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Ideas for Leaders #257

The Importance of Sleep for Work

Key Concept

According to this Idea, the science is clear: lack of sleep compromises brain

processes and the skills needed for effective leadership. Executive — and

indeed everyone — should get at least 7–9 hours sleep in order to perform at

their best. Read on for some suggestions on how to create a culture that

understands and values sleep in your organization.

Idea Summary

Executives should stop working at cross-purposes with the brain and get more

sleep if they want to function at their best, say researchers from the Center for

Creative Leadership. In a 2013 White Paper, Carol Connolly, Marian

Ruderman and Jean Brittain Leslie state that lack of sleep can cause

problems not just for you but for all employees; it can leave your organization

vulnerable to safety and productivity gaps. They point to a study published by

the Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine which concluded

that fatigue-related productivity losses can cost an organization approximately

$2,000 per employee annually.

In order to explain the importance being well-rested, Connolly, Ruderman and

Leslie discuss the stages we experience when we sleep: about every 90

minutes, we enter rapid eye movement (REM) sleep, which is the most

important part of our sleep cycle and lasts for 30–40 minutes. REM sleep —

also known as the ‘brain delta wave state’ — is the deepest stage of sleep

and allows the brain to process what has happened during the day, and lets

the body and brain turn off its stress response.

During this stage, body development and tissue repair is stimulated, and the

brain replenishes neurotransmitters that organize neural networks essential

for remembering, learning, performance and problem solving. However, REM

sleep only comes after our brains cycle through several stages of non-REM

sleep; so if you get just 4–6 hours of sleep, chances are you are not be

maximizing its essential benefits.

The result? Executives working long hours and dealing with important issues

often find themselves limited in their ability to respond to such complex

organizational challenges, simply because they have not gotten enough

sleep.

Well rested leaders function at their best, with better memories and stronger

skills for making new and creative connections. They can regulate emotions

and engage more effectively with others.

Business Application

Authors

Connolly, Carol

Ruderman, Marian

Jean Brittain

Institutions

Center for Creative Leadership (CCL®)

Source

CCL® White Paper

Idea conceived

October 2013

Idea posted

November 2013

DOI number

Subject

Work/Life Balance

Happiness & Well-being

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So what can you do to maximize the benefits of sleep for you and your

organization? Connolly, Ruderman and Leslie suggest pushing back on the

24/7 culture, and introducing the notion that more work is not necessarily

better work; this involves questioning practices that value hours worked over

impact and results. Also, get the word out about the benefits of sleep; share

the science and let people know that when they are tired, they are less

effective as leaders and managers.

They also suggest ‘smart sleep strategies’ which include avoiding excessive

caffeine, alcohol and nicotine consumption, and exercising daily. To start with,

test the ‘sleep more’ theory for yourself: get enough sleep each night and take

naps and then ask yourself, are you more clearheaded and effective now? If

so, spread the word.

Some companies are ahead of the game; for example, Google conducted a

‘sleep awareness’ program and has added ‘sleeping pods’ at its headquarters

to facilitate brief naps at work. Essentially, these are ergonomically designed

private spaces to encourage sleeping. Other sleep-friendly companies the

researchers identify include CISCO, Capital Group and the AOL Huffington

Post Media Group.

Further Reading

Sleep Well, Lead Well: How Better Sleep Can Improve Leadership,

Boost Productivity and Spark Innovation. Carol Connolly, Marian

Ruderman & Jean Brittain Leslie. Center for Creative Leadership White

Paper (October 2013).

Further Relevant Resources

Marian Ruderman’s profile at the Center for Creative Leadership

Jean Brittain Leslie’s profile at the Center for Creative Leadership

The Center for Creative Leadership’s profile at IEDP

© Copyright IEDP Ideas for Leaders 2013

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