Poor sleep also harms job performance
The 2025 Sleep in America Poll® found that many workers report negative consequences from insufficient sleep:
- 58% reported a negative impact on productivity
- 45% struggle to interact with others
- 45% have difficulty controlling their temper
- 58% struggle to handle their workload and complete tasks without mistakes
The importance of good sleep hygiene
Healthy sleep is important for our mental and physical health, and we can all benefit from better sleep. Learn how to improve your sleep hygiene.
How to nap for your health
Let’s discuss how to nap, so we can use naps effectively while avoiding disruptions to our sleep schedules.
We all know the importance of staying hydrated, exercising regularly, and maintaining a balanced diet. However, quality sleep is also a crucial aspect of overall well-being. While scientists are still unsure of exactly why we sleep, it is clear that there are many health benefits to sleep, both physical and mental.
How Sleep Works
Sleep is a complex process made up of a series of stages that we cycle through during the night. These include rapid eye movement, or REM, sleep, as well as non-REM sleep. Both stages play a vital role in restoring the brain and the body. Non-REM sleep is especially important for immune function and physical repair, while REM sleep supports learning, emotional regulation, and memory consolidation. Most adults need between seven and nine hours of sleep per night to effectively cycle through the stages of sleep.
However, interruptions to our sleep cycle or a lack of adequate sleep interrupt these processes. This can affect everything from concentration and mood to heart health and immune function.
Health Benefits of Sleep
- Improved Energy and Alertness: Sleep deprivation can lead to poor job performance and can raise the risk of car crashes and other accidents. A healthy night’s sleep makes it far more likely that you will feel rested the next day. This allows you to approach your day with more energy and attention.
- Better Mood and Mental Health: Research has shown that people who don’t get enough sleep are more likely to feel irritable, anxious, or sad. They are also at a higher risk of experiencing distress that harms their mental health. Good sleep is an important tool to improve mood and mental health.
- Muscle Repair and Recovery: Sleep is necessary for rest and recuperation. This is when the body builds muscle, repairs damaged tissue, and regenerates cells. This is partly due to increased hormone production, including human growth hormone, which is produced in its highest amounts during sleep.
- Supports Heart Health: During healthy sleep, the heart rate slows, blood pressure decreases, and inflammation of the cardiac system is reduced. On the other hand, a lack of sleep is a risk factor for cardiovascular problems, including high blood pressure, heart attack, stroke, and heart disease.
- Reduced Risk of Diabetes: Metabolic problems such as type 2 diabetes occur when insulin can no longer effectively bring down blood sugar levels. Deep sleep helps the body’s cells respond to insulin, which may be why poor sleep has been linked to an increased risk of type 2 diabetes. Studies have shown that quality sleep improves metabolism, which aids in blood sugar regulation and reduces the risk of diabetes.
- Enhanced Cognitive Function: Sleep plays a role in memory, focus, and other aspects of cognition. Research shows that sleeping well supports concentration, learning, and higher-level thinking, such as logical reasoning, while poor sleep negatively impacts judgment.
- Bolsters the Immune System: A long-term lack of sleep has been linked to higher chances of catching a cold or other viruses, and vaccines are less effective in chronically sleep-deprived people. This is because healthy sleep enables the immune system to function more effectively to protect against illnesses and combat chronic inflammation that plays a role in several chronic diseases.
- Enables Athletic Performance: For everyone from athletes to those who are just starting a workout routine, getting a healthy night’s sleep supports physical exertion, response time, muscle activation, and endurance. It is also a key element in athletic recovery and reduces the risk of injury.
- Aids in Healthy Weight Management: Quality sleep is an important part of maintaining a healthy weight. This is because a lack of sleep can interfere with the normal production of hormones that can help regulate appetite, causing hunger that can contribute to weight gain.
While inadequate or interrupted sleep can harm your health, healthy sleep provides many health benefits. This is why sleep is foundational to overall good health.