or achieve that next promotion in 2019, January is the time to put the plans in place that will help you achieve those goals. But don’t overlook how important a good sleep routine can be in getting you on the right track.

Sleep feeds into many of the most popular New Year’s Resolutions, improving both your physical and mental health and boosting your productivity. We’re going to take a closer look at why sleep is so vital when it comes to looking after yourself in 2019.

Sleep and productivity

According to data from Sleep.org, sleep deprivation costs US companies $63.2 billion a year in lost productivity, while having higher quality sleep can boost your likelihood of having a long career that you enjoy. Even if you’re moderately sleep deprived, you’ll be around 50% slower in your response times and be more likely to make mistakes.

Being well rested means you’ll recover from distractions faster, you’ll make more accurate decisions, retain information better and will be less likely to burnout. In fact, sleeping less than six hours a night is one of the best predictors of on-the-job burnout.

Sleep and weight control

Many of us take the new year as a chance to really commit to health and fitness, but equally many of us don’t bring good sleep into this equation. Not only do we burn calories when we sleep, but sleep deprivation can reduce our motivation to exercise and make us more likely to give into unhealthy cravings. What’s more, research published in the Annals of Internal Medicine found that participants who attempted to eat healthily while sleep deprived saw a 55% reduction in fat loss compared to other participants who were well-rested.

Like all of our body’s feelings and processes, hormones have a role to play in hunger. Leptin is a hormone produced in your fat cells. The less leptin you produce, the hungrier you feel. Research from the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism found that sleeping less than six hours supresses your leptin production. This means that you’ll feel hungrier when you’re sleep deprived. When paired with the lack of motivation that sleep deprivation causes, this can make sticking to a healthy eating plan significantly more difficult.

Sleep and mental health

Poor sleep is linked to a range of physical health concerns such as a weakened immune system, but it can also have a severe impact on our mental health. When we sleep, our brains process the information it has gathered throughout the day. Without this time, we open ourselves up to an increased likelihood of common mental health conditions such as anxiety and depression.

Insomnia is a mental health concern which causes us to have difficulty sleeping, and is often rooted in stress and depression. Feeling high levels of stress can make it difficult to fall asleep, which can consequently increase your feelings of stress, creating a vicious cycle.

Taking steps to improve your sleep health is key to sticking to your New Year’s resolution, whatever your resolution may be. Sleep is the foundation for a healthy lifestyle – and so any aspirations to improve diet, exercise or productivity should be built on a good night’s sleep.

Looking to improve your sleep quality in 2019? Start by investing in the right tools. Mammoth mattresses combine existing tried and tested traditional materials with advanced sleep and support technologies. Find your nearest retailer here and test drive a Mammoth today.

The post Why a better sleep routine should be top of your New Year’s Resolution list appeared first on Mammoth Perks.

Unlike 85 per cent of mammalian species, humans only sleep once per day. Whether this is the way nature intended us to work, or if it’s simply the way we’ve conditioned ourselves in response to modern society, is still largely unknown to scientists. Regardless, what is clear is that almost a third of us say we simply aren’t getting enough sleep.

Short bouts of sleep during the day, otherwise known as ‘power napping’, can be one effective way to tackle sleep deprivation and increase the amount of time you spend sleeping. Author and sleep expert Sara C. Mednick, PhD, a sleep researcher at the University of California, agrees:

“You can get incredible benefits from 15 to 20 minutes of napping. You reset the system and get a burst of alertness and increased motor performance. That’s what most people really need to stave off sleepiness and get an energy boost.”

So what are the benefits of power napping, and how can you make the most of them?

The benefits of power napping

Power napping is about more than just trying to catch up on lost sleep. The practice is slowly but surely creeping into workplaces across the UK — like London-based tech firm Potato, and Nats: the UK’s national air traffic control service — and when you explore the benefits of power napping this comes as no surprise.

According to recent findings, it can actively improve our productivity during our waking hours. In fact, power napping has been shown to improve cognitive performance in a variety of different ways, including:

• Facilitating creative problem solving and logical reasoning
• Enhancing our ability to retain and remember information
• Increasing our capacity for learning new information
• Improving our overall mood and reducing stress levels
• Decreasing our chances of making errors on the job
• Increasing mental alertness and reducing fatigue.

But in order to gain the full benefits of power napping, you need to know how to do it right.

What’s the best way to power nap?

Pick the right time and duration

You need to be organised when arranging a power nap. It’s recommended that you schedule your nap for the same time everyday in order to train your body to fall asleep easily at that time of day. Between 1 and 3pm is when we tend to experience a natural dip in energy, making this prime nap time.  Set your alarm for between 15 and 20 minutes. Ensure your power nap isn’t too close to your usual bed time, though, as this could hinder the quality of sleep at night.

Find the optimum environment

By creating a sleep-friendly environment, you increase your chances of actually falling asleep during your designated nap-time. Find a quiet, dark environment at a comfortable temperature, preferably around 18 degrees centigrade. This will give you the most beneficial setting when to comes to trying to catch a few daytime Z’s.

Silence your mind

Training your body to power nap can lead to some mental resistance, as we typically train our bodies to stay awake throughout the afternoon no matter how tired we feel. You may spend your first few naps simply lying awake, but even this can be restorative. Close your eyes and take deep breaths in order to calm your mind. Eventually, you’ll have no trouble falling asleep.

Consider a coffee first

It may sound strange, but a pre-nap coffee can help you feel even more refreshed when you wake up. It typically takes around 20 minutes for your body to absorb caffeine, which is also the length of time you should be aiming to nap for. Consequentially, the caffeine will work its way into your system while you sleep, helping to rouse you after your allotted nap time and helping you to feel extra alert when you wake up.

Want to wake up feel refreshed? Improve your sleep quality by test driving a Mammoth mattress. Just click here to find your nearest retailer.

The post Can power napping make you more productive? appeared first on Mammoth Perks.

We have to be realistic and acknowledge that we won’t always get things right. Yet, that should not prevent us all from working hard to maintain our sleep routine. In modern society, all too many of us suffer from a mounting lack of sleep, which can impact on our job performance, daily interactions and overall quality of life.

This is a very real concern for employers because poor sleep patterns can result in much lower productivity from fatigued and distracted workers.

In 2016, a RAND study highlighted the costs of insufficient sleep across 5 major economies (Canada, USA, UK, Germany, Japan). The US (where insufficient sleep has been declared a public health problem) had an enormous $411billion impact (2.28% GDP) with the UK having a $50billion/£40billion (1.86% GDP) economic loss through staff absenteeism and presenteeism linked to insufficient sleep and resulting in a loss of 200,000 working days per year.

Be wary of technology

We often read about how new software and digital technologies are helping to make the world a smaller place and how it is helping to speed things up or enhance productivity in business. While it is true that people are more connected than ever before, this “always on” and “always accessible” culture can actually work in reverse. Staff working into the night on their laptops or answering emails on their phones at all hours can serve to increase fatigue and consequently reduce productivity during their structured working hours.

We are all guilty to some extent of indulging in technology. In fact, it is estimated that the average user now interacts with their smartphone 76 times per day. But it is worth noting that this can not only cause fatigue but also shorten attention span. According to research, the human attention span was recently reported to be at 8 seconds, a reduction from 12 seconds fifteen years ago. That brings humans beneath goldfish, which are thought to have an attention span of 9 seconds.

Bedtime tips

Ignore the bravado

Attitudes towards sleep are not helped by the fact that many of the most powerful political and business leaders are vocal advocates of sleep restriction. All too often we hear public figures brag about their short sleep regimes as a badge of honour and a demonstration of their superpowers. Similarly, we have all heard terms such as, “When you snooze, you lose” and “Money never sleeps”.

We then absorb these messages and associate it with a culture of success and high performance. Showing signs of tiredness is equated to showing signs of weakness but, in reality, this couldn’t be further from the truth.

Commuting and work flexibility

A Vitality Health study earlier in 2017 involving 34,000 workers across the UK revealed that commutes of less than half an hour each day gained an additional seven days’ worth of productive time each year compared to those with commutes of 60 minutes or more. Unsurprisingly, long commuters were also 46% more likely to get less than the recommended seven hours of sleep each night and 21% more likely to be obese.

With these statistics in mind, it would seem that there are many benefits to both working close to home and also working flexibly. Indeed, the Vitality survey also showed that flexible working resulted in an extra 5 productive days per year and people were less likely to have insufficient sleep.

Fatigue and safety in the workplace

The Health & Safety Executive states that worker fatigue has been implicated in 20% of accidents on major roads and is said to cost the UK £115 – £240 million per year in terms of work accidents alone. In practice, sleep deprived humans have slower reactions, reduced coordination, reduced ability to process information, memory lapses, absent-mindedness, decreased awareness, lack of attention and an underestimation of risk. It’s also recognised that levels of fatigue can be equivalent to the cognitive impairment experienced through alcohol intoxication.

Positive change

Interestingly, a few forward thinking organisations, such as Google, Facebook and Nike, now provide staff with sleep pods and allow for strategic 20 minute afternoon naps as they boost mood, alertness and productivity, and particularly creative thinking.

Of course, the culture of the business needs to be very accepting of these practices and staff need to be educated. Some modern offices now also provide quiet spaces for mindfulness, meditation or prayer which can also help recharge the stress batteries where others, such as P&G, alter the brightness of the lighting inside their buildings across the day to help adjust alertness and promote sleep onset later that evening.

In France, a law was passed in January 2017 that gave workers the right to disconnect from work emails when out of hours. Some other organisations have started to proactively create email policies and also block their servers between the hours of 6pm and 8am so all email traffic gets halted or sends an automatic out-of-office reply to explain that emails will only be dealt with during office hours. However, this strategy will only suit certain sectors or departments and may indeed cause more stress on occasions as urgent tasks could be left incomplete or people may need to deal with a great surge of emails to begin every day.

How to find a sensible Work–Sleep balance

Here are a few steps you can take to find a healthy balance:

Individuals’ responsibility: Set consistent wake-up times; limit the use of electronic items before bedtime; and exercise.

Employers’ responsibility: Recognise the importance of sleep and the employer’s role in its promotion; design and build brighter workspaces; combat workplace psychosocial risks; and discourage the extended use of electronic devices.

Public authorities’ responsibility: Support health professionals in providing sleep-related help; encourage employers to pay attention to sleep issues.

The post Sleep, productivity & the future of the economy – Dr Jonathan Bloomfield appeared first on Mammoth Perks.