How does a lack of sleep affect us?

We all know that we can’t perform at our best when we’re tired – mentally or physically. From slower reaction times and impaired judgment to an increased risk of injury, fatigue is a very real problem – one that most of us will struggle with at some point in our lives.

Fatigue leads to distractibility

“It’s hard enough to tackle boring or mundane tasks at the best of times,” argues productivity coach and author Juliet Landau-Pope. “All the more so when you’re tired. Fatigue can make it harder to make purposeful decisions, to plan and prioritise and to resist distractions.”

In short, if you’re tired, your willpower will be impaired, meaning we can’t resist distractions. We are all naturally distractible, and it’s a skill that was evolutionarily advantageous. Back when we were hunter-gatherers, the ability to stay alert to threats while undertaking a task could have meant the difference between life and death.

Nowadays, however scary your boss is, it’s less about survival and more about being able to get stuff done. When we’re tired, our minds wander more easily, and before we know it, an hour has passed.

“If you’re struggling to get things done at work, it’s definitely worth tracking your quality of sleep,” advises Landau-Pope. “Try to monitor your energy levels throughout the day, as this will help you work out if it is tiredness that’s affecting your productivity or something else.”

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