Sleep well to lead well

It is recommended that a person gets eight hours of sleep per day for relaxed psychological functions.

But with work, family and social responsibilities that keep us occupied for approximately 16 hours a day, getting eight hours of sleep sounds like a stretch.

With life taking its own course and choosing its own time track, most people have grown accustomed to the five to six hours of sleep we get in a day.

Despite the all-nighters and red-eyed days, some even wear sleep deprivement as a badge of honour.

According to a Brac University Institutional Repository study, the Bangladeshi population tends to sleep for longer or shorter times than the recommended sleep hours.

An international study conducted in 2017 by the Center for Creative Leadership found that among leaders, only 42 percent of leaders get six or fewer hours of shut-eye a night.

Sleep deprivation does not just hurt individual performance.

When team leaders lose sleep, their employees' experiences and output are diminished, too.

Professor Dr Salahuddin Qusar Biplob, chairman, psychiatry, BSMMU, said, "Sleep restores energy in our bodies, just like recharging of batteries. It is important for every person. Sleeping well makes one feel fresher in the morning and increases concentration. When you have a good night's sleep, your judgement capacity also increases and you can prepare better towards achieving your objectives."

Spreading Damag

A recent research has found that individual behaviour can vary dramatically from day to day and week to week, and much of this variance can be explained by how well a manager sleeps.

Other studies have found that when team leaders come to work unrested, they are more likely to lose patience with employees, act in abusive ways, and be seen as less charismatic.

Harvard Business Review conducted a recent review on how much sleep 40 managers and their 120 direct reports got during the first three months of working in a team.

It was found that sleep-deprived bosses tend to be more impatient, irritable, and antagonistic, which resulted in the relationships to deteriorate.

It was observed that sleep deprivation was just as damaging at the end of the three months as it was at the beginning, although the leaders were completely unaware of the negative dynamic.

Lack of sleep also affects a leader's ability to inspire and motivate his subordinates.

When the boss does not feel rested, the whole unit pays a price.

Furthermore, leaders who discount the value of sleep can negatively impact not just emotions but also behaviours on their teams.

The researchers conducted a series of studies called "sleep devaluation" which induced scenarios where the leaders implied to subordinates that sleep is unimportant.

The studies found that employees pay close attention to such cues and adjust their behaviours accordingly.

A new branch of research is beginning to show how important it is to alter smartphone behaviour too.

Melatonin is a crucial biochemical involved in the process of falling asleep, and light (especially blue light from screens) suppresses its natural production.

In a research focused on middle managers, it was found that time spent using smartphones after 9pm came at the expense of sleep, which undermined work engagement the next day.

The practical advice is to cut out screen time at night or to use glasses that filter blue-light.

A nap can speed up cognitive processing, decrease errors, and increase stamina

Research clearly indicates that dozing for even 20 minutes can lead to meaningful restoration that improves the quality of work.

A brief nap can speed up cognitive processing, decrease errors, and increase stamina for sustained attention to difficult tasks later in the day.

As little as eight minutes of sleep during the day is enough to significantly improve memory.

Many countries have embraced the culture of napping in the middle of office hours.

In Japan, napping at work is typically viewed positively.

Midday siestas have long been part of work life in Spain.

Google and PriceWaterhouse Coopers have nap pods for employees as they understand that 20 minutes of downtime can make people more effective and productive for many more hours that day.

As a leader, even if you fail to get enough sleep yourself, you should be careful to promote good sleeping behaviour. Your employees are watching you for cues about what is important.

Bragging about the lack of sleep should be avoided by bosses.

If the leader absolutely must compose an email at 3am, schedule the email so it is not delivered to the recipient before office hours commence.

Avoid holding up all-nighters as an exemplary behaviour.

If, instead, leaders make a good night's sleep a priority, one can become a more successful leader who brings out the best in employees.