Morgane Oléron
Did you know that an individual who sleeps less than six hours loses around six working days a year more than a worker who sleeps seven to nine hours? Sleep matters and impacts every aspect of our lives, private and professional, and lack of sleep makes us more prone to mental health challenges and consequently less productive. That is why, surprisingly, employers should care that their employees get a good night's sleep.
There is a reason it is said humans spend, on average, one-third of their lives sleeping. We need it to function and thrive properly. We have all experienced ourselves when we lack sleep, either because we went out late, we have recently welcomed a newborn, or we suffered from a bout of insomnia. We are more irritable, emotional, and reactive.
That is because a lack of sleep has a significant impact on our brain. It disrupts communication with the amygdala and prefrontal regions responsible for emotional processing. The amygdala becomes overactive while the prefrontal cortex becomes less effective. The combination of the two not doing their job properly has a real negative impact on our wellbeing and abilities.
Irritability is just the tip of the iceberg, though. Prolonged lack of sleep can affect our decision-making abilities, our memory, attention span, and even increase our risk of developing mental health problems such as depression or anxiety. For example, a 2021 study has shown that people with insomnia are 10 times more likely than those without to experience a significant level of depression and 17 times more likely to experience depression. The same study explains that it usually is a vicious cycle within which poor sleep worsens existing mental health symptoms, which in turn, disrupt sleeping patterns.
While there is no "one size fits all" and our sleep patterns and needs evolve with age, they may also differ between genders, there is a consensus that adults need between 7 and 9 hours of uninterrupted sleep. But not just any sleep! Indeed, REM (rapid eye movement), deep sleep, and light sleep are the three phases we experience during sleep, and they are not all created equal when it comes to rest. REM and deep sleep are the most important and should account for almost half of those 7 to 9 hours. So, trying to sleep longer is not always the solution; it’s all about sleeping better! Nowadays, smartwatches and rings can measure these phases and provide a better understanding of our sleep data.
As we briefly saw earlier, a lack of sleep impacts our cognitive function, including focus, memory, and decision-making, faculties we need to perform effectively in our work. In addition, because it makes us irritable and less able to regulate our emotions, lack of sleep will also have repercussions on our communication and collaboration with our team and clients. Long-term sleep deprivation can lead to reduced productivity and potentially increase the risk of accidents and prolonged absences.
A study by Rosekind et al. (2010) estimated that fatigue-related productivity losses cost $1.967 per employee annually. More recently, in January 2025, a survey relayed by US News showed that 60% of adults reported that inadequate sleep negatively affects their work productivity, including the ability to complete required hours, minimize mistakes, and maintain positive interactions with colleagues.
The workplace, with its potentially high expectations and everyday stressors due to deadlines and pressure to perform, is the "ideal" environment for a negative feedback loop to establish itself. While workplace stress prevents individuals from sleeping, the lack of sleep exacerbates their stress responses. It negatively impacts their work performance, creating more stress and perpetuating the cycle.
There is a lot of advice out there, and while they may sound cliché or overheard, it does help create a healthy sleep routine when practiced daily. It is not about doing them all, but finding what works for you and your lifestyle:
Keep in mind that it is normal to have some nights when it is harder to fall asleep. It can be due to our level of stress that day, a late, heavy dinner, and many other factors. However, if you often find yourself restless at night, it might be beneficial to reach out to a professional to help determine what is preventing you from sleeping restfully.
What does the employer have to do with sleep, you may want to ask. This refers to the very private realm. However, we now understand that our professional and personal lives are interconnected and mutually impact each other. It is in everyone's interest that employees (and employers!) sleep well.
There are a few things the company can promote:
Our sleep is precious. It not only impacts our moods and mental health, but it also affects how focused we are on our day-to-day tasks and how we interact with others. A bad night's sleep may not seem like much to worry about, but a recurring lack of sleep can have a significant impact on both personal and professional life in the long term. Encouraging and educating employees about the importance of sleep hygiene is a role that more and more companies are ready to take on with the help of professionals and third parties, such as Siffi.
About the author
Mental wellbeing content writer at Siffi
Morgane crafts compassionate, engaging content that makes mental health conversations more human and accessible. At Siffi, she combines storytelling with strategy to foster a culture of care and connection in the workplace.
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