Lack of Sleep Can Affect Your Income: Here’s How To Overcome It

Money is one of the biggest issues people lose sleep over. From not making enough to having expenses that are too high, we’ve all experienced this stress at one point or another. The real problem is when sleep loss occurs regularly and directly affects your income. As crazy as it may sound, this is a legitimate concern.

We already know that sleep plays a significant role in daily productivity, mental and physical performance, and general wellness, yet it’s still surprising to some that a lack of sleep could result in a loss of income.

A third of the population report getting less than seven hours of sleep nightly, and this can lead to a devastating loss of workdays, and reduced productivity. A 2016 study from Matthew Gibson of Williams College and Jeffrey Shrader of the University of California at San Diego suggested that people who increased their sleep by one hour a night saw a 5% increase in annual earnings.

Sleep loss can lead to short term health problems or even serious health complications. The direct impact that sleep loss can have on your productivity will translate directly to your earning potential. Can you really afford to lose sleep?

Over 65% of the population report losing sleep over financial stress, and when that sleep deprivation can translate to a lower earning potential, it is clear that effective sleep is an important piece of overall wellness and success.

People often believe that if they want to earn more they need to sacrifice sleep, but the truth is, sleep plays such a vital role in your performance that trading sleep for work hours can be damaging to your bank account in the long run.

Sleep And Work Efficiency

Sleep deprivation can affect your central nervous system’s ability to recharge and recover daily. Without the ability to successfully recharge, you will suffer from a weaker memory and have a harder time learning and retaining knowledge. According to a 2016 CareerBuilder survey, nearly a quarter of the population report that sleep loss affects their productivity.

Concentration is key and sleep deprivation can make concentration much more difficult. As much as 20% of the population report having fallen asleep during work hours due to drowsiness. Focusing on tasks, multitasking, and managing long term goals can all suffer from a lack of sufficient sleep.

Sleep deprivation can cut your ability to learn new things and retain information by up to 40%. Recent research suggests that memory function is directly affected by getting less than 7 hours of sleep per night.

This performance dip can be what keeps you from that next raise, or what keeps you out of the running for a new promotion. Burning the candle at both ends will burn you out twice as fast.

Sleep Tips for Success

Sleeping well in today’s busy world can be difficult for anyone. There are many things to consider. Sleep plays a vital role in almost every area of your life, and almost every area of your life can play a role in the amount and quality of sleep you get nightly.

1. Avoid Caffeine – Caffeine can be a pick me up in the mornings, but relying too heavily on it can add up and keep your body from being able to relax into a deep sleep at night. A cup of coffee in the morning may be part of your routine, but at the very least, try to avoid that second or third cup.

2. Limit Screen Stimulation – Screen time is becoming harder and harder to avoid, but almost all modern computer and phone screens give off what is known as blue spectrum light. This light suppresses melatonin release and too much exposure to it, close to bedtime can keep you wired and unable to relax into sleep.

3. Be Conscious Of What You Eat And When – Food is our fuel, and how you rest and recover can be changed greatly by what you are fueling yourself with. In general, a healthier diet will lead to healthier sleep. Specifically in regard to getting the right balance of nutrients. Potassium, calcium, magnesium, and vitamin B6 are all among nutrients that can help ensure a healthy sleep cycle.

Being conscious of what you consume in the hours leading up to sleep can be very important as well. High carbohydrate meals before bed can lead to blood sugar spikes and interfere with sleep consistency. High fat snacks before bed can lead to digestive discomfort that can also hinder sleep quality.

4. A Quality Mattress Can Be Your Best Friend

What you sleep on can mean so much. If you are having difficulty sleeping, it could be worth it to look into investing in a new mattress. Back pain is incredibly common and can keep you from achieving a restful sleep even if you have the hours to give to it. Even one poor night of sleep can have an undesired ripple effect on your life.

Income will always be affected by your ability to function well and by your health and happiness. Sleep plays such a vital role in providing this. With good sleep hygiene, every other part of your life can become easier to manage, and your overall productivity is bound to go up. Better quality sleep will lead to improved focus and concentration, more motivation, and higher energy levels. All crucial factors in performing well in any profession.